An Uptown Portrait

An Uptown Portrait: Alicia

An Uptown Portrait is a bi-monthly photo series by journalist Amaris Castillo (@AmarisCastillo). The portraits capture those who reside in upper Manhattan and their candid quips on their side of town.

Alicia Andrade sits on a bench by the corner of 204^th St. and Broadway in Inwood. The 76-year-old Ecuadorian native sits there three days a week. Today she holds a soft-covered book, filled with words rooted in religion. Andrade smiles from under the shade of her wicker hat and the tree leaves above her. Her eyes are kind. She likes Inwood – she says it’s tranquil. “Neighborhoods are made by people themselves,” she says. When the people are bad, the neighborhood’s bad. If the people are good, so’s their hood. Andrade’s hands hold the book gently. She used to live in Queens, but followed one of her daughters to this neighborhood 27 years ago. When asked how much longer she would like to remain in Inwood, Andrade doesn’t skip a beat. “Until I die,” she says, “because I have nowhere else to go.”

Check out more of Amaris Castillo’s work: http://vimeo.com/AmarisCastillo

Also Check out:

An Uptown Portrait: Natividad

An Uptown Portrait – Hugo

An Uptown Portrait – Patrick

An Uptown Portrait – Alicia

An Uptown Portrait – Geanella

An Uptown Portrait – Maureen

An Uptown Portrait – Linwood

An Uptown Portrait – Robert

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