Question: “What are your thoughts on the economy?”
Jiana Smith photos
Randall – Harlem, 20
“Prices are really high. It’s really [messing] with people.”
Paritosh – Morningside Heights, 26
“I think it’s really hard in general for people. I think it’s one thing what you read about in the news where people say job numbers are going through the roof, inflation is down compared to where it was throughout the bulk of COVID, but then there’s the feeling of dread, of anxiety that people experience. And a lot of it is about just affording even basic necessities, like groceries or rent increases, or not being sure where exactly you’re gonna maybe even get health insurance from because health insurance costs have gone up so much.”
Jay – Harlem, 38
“It could be better in a whole lot of ways living-wise. If you keep pushing the rent up, you’re going to keep pushing people out — and that’s how homeless people are created. And then, once you’re living above your means, you’re pretty much toast. That’s how they want the economy to pretty much be: You got to be rich in order to make it.”
Randolph – Harlem, 52
“Everybody wants to point the finger at somebody. That’s the economy. It’s not about money; it’s about who’s going to pay for it. All the bills that people have, the healthcare. You’re going to pay for it, because if you pay taxes, you’re paying for this shit. And that’s sad, because you ain’t getting nothing back out of it.”
Pete – Harlem, 62
“At the end of the day, it’s going to do what it does, and there’s nobody that you can really trust because you don’t know what’s on their mind and what’s on their agenda. But as far as the economy is doing, I’m fine. I’m blessed because I got God, so I really don’t worry about the economy. It just does what it does. As long as I eat every day, I got a roof over my head, I feel blessed.”