I have never met anyone as passionate or knowledgeable about Jersey City’s growing culinary scene as Joely Reyes. Joely is a dear friend of mine who I met back in high school at McNair. A West Side resident for over ten years, she has long been determined to change the way others view our city. Whether through drinks and dinner at her favorite JC hangout, Porta, or through introducing me to free waterfront parking, she has truly helped me rediscover our ever changing city. Joely is uniquely Jersey City and is proud of the many lessons that her city has taught her. However, she will soon start law school at Boston’s Northeastern University, and will be away from Jersey City for quite some time. As a parting gift to her beloved hometown, she wrote a farewell (hopefully, a temporary one) letter, which is included below:

 

Dear Jersey City,

I have seen you take the blood, sweat, and tears from my parents and create three beautiful children. I have seen you grow, break, wither, and rejuvenate, just as I have. I have seen you cry. I have seen you laugh. I have seen you struggle. I am now seeing you prosper.

At age eleven, my mother packed our bags and moved our family out of Brooklyn. Our neighborhood, more like our block, was relatively safe. The budding Bushwick of today isn’t the Bushwick we left over ten years ago. I’ve spent the rest of my life here in Jersey City since that move, and before May of this year, I had no intentions of leaving.

The story of Jersey City, is the story of the “haves” and the “have nots”. You can enter Liberty State Park from one end and exit through another and it feels like you left the city. The differences between Greenville and Downtown are shocking. But from a ten minute car ride, I learned one thing – this is the reality of the world. Some people have privilege, others do not. Some receive a top of the line education, while others go to the worst schools in the state. Some kids will play at a state of the art facility, while others will kick a ball around in dirt.

Throughout the years I’ve had friends become parents at the age of sixteen, get locked up at the age of eighteen, and others get killed before they even turn twenty-one. But for every friend that didn’t make it, I had a friend who did. Being conscious of these problems made me conscious of myself and my goals. Jersey City made these topics front and center for me, it made me face the truth.

Every city has its good and its bad. Being from Jersey City has made me open minded and accepting. On a daily basis I interact with different people, with different ideologies, from different cultures. Not to mention, the restaurant scene in Jersey City can almost transport you to another country with every bite. Newark Avenue alone provides bountiful options. Jersey City is home to plenty of art shops, museums, and music venues. Not to mention, bar options are endless, and I’ll miss the dive bars just as much as I’ll miss the boogie ones.

Recently, I have seen all parts of Jersey City grow, but I will admit that some neighborhoods are growing faster than others. Jersey City is the future.  It is home to aspiring chefs, entrepreneurs, artists, and leaders – myself included. At the end of August, I will be leaving this beloved city to pursue a law degree, one I intend to use in public service once I return. I love Jersey City and I want to make it a better place.

I owe everything about myself to Jersey City, and I have gotten this far in my life because of it. I traded one Grove Street for another (yes, there is a Grove in Brooklyn). I soaked in all this city had to offer, and sadly I’ll have to say goodbye for some time. And just as I said about Brooklyn, I’ll be saying “The Jersey City of today isn’t the Jersey City I left a few years ago”. From what I see, Jersey City is headed in the right direction. Whether you’ve lived in JC for twenty years or twenty days, enjoy the city; there really is no place else like it. You can almost travel the world, one light rail stop at a time.

Your greatest admirer,

Joely

 

Until next time, Joely! For more information about JC through the lens of Joely, visit her Instagram at @jayreyes__