Kendall Steele
24 October 2012
Professor Asher
FYS: Visualizing San Francisco
The
Differences We See
San Francisco is full of character.
People from all over, with different backgrounds come to San Francisco to make
a name for themselves. Some people exceed their expectations, while others have
a difficult time making it out of the starting gate. So where do these people
reside? Well, though stereotypes are unfair and misleading, it isn’t to far of
a stretch to claim that the majority of people living in Union Square are
people who have made. Where as, the people living in the Tenderloin district
are most likely part of the group that is struggling. What really makes this
scenario interesting is that these two districts are so different from each other,
yet they are next door to one another. The differences of these districts can
be scene through the signage displayed through the districts. Let me explain.
To
begin with, the signage that is found within the Tenderloin district is vastly
different from the signage displayed in Union Square. When our class walked
through the Tenderloin district, we saw many signs for homeless centers, drug
centers, and shops that are offering food and produce for extremely low prices.
They were also a lot of signs for sex shops and nude shows. However, the one
sign that really effected me, was one that read, “Syringe Access Services:
Needle Exchange.” This in my opinion is a sign that represents the Tenderloin
district. This sign is designed for the residents of this district. Based off
of this sign, we can assume that the demographic of this neighborhood is of
people who have lost their way and are coping with their lives through the use
of drugs. Though this is not a truth for the whole community. In fact, I saw a
sign that represented the improvement being made in this district. This sign
was on the side of a car. It read, “City and County of San Francisco: Homeless
Outreach Team.” So overall, the signage displayed around the Tenderloin
district depicted its residents as misfits, but there were glimpses of hope
here and there like the signage I mentioned above.
Now
that I have talked about the Tenderloin District, I am going to talk about the
signage of Union Square and how it varies. When we walked through Union Square,
I was not surprised by the amount of signage. There were countless signs that
promoted different clothing stores. A lot of signs also promoted food and
beverages. But, when I did walk into the mall, I was shocked to see a currency
exchange sign. This sign in my opinion, really represents the stereotype of
Union Square. To many people, the district is seen as a place of wealth and
prestige. The majority of shops found in the mall are expensive and couture.
Even the food has a pricey tag. So this sign depicts the people residing in
Union Square as people with extra money in their pockets. There were no
homeless shelter signs in this part of the city. In fact, compared to the
Tenderloin district, there were very few homeless people walking around.
From
examining both districts, it is easy to see that there is a clear distinction
between the two. The signage of each district is hand picked to specifically
appeal to the residents.
