IâÄôd like to thank the Minnesota Daily for the Oct. 24 article about decreasing crime rates in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood. Misconceptions about the area are frequently perpetuated throughout the University of Minnesota community. ItâÄôs important to take an objective look at facts to reassess these notions. While the statistics are telling, what can be more so are stories and experiences that are not solely reactionary. Those who live in Cedar-Riverside, or any other place, do not exist to prove or disprove stereotypes. They have lives independent of violence and labels. It wasnâÄôt until I interacted with community members that I abandoned all my previous conjectures and established real human connections. There are amazing people and places in Cedar Riverside and I encourage all to explore the many opportunities there. I am continuously humbled by the resilience of the people I meet as a volunteer in the community. Without this experience, numbers would just be digits on paper, just a sigh of relief. These statistics, along with the accounts of community members defending the neighborhood, only tell us that we will be fine. The statistics donâÄôt allow us to take into account the unheard voices of residents of the neighborhood. They do not show that individual experiences are not always predicated on relativity or the words of people who seek to define them.