" Gentrification and urban gentrification denote the socio-cultural changes in an area resulting from wealthier people buying housing property in a less prosperous community.[1] Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size decreases in the community, which may result in the informal economic eviction of the lower-income residents, because of increased rents, house prices, and property taxes. This type of population change reduces industrial land use when it is redeveloped for commerce and housing. In addition, new businesses, catering to a more affluent base of consumers, tend to move into formerly blighted areas, further increasing the appeal to more affluent migrants and decreasing the accessibility to less wealthy natives."-Wikipedia
"Ill never turn my back..ill give the slums a 'try"-
The Honorable Robert Nesta Marley O.M
Its no wonder to see inner city communities, from Chi-town, to Maryland, New York to the slums of camden and philly undergo serious transformation. Execptionally minorities have witnessed the elements of their communities change. From seeing the social conditioning of corrupt public schools, drug corners, speak easy's, number houses and community centers slowly become major million dollar food, clothing, and industrial chains. The slow burning process of gentrification didn't really hit me until i seen the shutting down and evacuation of some of the most corrupted housing projects in philadelphia, and the changes on some of the old blocks i spent time on as a child in washington heights, NY. The most recent i seen was the building of new complexes, and garages in Camden NJ, on and close to some of the more poorer surrounding neighborhoods, where some of the residents are in the process of slowly populating neighborhoods like Cherry hill NJ. The process of gentrification is always the same: prepared or not, the current residents eventually have to leave. In america, the saying is still true; among the powers that be" the richer get richer, and the poorer get poorer". From a bird's eye view of the culture, from talent, and business moves i couldn't see blacks, latino's, and other nationalities limited to section 8, housing projects etc. But putting their minds together, to secure their communities, and pursue entrepenuarship.
In american inner cities the "paper chase" is still real: and relevent to political monopoly. In most cities, through gentrification some poor regions are bought by the government, proprietors, and major businesses; while some of the poor sections stay the same, for years. These sections usually benefit corrupt law enforcement and politicians that make profits off the destruction of these communities through drugs. In my years of living in and understanding philadelphia's ghetto's, and studying the urban plight, Gentrification is one issue in the lineup that's relevent to minorities. I hope this essay encourages awareness to the American class system, the good, the bad and the ugly. Peace.
Consciously Yours,
Z.A
THEE URBANPRIESTHOOD GROUP LLC 2010
