{"id":57099,"date":"2018-04-11T19:11:27","date_gmt":"2018-04-11T23:11:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/?p=57099"},"modified":"2020-06-09T08:02:41","modified_gmt":"2020-06-09T08:02:41","slug":"mindful-gentrification","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/mindful-gentrification\/","title":{"rendered":"MINDFUL GENTRIFICATION"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you remember the cartoon series \u201cSchoolhouse Rock\u201d? \u00a0\u00a0A fan favorite in my childhood was \u201cThe American Melting Pot\u201d. \u00a0The song addresses our country\u2019s open-armed foundation to immigration.\u00a0 We are encouraged to \u201cjump right in\u201d and embrace that we are all ingredients to the recipe of America. Fast-forward to present day. In our city, rent is skyrocketing and space is scarce. \u00a0All of a sudden it seems as if the housing market in the city is akin to \u201cHunger Games\u201d and there are lines being drawn in the sand. The general feeling or emotion that comes from the complexity of our city\u2019s predicament can be summed up in one word: gentrification. So how do we mindfully gentrify? Read on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Less Gentrification, More Community<\/h3>\n

When we hear the word gentrification our minds usually move to a space of negativity, embarrassment, anger or confusion. (Especially if it is being used in the noun form; gentrifier!)\u00a0 The definition nods to the process of rebuilding \u201cdeteriorating\u201d areas to accompany an influx of people who are usually wealthier than the current residents. The ultimate result is a displacement to make space for people to make a \u201cfresh start\u201d\u00a0 and with that a fresh profit. Displacement is more than people having to move out of their homes (which is often the case with many). \u00a0There is also a displacement of culture, tone, and general community. Instead of being a melting pot of unique cultures and integrate them into an already existing system, gentrification brings with it a wave of affluence that often has no space for what was or is. <\/span><\/p>\n

“Good” Gentrification<\/h3>\n

Take a ride on any train in Brooklyn and you will see an example of this term in action. \u00a0Trains that were mainly filled with people of color and working-class families are now being infiltrated by millennials who often come from more affluent backgrounds and different cultures. \u00a0But what\u2019s wrong with this? Isn\u2019t one of the foundations of this country the right to have the freedom to thrive and build where you choose? In short, yes. We can\u2019t claim to be a city that accepts the masses and then shuns people from moving to new places, especially in the current housing market. \u00a0It\u2019s more about understanding the implication and impact. <\/span><\/p>\n

Like many things gentrification is grey. \u00a0\u00a0But like it or not, gentrification is something that we will forever be subject to, especially in our city. \u00a0The question then is how do we confront it and bring a little more humanity to this systematic turnover that is persistent in our lives.\u00a0<\/span>Although it might sound like an oxymoron for some there are ways in which we can mindfully incorporate ourselves into a community that existed before our arrival.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Say Hello<\/b><\/a><\/h3>\n

We are adults so it\u2019s time we put aside the don\u2019t talk to strangers warning our parents often imparted to us. \u00a0Many communities affected by gentrification are being stripped of their culture\u2019s colloquialisms. The most basic being an acknowledgment of another. \u00a0Smiles, nods, and a general \u201chello\u201d is a foundation way to begin to integrate yourself into a community. In a recent conversation with a friend and self-labeled \u201cgentrifier\u201d of Bushwick, Christina, \u00a0we began to discuss the change the community has experienced over the past five years. \u201cI\u2019ve lived here for almost a decade, I guess you could say I was one of the first gentrifiers. The neighborhood still had its ‘feel’ then. \u00a0There was like one restaurant, one yoga studio, one \u201chealth food store\u201d lovingly termed \u2018hipstermart\u2019 by my friends and I and one coffee shop. I began to become friends with my neighbors simply by saying hello.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

This self-identified \u2018hipster\u2019 went on to talk about the friendships she formed with her 90-year-old neighbor, Paulina, who hailed here decades ago from Russia to play the piano for the ballet and her 40 something neighbor, Cliff, \u00a0who grew up in the projects of Brownsville and now loving watched over the block with his sweet pit bulls Simba and Nala. \u201cWhen there was more and more development of the neighborhood,\u201d says Christina. I started to notice the community feeling begin to fade. The new people weren\u2019t saying hello or recognizing the culture. I began to find myself become aggravated with each new face I saw. Although I was also a gentrifier, I made attempts to become apart of the community. \u00a0Now that I had I began to also experience the \u2018slightness\u2019 from those who were moving in and acting like the place was theirs with no recognition or desire to connect with us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Understand the History and Context of your New Community<\/b><\/h3>\n

My friend Dante told me about an experience he had sitting on his Mama\u2019s stoop. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cMy Mom lives in the basement of a Brownstone that her father bought decades ago; a proud accomplishment for a black man in the 1940\u2019s. \u00a0I just graduated with my Master\u2019s degree from Colombia so I knew I would be able to continue to keep her here even after the change. My Mom rents out the top apartment of the home for additional income.\u00a0 With the change in the neighborhood, the residents that rent are usually young and white; the circumstance wasn\u2019t different here. A couple walked out and I turned, smiled and said hello. I thought it would be reciprocated but to my surprise, it wasn’t. Instead, I was met by a turning of the back and locking of the door. They were locking me out of my own house and I thought are you f-ing kidding me!?! I said hello again thinking maybe they didn\u2019t hear me, although I know they did, and literally they continued to lock the door and hurried past me as if I didn\u2019t exist.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Now, was this the intent of the people, who knows. \u00a0Maybe they were in a hurry or maybe they really didn\u2019t hear him, maybe they were just aloof but the exchange that happened in this situation was debilitating. When asking my friend what they could have done to improve the situation the answer was easy; \u201cacknowledge me, ask how my day was, ask if I was waiting for someone, anything. I am a human being too\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

So What, Now What? <\/b><\/h3>\n

So what do we do with all this information? \u00a0We all need a place to call home and closing off opportunities for people to revitalize and rejuvenate neighborhoods doesn\u2019t sit well. Creating an embrace towards change can begin with some small moves in the right direction. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep reading for some suggestions. <\/span><\/p>\n

Shop Local <\/b><\/h3>\n

We all know the influence of the mighty dollar and its connection to the evolution of a community. \u00a0(Hence the foundation of gentrification.) Check out the local bodega or laundry mat. Need a cobbler or seamstress- there is likely one in your hood, try them out for a change. You don’t have to completely abandon your favorite staples spots but there\u2019s no harm in spreading some of the wealth locally. \u00a0In fact, it’s helpful! Contributing to your local economy will likely be a much-needed support for family businesses to enjoy the result of a revitalized neighborhood. <\/span><\/p>\n

Comm-UNITY \u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

We’re entering the \u201coutside season\u201d of New York.\u00a0 What steps will you take to further become support unity where you live?\u00a0 Simply start with a smile and hello.\u00a0 Notice the unique beauty of your hood. Vow to learn about a new place or make a new friend. \u00a0While we will inevitably continue to see more gentrification we can reclaim the term gentrification. Let\u2019s acknowledge the societal implications of neighborhood evolution and actively work to preserve the beauty our hoods already hold.<\/span><\/p>\n

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How do we make the best out of rapid gentrification in New York City?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Do you have experiences moving into a new neighborhood and want to share your insight? Let us know in the comments!<\/em><\/p>\n

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Do you remember the cartoon series \u201cSchoolhouse Rock\u201d? \u00a0\u00a0A fan favorite in my childhood was \u201cThe American Melting Pot\u201d. \u00a0The song addresses our country\u2019s open-armed foundation to immigration.\u00a0 We are encouraged to \u201cjump right in\u201d and embrace that we are all ingredients to the recipe…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":57129,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57099","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57099","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/92"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57099"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57099\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69501,"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57099\/revisions\/69501"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57099"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57099"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57099"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}