Below is a link to an article in today's New York Times about the neighborhood I'm living in. It's kind of funny to see first-hand the effects of the gentrification that's going on here. A few years ago I had a professor who is now the mayor of Santa Cruz. One day his classroom was covered in fliers calling him a "pro-gentrification" douche bag. I guess I just always assumed that most people like me are opponents of gentrification but a lot of white people that I've talked to here are very much for it. Considering this is the notorious Harlem I am on the side of making it a safer place and if that takes building expensive buildings, then go for it. But this guy, Ray, who works at the bakery down the road is having to find a new place in a cheaper part of town because he can no longer afford to stay here. He and his son have been living in a building in which many of the tenants are crack heads but he can't even afford to stay there. He loves the neighborhood because he grew up here and was here through the worst times of Harlem but can't stay anymore. He's going to have to move to a neighborhood that is less safe and will have to commute to his job which means he will be less available to his son or have to put in fewer hours so that he can maintain his close involvement in his son's life. It's interesting to see the bad side of this stuff being lived by people that I meet.
Anyway, here's the article.
2 comments:
interesting stuff indeed.
it's not so hard for me to ponder in a detached sort of way. I bet it's much less possible to be detached when you're in the middle of it.
and now, on a completely unrelated note, have you read the book "three cups of tea" about greg mortenson building schools in pakistan? it's a pretty good book. a customer bought it for me.
you can borrow it if you want. we could trade for your jewish guy book...
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