Gentrification is a process of renovating and improving an urban area that is deteriorated, or may be of lower class value. Powerful and wealthy people may take over this area in order to make it a middle and higher class taste because they believe the area is valuable, however the residents, stores and buildings may not be up to par with their expectations. In addition, they see the potential these poorer neighborhoods have to make great profit, so they advance them through construction in order to attract more wealthy people to live there.

In the 1960s, many parts of New York City carried joblessness, crime, drug addiction and abandonment across entire neighborhoods. African Americans and Puerto Ricans who flocked to New York were faced with many struggles. Jaffe describes “redlining”, which was when federal and local banks forbid them to borrow money in order to gain a place to live. This was because these banks discriminated against these people and did not trust them to ever pay back the loans. Urban Renewal was another effect which faced newcomers. Powerful figures using federal funds to break down neighborhoods without providing adequate housing for the abandoned poor people was a tactic that was advantageous for the more wealthy people, however a nightmare for people who could not find other places to live.

In 1975, the city government ran out of money. In the South Bronx and Central Brooklyn, Landlords began to abandon thousands of apartment buildings and fires were intentionally set by these landlords in order to save themselves and escape the city’s downfall. However, they did not realize that in doing this, the safety and care of the people living in these buildings are now at jeopardy.

Although these people were left abandoned with their buildings, the people of the community formed movements in order to save their neighborhoods in the late 1960s and 70s. Father Louis Gigante was a leader of this time who protested many areas of abandonment. One organization formed was the Mid-Bronx Desperados Housing Corporation (MBD) and another organization included the South East Bronx Community Organization (SEBCO). These organizations held bonfires in order to protest as well as renovation events lead by the people and run by the people. Block by block, apartment buildings for moderate-low class workers were renovated day by day. The Public’s Development Corporation raised over $300,000 in loans for renovations. Not only did this speed up the apartment building renovation process, but it also inspired many other organizations and communities to donate and get involved as well. Brooklyn’s most stressed neighborhoods in like 1990s included Brownsville, Ocean Hill, Bedford Stuyvesant and East New York and these communities saw advancements happening in the Bronx and learned.

The Northwest Bronx Community (NBCC) held campaigns that brought political art into play when campaigning for more money towards poorer areas, and it worked. They persuaded banks to reinvest in at-risk neighborhoods with the campaign sign “Don’t Move! Improve!” as this sign quickly became a known rallying cry. New Yorkers were starting to realize picket lines, sit ins, bonfires and homesteading was not enough to engage powerful and wealthy people in order to convince them to invest. So, in order to gain money and power Gigante’s SEBCO took action and successfully obtained housing funds fro the city, state and federal government. This attracted redevelopers and investors.

The East Brooklyn Congregations was another one of dozens of organizations that helped to bring up the standard of struggling neighborhoods. This was founded by Reverend Jonny Ray Youngblood and its first campaign was to improve local food shopping; which ironically is still an issue in neighborhoods today. They combatted high prices and threatened to call police on health regulations. In addition, Nehemiah homes were built to provide affordable housing in the Bedford Stuyvesant area, Ocean Hill and Crown Heights.

In the Brooklyn chapter of Jeremiah Moss’, Vanishing New York—How a Great City Lost its Soul, Moss clearly captures the gentrification of Brooklyn today and we can compare that to what we read in Jaffe’s description of Brooklyn and the Bronx’s struggle to survive in the 1970s-1990s. Moss describes Brooklyn today in a way that conveys that the people who fought for Brooklyn and its rights in the past are the same people that are being pushed out by wealthy people who are coming in and taking over apartment space. Black owned mom and pop businesses are gradually giving way to high end chains like Shake Shack and a “median priced home [is] $615,000” (Bloomberg Business). Moss explains that “social media” speeds up this process of gentrification, and he is correct. Many people are quickly able to see the beautiful aesthetic of Brooklyn and are realizing that Williamsburg is only one stop away from Manhattan on the L train across the river. It turned from a ghost town to an area filled with luxurious storefronts; a local consumer movement. Brooklyn’s brand is now redeveloped thanks to gentrification and we sure know it is a bad thing, as the poorer people that have been living here for years now can not keep up with the high end stores and increasing rent rates.

Moss beautifully uses juxtaposition to compare Manhattan Ave. and Franklin street of today. He describes Greenpoint to be extremely luxurious and Franklin street more including mom and pop restaurants and more of a homey feel. Bedford Stuyvesant, although its struggle we discussed earlier, is now filled with luxury condos and empty lots that re being prepared for luxury construction. Barclays center came up because of a huge gentrification project as well.

Gentrification is not just see in certain places. We see in Moss’ Queens chapter and the article on Chinatown that these places are also seen as valuable (because they are) and rich people just love to take advantage over every situation they can to make more profit than they already do today.

We should be aware of the effects this has of the people who were at these now “cool” places before us, the affiliation they have with these places, and what would happen if they can not keep up with the rising rent rates. A grandfather plan should definitely be put in place to accommodate these people in order to grant them a normal and steady monthly rate. Hopefully lawmakers will look past the money and “opportunity” that comes with new modern buildings and take care of the people who need the help most. The people who fought when these places were abandoned.

MN

Gentrification is a process of renovating and improving an urban area that is deteriorated, or may be of lower class value. Powerful and wealthy people may take over this area in order to make it a middle and higher class taste because they believe the area is valuable, however the residents, stores and buildings may not be up to par with their expectations. In addition, they see the potential these poorer neighborhoods have to make great profit, so they advance them through construction in order to attract more wealthy people to live there.

In the 1960s, many parts of New York City carried joblessness, crime, drug addiction and abandonment across entire neighborhoods. African Americans and Puerto Ricans who flocked to New York were faced with many struggles. Jaffe describes “redlining”, which was when federal and local banks forbid them to borrow money in order to gain a place to live. This was because these banks discriminated against these people and did not trust them to ever pay back the loans. Urban Renewal was another effect which faced newcomers. Powerful figures using federal funds to break down neighborhoods without providing adequate housing for the abandoned poor people was a tactic that was advantageous for the more wealthy people, however a nightmare for people who could not find other places to live.

In 1975, the city government ran out of money. In the South Bronx and Central Brooklyn, Landlords began to abandon thousands of apartment buildings and fires were intentionally set by these landlords in order to save themselves and escape the city’s downfall. However, they did not realize that in doing this, the safety and care of the people living in these buildings are now at jeopardy.

Although these people were left abandoned with their buildings, the people of the community formed movements in order to save their neighborhoods in the late 1960s and 70s. Father Louis Gigante was a leader of this time who protested many areas of abandonment. One organization formed was the Mid-Bronx Desperados Housing Corporation (MBD) and another organization included the South East Bronx Community Organization (SEBCO). These organizations held bonfires in order to protest as well as renovation events lead by the people and run by the people. Block by block, apartment buildings for moderate-low class workers were renovated day by day. The Public’s Development Corporation raised over $300,000 in loans for renovations. Not only did this speed up the apartment building renovation process, but it also inspired many other organizations and communities to donate and get involved as well. Brooklyn’s most stressed neighborhoods in like 1990s included Brownsville, Ocean Hill, Bedford Stuyvesant and East New York and these communities saw advancements happening in the Bronx and learned.

The Northwest Bronx Community (NBCC) held campaigns that brought political art into play when campaigning for more money towards poorer areas, and it worked. They persuaded banks to reinvest in at-risk neighborhoods with the campaign sign “Don’t Move! Improve!” as this sign quickly became a known rallying cry. New Yorkers were starting to realize picket lines, sit ins, bonfires and homesteading was not enough to engage powerful and wealthy people in order to convince them to invest. So, in order to gain money and power Gigante’s SEBCO took action and successfully obtained housing funds fro the city, state and federal government. This attracted redevelopers and investors.

The East Brooklyn Congregations was another one of dozens of organizations that helped to bring up the standard of struggling neighborhoods. This was founded by Reverend Jonny Ray Youngblood and its first campaign was to improve local food shopping; which ironically is still an issue in neighborhoods today. They combatted high prices and threatened to call police on health regulations. In addition, Nehemiah homes were built to provide affordable housing in the Bedford Stuyvesant area, Ocean Hill and Crown Heights.

In the Brooklyn chapter of Jeremiah Moss’, Vanishing New York—How a Great City Lost its Soul, Moss clearly captures the gentrification of Brooklyn today and we can compare that to what we read in Jaffe’s description of Brooklyn and the Bronx’s struggle to survive in the 1970s-1990s. Moss describes Brooklyn today in a way that conveys that the people who fought for Brooklyn and its rights in the past are the same people that are being pushed out by wealthy people who are coming in and taking over apartment space. Black owned mom and pop businesses are gradually giving way to high end chains like Shake Shack and a “median priced home [is] $615,000” (Bloomberg Business). Moss explains that “social media” speeds up this process of gentrification, and he is correct. Many people are quickly able to see the beautiful aesthetic of Brooklyn and are realizing that Williamsburg is only one stop away from Manhattan on the L train across the river. It turned from a ghost town to an area filled with luxurious storefronts; a local consumer movement. Brooklyn’s brand is now redeveloped thanks to gentrification and we sure know it is a bad thing, as the poorer people that have been living here for years now can not keep up with the high end stores and increasing rent rates.

Moss beautifully uses juxtaposition to compare Manhattan Ave. and Franklin street of today. He describes Greenpoint to be extremely luxurious and Franklin street more including mom and pop restaurants and more of a homey feel. Bedford Stuyvesant, although its struggle we discussed earlier, is now filled with luxury condos and empty lots that re being prepared for luxury construction. Barclays center came up because of a huge gentrification project as well.

Gentrification is not just see in certain places. We see in Moss’ Queens chapter and the article on Chinatown that these places are also seen as valuable (because they are) and rich people just love to take advantage over every situation they can to make more profit than they already do today.

We should be aware of the effects this has of the people who were at these now “cool” places before us, the affiliation they have with these places, and what would happen if they can not keep up with the rising rent rates. A grandfather plan should definitely be put in place to accommodate these people in order to grant them a normal and steady monthly rate. Hopefully lawmakers will look past the money and “opportunity” that comes with new modern buildings and take care of the people who need the help most. The people who fought when these places were abandoned.

MN

When approaching these three poems, in order to truly understand and analyze them, I think about the time these poems were published and what was going on at that time. The first poem I read was “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman. This poem was published in 1860 and acknowledges different common men in America, their jobs, and the pride they have in their jobs. During this time, slavery was a big issue in America. At the same time, however, Lincoln was nominated president and stood with the anti slavery movement. This causes more people to gain jobs while being proud of their work. Although the different men and women have different tasks, they each “sing” with pride their work. In addition, the Industrial Revolution was a big part of this time which creates another sense of patriotism through the people of America because of its great advancements. “I, too” by Langston Hughes was published in 1926. This is a time where many people are moving out of their farms to live in cities, New York City being a popular place among people who are planning to move because of its different communities. The 1920s is a decade of change because of how many people are starting to be consumers instead of farming what they need for themselves and being satisfied with that. America becomes a world power because of this, and American culture is now seen being spread throughout the whole world. Not only that, but different races become more confident in their work and potential, due to events happening in New York such as the Harlem Renaissance. In this poem, Langston Hughes describes that although “I am the darker brother”, he declares that soon he will be the wealthy one at the table having the most power rather than the servant (2). People in America are clearly now starting to become confident and patriotic regardless of their race. They believe in themselves, something that was not seen when African Americans were under slavery. “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus was published in 1883. Around this time we know the second industrial revolution occurred which contained the advancements of electricity and steel. As Lazarus describes “a mighty woman with a torch” I automatically think of the Statue of Liberty (4). In the poem, Lazarus also describes this woman as a welcoming figure to many people coming in from different countries specifically looking for religious freedom and economic opportunity. The author of this poem clearly believes that America is the place where anyone should come to because of its reputation of making dreams happen. Not just America, but throughout the entire world, New York is seen as the prominent city where work happens and anything can get done.

Although these three poems were all written at different times, they all carry a common theme. The theme of being patriotic and open to every race is seen in all three of these poems. Instead of being labeled as where you came from or who your grandparents were, we now are all labeled as one, Americans. Americans who have the same pride for the same country. Hughes is aware that his race is different than the people who he is serving, however he realizes that they are both in America, where everyone now has the same chance at being successful, especially in the 1920s. Whitman describes different jobs belonging to different people however connects them in their shared love and pride for working in America. Lazarus is patriotic herself, as she describes the Statue of Liberty that is going to be given to America soon which will ultimately let anyone in and give everyone the same chance. She explains that the Statue will constantly cry, “Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” (13-14). The golden door is a symbol of America in this description. All of these authors were raised in New York, which says a lot about their perspective on work and change in America, since New York was a prominent place for immigrants to settle and find opportunity.

Michelle Nazar M.N