The Problem with Rebuilding Detroit
This article was really interesting to read, especially since hearing Yusef Shakur speak. Although it doesn’t go into much detail, it outlines the issues of gentrification that are often overlooked and swept under the rug. Issues such as depopulation, displacement of residents, rising costs of living, etc. Over the course of this program, gentrification has been the topic of many conversations. After reading this article and different things being put into perspective, it angers me that there are many people who celebrate gentrification without caring about the people that are negatively impacted. They see new opportunity for “positive change,” but fail to realize that this opportunity was at the expense of the livelihood of others.
One of my favorite quotes from the article is, “…investors have raced to take a stake in Detroit’s downtown, remaking this sliver of the city into a hive of mostly white professionals and a playground for suburban concertgoers and sports fans.” The city of Detroit is being white-washed and the culture of Detroit is being lost.
