Black Lives Matter and Gentrification from a boutique perspective: A feature and follow up with Ms Andrews
“I’d been working on my mums stall in the market since I was 4 years old, I’m used to the retail life.”
The above one liner is one of a fine many from Grace Andrews, an accountant-in-training (she believes in having business skills as a good back up) and owner of luxury nail and accessories boutique Nails@Coco&Creame which lives in the growing hotspot of Dalston, situated in Hackney.
Anyway, the reason for this insightful interview, is to discuss hot topics such as where this particular Londoner stands on the Black Lives Matter Movement and another (yet distantly related area based on how another marginalised group may be affected), the matter of increasing localised gentrification.
A local from the trendy area since birth, Grace knows this spot of East London inside and out, however her main theme in her opinion is cohesion, in order to combat potential segregation within gentrification.
“I am all for making something inclusive and lovely, not something exclusive and ugly.”
A great and natural orator, she speaks about her background, how this all started and her views on the boroughs’ growing reputation in relation to gentrification and those multi-faceted changes that come with it.
One can imagine that such confidence comes from a solid background, a good grounding stemming from a tight family upbringing in the face of adversity, and all in an area with not very pretty statistics on knife crime, education, health or the overall financial health of its constituents.
The (decreasing) yet sheer amount of payday loan shops and betting bookies gives out a light on an area still semi-gripped in deprivation.
“Growing up in Hackney it wasn’t always as it is now, it was sometimes deemed to be a bit of an rough area, although which I think there’s always a worse reputation from an outsider looking in then if you are living here yourself. ”
And this is where Grace fits in.
With a dual position of owning a trendy boutique that attracts many types but also being a local girl who understands that side of things, her main ethos is community cohesion.
Her concerns also extend to combating racial based issues, particularly voicing her concerns in relation to Black Lives Matter.
“The Black Lives Matter movement has obviously been created out of necessity, sheer necessity.”
“There are some atrocities going on in America and it is something that the whole world needs to pay attention to, not just black people but people of all colours, all ages and all genders so and so forth.”
She verbally oozes a bluntness dressed kindly in her truthful and non-pretentious demeanour, completed with a confidence so eased that you are drawn in to simply hear her out, even with topics as uncomfortable as this.
“But what is a good thing is that there has been a lot of London support and for things here going on as well.”
“Living in London and in England it would be a lie to say that there isn’t any racism here but whilst there is racism here, there is a better handling of situations here. The laws in this country are in much more support and I would love to see these laws implemented in America. ”
“What I think is key is that England is very stringent with gun control and I think that is really important, if you don’t want violence in a country then don’t encourage it.
Grace also goes deeper into why she feels America is like this and what they could learn from the UK whilst declaring her support for Black Lives Matter.
“I think that the USA could learn a lot from things that are happening in England or London and again that’s not to say England or London is perfect and that things aren’t going on around here but London is a much more cohesive and fertile environment for change and growing in the right direction.
“I hope the Black Lives Matter movement and any movement in support of peace and cohesion or pro-human life can help better the situation.
“I support my American brothers and sisters of all colours so to speak and I think that it’s important for them to receive support from all around the world”
From speaking and interviewing Grace, I am confident for the future.
Despite the current, divisive and even hostile environment that the political climate and sustained financial worries have placed amongst the heads of many, there is a new generation who are standing up, seeking out, expressing themselves and doing their part.
A generation who are not afraid to say what they feel is racially, financially or morally right or wrong, or at the least, just less afraid then what others before them may have been.
And Grace is a young, fresh, part of that generation.