So I was walking down Moffat street in Bushwick with my boyfriend one day and he began explaining to me how things were for him growing up in Bushwick. Bushwick, now being known for its exclusive murals and street art; we walked down this lurkish, dim street and he continued to go into depth about this particular neighborhood. At 12, this block was a block he wouldn't even come down because even on the sunniest days it would be so dark, so suspicious. You could feel the lost energy in the air on this block; as if walking through a bombed town, trash in the street, broken down houses, shards of what WAS a gate, protruding through the concrete. Definitely pretty SUS. However, a few blocks towards Evergreen st, you can find the sunlight again. We stopped at a corner to look; around the corner from Moffat was a TOTALLY different Bushwick. The most beautiful 3 family loft I've ever seen. Post boxes tagless, garbage ALL in their proper arrangements ( papers, bottles , COMPOST?) A totally different Bushwick it was. We walked a few blocks and he showed me all of the new lofts he's NEVER seen even been built nor posted for rent. Bushwick is also home to lots of HUGE factory buildings that all appear graffitied out bandos waiting for destructing but inside of these factories were now residents from WHO KNOWS. Mind bust. However, my point being; on this random day I learned true perspective of someone who's experience major gentrification. Many people shun this new "thing" happening in their neighborhoods all over Brooklyn, but what I got from my boyfriend was something more than that. He felt that the gentrification definitely affects this predominate, black and Hispanic neighborhood both culturally and financially. The gentrification took part in a lot of homeowners being forced to leave their almost life long homes because of the rent raises as well as small business closing out completely. Before getting his ideals on this subject, I've previously felt that gentrification was strictly bad. I've felt this was majorly because of the unbalance in the wealthy and the poor; I feel it is not ethical to raise rent on those who can't afford it which forces them to up and leave to a neighborhood that might have an even lower income, and where ever there is low income in a neighborhood, there is violence. Lower income Higher violence. Although I recognize the issues with gentrification, he also felt that for most, gentrification is a great thing. This took me for a turn and he began to elaborate. Before the gentrification, there was definitely always that "look over your shoulder" conscious you would have because things were so crazy; after a few years he's notice blocks he hasn't walked down in years, that he remembers as warzones & they are now lofty sun lit beauties. Blocks that have been tracked with potholes and trash that now have smooth pavement with bright divider lines and garbages on both ends of the corners. He explained that it's more safety here now as well as more opportunity for the right person. Bushwick has grown an even larger art culture over the years and if you're willing to meet the right people, you can. You can meet all types here now, comedians, musicians, art, photographers, all of it. You don't feel so stuck in Bushwick anymore. Bodegas upgraded their store appearance and inventory and in most store you can find kale chips in 3 different flavors, cashew milk and whole wheat rolls. Some might argue that these items that any others that these stores now give the option for are too expensive. With this being true, he says just the store alone giving the OPTION to eat better, sets something off in every person either consciously, or subconsciously. Eventually theyll say "yea, whatever give me the wheat roll" Ive learned a lot from this experience. Hearing for the first time, a perspective that holds both negative and positives from a person who was raised in Bushwick. I never thought of how it might help the people from this neighborhood, simply because I only focused on rich and poor. In retrospect, I couldn't help but wonder if most people who talked about gentrification ever visited these neighborhoods, or even talked to anyone from them about the occurring situation. I feel a lot of people have a midst of confusion about gentrification because they take the terms rich and poor then associate those words with white and black and then again associate those words with racism. I don't believe this situation is anything about race at this point, it's all about location, location, location. Although these people come and "take away" these neighborhoods; they come, clean it up, and plan to utilize it and treat it for the long run which wasn't happening years before. There's an unfair fairness in this situation and I believe there IS a way to make this situation work for both parties.
