In “A Lighter Shade of Brown?” by Alfredo Huante, he examines the racial placement of Latinos, particularly Mexican Americans, in the US racial hierarchy. Specific policies such as housing, economic opportunities, and how areas are policed affect Latino identity are analyzed throughout the essay. Huante talks about how Latinos are both racialized as non-white and then limited in regards to differences from Black Americans. In How to Kill a City: San Francisco by Peter Moskowitz, we examine how gentrification has displaced long-time residents. Moskowitz criticizes the urban planners for prioritizing the wealthy people moving into the area compared to the working-class communities, particularly the communities of color. His main point or argument from the essay is that gentrification is not something that is a natural process but something that we actively do as a society, and it is a result of our political and economic state. Further efforts to stop this and prevent further displacement are also talked about later in the book. Finally, Last Black Man in San Francisco looks at gentrification through the eyes of Jimmy, a black man who is trying to refind his childhood identity in San Francisco. This film highlights the negative effects of gentrification regarding money, ownership, and erasing communities altogether. All three of these books/films explore gentrification and displacement, agreeing that all of these processes are not natural but caused by policy changes and racial hierarchies. All of these articles challenge each other by offering different perspectives on gentrification, race, and identity. A lighter shade of brown argues that Latinos cannot be fully exemplified by the narratives of gentrification and displacement. How to kill a city views gentrification as a policy-driven issue. The last black man in San Francisco provides a more personal and emotional perspective of gentrification. Overall, from all of these articles and films, I have learned that their are many unique perspectives and reasons for the gentrification of blacks and Latinos across the United States and results in the displacement of many people. I have seen the community which I grew up in my hometown in get torn down and replaced with more houses and buildings to appease the rich and not take care of the middle class so it is prevalent everywhere if you pay enough attention.
Leave a Reply