In Peter Moskowitz’s book “How to Kill a City: Part 3: San Francisco,” he uses anecdotes to demonstrate how the gentrification of San Francisco has forced out its marginalized residents (artists, African Americans, Hispanics, low income, and queer individuals) into the suburbs via obvious and discrete methods. In Alfredo Huante’s article “A Lighter Shade of Brown? Racial Formation and Gentrification in Latino Los Angeles” he introduces the concept of “gente-fication,” gentrification led by Latinx community, which can either be the Mexican-American middle class investing in the barrios and uplifting the entire community or the Mexican-American middle class becoming “honorary white” and supporting gentrification and white people instead of other Hispanics.
Both texts show how the arrival of white people who increase the cost of living and drive out the locals has contributed racial tensions; one highlights the relationship between the city’s minorities and the newly arriving white technology workers while one shows upward mobility can divide a Hispanic community. The first text focuses on minitories in San Francisco as a whole, showing how there is a common enemy
The second text makes me think about the divide that exists within my people, specifically how money, and papers, can change you and your support for your community. Frequently when some people in my family feel like they have achieved the American dream, they shift their perspectives from wanting to support the lower class Hispanics who they used to be to wanting to support other communities. This can be seen in their changes in perspective with regards to immigration policies and how they may vote. They are showing the idea of second definition gente-ficiation. When I see this, it strengthens my resolve to go back to Oklahoma after college and support the community that I come from and be able to contribute to the first definition of gente-fication.
Being from a smaller community, I’m not as exposed to gentrification much but when I take the time to observe Atlanta, I feel like it is more apparent. Specifically in Little Five Points, there are thrift shops that are catered more towards making it aesthetic, taking away from the practicality that it once had and how it used to cater towards the lower income community. There are nicer housing options in this part of the neighborhood which creates changing stores to accommodate for white people while the more run down areas lack these commodities.
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