Takeaways from Annual Luncheon 2020: Part 3
Leading Change by… Celebrating Neighborhood Identity in the Face of Gentrification5 minute read
The following is a summary of key takeaways from this Breakout Session during the virtual Annual Luncheon that took place on November 13, 2020. This session was led by José Gonzalez and Kristen Jeffers, and moderated by Tifinie Capehart.
why is gentrification a problem?
Gentrification has become a rising popular term for people to describe this phenomenon of neighborhood change as well as for residents to communicate their experience. Panelists, Kristen Jeffers and José Gonzalez, agreed on a common definition of gentrification whereas they see it as the change in land use and ownership that results in the dilution of class and culture to maximize financial development. This definition, driven from systems perspective, is embedded in the session’s takeaways.
What is Placemaking versus Placekeeping?
Let’s define “placemaking” and “placekeeping” since it was something discussed during this session. Placemaking is an urban planning and design approach that helps define a neighborhood’s unique identity usually using some sort of public art installation or design element that creates a sense of arrival. There is some debate around whether or not placemaking contributes to gentrification based on how involved the community was in the process of ideation and whether or not community members are ultimately displaced following an installation. Placekeeping is a term that involves the neighborhood’s people, history and culture in the process of designing an installation or design element to showcase the neighborhood’s unique identity. The idea of placekeeping intends to combat displacement and gentrification.
Action #1: Work collaboratively with communities to ensure the cultural integrity is preserved in the face of development and growth.
First and foremost, preservation can be progress. There is something to be said about preserving collective memories of neighborhoods in the past as well as the present. Whose stories need to be remembered and told?
Developers, officials, and other power holders can work with communities to see that local anchor institutions and businesses, like Mom & Pops shops or community centers or ethnic grocery stores, are centered in discussions so that they can avoid displacement.
History is place-based. A great way to visibly commemorate an event or community is by sponsoring a historical marker which can simultaneously help preserve the cultural integrity of the neighborhood. Markers may not solve gentrification, but the community should get to decide its historical significance.
Pictured is one neighborhood marker that talks about the history of Hadley Park in North Nashville
“I think we see that in our built environment where historic buildings have been preserved, historic neighborhoods have also been preserved. But the preservation of culture is also progress.”
Action #2: Consider systemic influences on communities that are reinforced by public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Addressing root causes of inequitable development and displacement requires communities and power holders to have a systems analysis to effectively preserve the cultural integrity of neighborhoods. Upon investigation, communities may uncover newly identified community needs or solutions that require collective action from each of the three societal sectors.
For example, Conexión Americas created Casa Azafran in South Nashville in 2012. This is a nonprofit that has the pulse of the people; they engaged hundreds of neighbors and dozens of organizations in creating their cultural hub and community center. Additionally, Conexión Americas recently released their Nolensville Pike Equitable Development Plan! This comes in addition to envisioning Azafran Park where they successfully created a new landmark on Nolensville Pike for all to use.
Jose Gonzalez, of Conexion Americas, mentioned in the session that it took a village to plan this mosaic alone for the Casa Azafran community center
Action #3: Understand gentrification from a perspective of class and culture.
“[Gentrification] is the dilution of class and culture in favor of maximization of financial development…really, it’s development [that is] often very planned.”
Ultimately, solutions for preserving cultural integrity must be driven from understanding that gentrification disproportionately displaces poor people and communities of color in favor of predominantly white, upper class people.
Since many perceive this process as “natural,” understanding the intentionality and all the gears and levers that go into gentrifying neighborhoods, will allow people to identify places for intervention to slow down or mitigate displacement.
For example, create policies and developing enough affordable housing options across all neighborhoods. Policies like New York City's proposed Small Business Jobs Survival Act should be implemented to protect small business owners who have had a storefront in the community for generations. We can support small as individuals, but the burden of change should be on organizations and municipalities to not only celebrate neighborhood identity, but to also protect it.
Do you know of any examples of Leading Change by Celebrating Neighborhood Identity in the Face of Gentrification? Comment below!
Speaker Bios
Jose Gonzalez is one of the co-founders of Conexión Américas, a Nashville-based nonprofit organization dedicated to building a welcoming community and creating opportunities where Latino families can belong, contribute, and succeed. He was instrumental in the building of Casa Azafrán, the nonprofit collaborative at the gateway to Nashville's International District that houses Conexión Américas and nine other partners.
Kristen E. Jeffers (she/her) is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Black Urbanist multimedia platform, as well as an author, textile artist and designer, urban planner and activist. She holds a Master of Public Affairs focused on community and economic development from the University of North Carolina Greensboro, and a Bachelor of Arts in communication with a concentration in public relations from North Carolina State University. She has presented at the annual gatherings of the Congress for New Urbanism, YIMBYTown, Walk Bike Places, CityWorksXpo, APA Virginia, NACTO and to communities around the US and Canada.
Tifinie Capehart is a realtor, urban planner, and community builder. She serves as the Vice President on the Civic Design Center’s Board of Directors.
Takeaways summarized by Gretchen Trast, Civic Design Center Research Fellow
Jump to other Annual Luncheon Takeaways:
Part 1: Leading Change in Economic + Community Development Within Neighborhoods
Part 2: Leading Change through Diversity in Design Education and Practice
Part 3: Leading Change by Celebrating Neighborhood Identity in the Face of Gentrification
Part 4: Leading Change in Affordability through Transportation and Housing Advocacy
Part 5: Leading Change in Safe Pedestrian Infrastructure for All