This reading made me think about what gentrification really is, and how it affects the people in the community. I have heard the term before and I know what it is, but by reading this story, I was able to gain a different perspective. Too often, we see a business expanding into a urban area and we only think about the pros of this move rather than some of the cons. For instance, how does this affect the poor residents of the community and what will be taken away from the culture. Sure, having a closer physical connection to a prestigous university like Columbia sounds great, but what about the drawbacks such as forcing members of the community out their homes? It was interesting to read the students perception on what was going on, and to think about the connection between society and literacy. Again, learning always seems to come back to the all important "connection". It's interesting to think how I find my own reasoning skills can be based off of where I come from (both culturally and geographically speaking). Although some would argue, I think it's important to hold on to the cultural makeup of communities while trying to improve them at the same time.
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AuthorWriting can be friend or foe at times, but it's always good to stick with it so you can see where it will take you. Archives
December 2010
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