¡Venceremos!

femmedykeslut:

readnfight:

a-small-island:

As a resident of Harlem living in the forefronts of gentrification, I understand this person’s sentiment completely. The way the person expressed their sentiment may not be nice, but this is sooo insignificant compare to the complaints I hear from long time Harlem residents about how their rents are being raised or about how they are being pushed out because of the construction of new housing developments for upper class people (who almost always happen to be white). It’s not fair, especially for those who are not living in communities of lower class people of color, to completely disregard this person’s point of view because they are being “reverse racists” (how does that even make sense). It breaks my heart to see murals esp. the Puerto Rican murals that I always admired as a child to be destroyed or painted over b/c new folks are moving in. So yeah, when I see a new comer who is white I do think “get out.” It would be different if there were actually efforts to help preserve the latino/carribean/black culture that has flourished in Harlem and to help struggling residents but no. Money talks, and the people of color who do not have the money in this neighborhood are unfortunately pushed out.  I don’t wanna come to a Harlem that is a replica of downtown manhattan where a starbucks is on every corner. I want the mama and papa shops owned by people of color to exist and thrive. I want to hear the loud latino and hip-hop rhythms on the streets of the summer or coming from the houses of residents. I don’t want to hear that the cops are being called b/c the new comers who are unfamiliar with the culture complain of the loud music. 

Gentrification is just a more clean way of saying colonialism. 

dead ass

Re-reblogging this; fuck politeness in the face of colonialism. Naw, I will NOT be polite to that shit.

commentary

As a person of color in a community of color but not made up of people with a similar ethnic background as myself, I still check myself on gentrification. Supporting the community (economically, politically, etc), becoming a part of it, and doing more than just occupying a space is what differentiates gentrifiers from allies.

Yet, the privilege is always there.