For those who live in the hood, the signs are so obvious and blatant. First, you notice the local bodega closing its doors. Then, a dog park pops up seemingly out of nowhere. After that, your neighbors who you have known for years are leaving, as the projects now turn into co-op condominiums.
Gentrification, much like racism, is alive and prosperous in America. With more and more bike lanes, Whole Foods, and rezoned areas becoming blatant, the hashtag #ThingsGentrifiersDo grew from a midnight rant from OurBKSocial’s Founding Editor, Ayanna Prescod. Natives of “Original Brooklyn” and citizens who’ve experienced renovated neighborhoods leaped at the chance to shed an honest light on what happens when the “new neighbors” take over predominately Black or brown communities.
Those who added to the hashtag pinpointed other noticeable differences in how an “urban” neighborhood can change. From the unveiling of pop-up shops to willfully pushing people out of an area once called home, we offer a sobering look at what Twitter had to say about the things that gentrifiers do that you should know about!
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Photo: Getty Images
