I don't think it's a racial issue big picture. Gentrification takes place in areas that have residents on the lower end of the socioeconomic scale.

Now does that end of the scale contain a higher % of African Americans? Yes, well at least in New Orleans where I'm assuming the OP was listening to the conversation.

But gentrification doesn't seek out people of a certain ethnicity, it seeks out areas of a certain socioeconomic status. To me it's not a racial issue, rather a socioeconomic one.

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Posted by ProjectP2294

South St. Louis city

Member since May 2007

70850 posts

Posted on 4/1/16 at 2:00 pm to burdman

quote:
But gentrification doesn't seek out people of a certain ethnicity, it seeks out areas of a certain socioeconomic status. To me it's not a racial issue, rather a socioeconomic one.

You're responding to someone that either can't, or refuses to, differentiate.

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Posted by yoga girl

Member since Dec 2015

3673 posts

Posted on 4/1/16 at 2:01 pm to burdman

quote:
But gentrification doesn't seek out people of a certain ethnicity, it seeks out areas of a certain socioeconomic status. To me it's not a racial issue, rather a socioeconomic one.

A good point, but I don't agree. It is a tradition of Anglo-America to obtain territory from racial minorities. Yes, economics are one motivation, but it seems that the economic motivation is always directed against minorities (tainting the process with racism). Native American displacement had a economic basis, but a much stronger racial basis.

ETA: When have you seen gentrification of a white neighborhood? Never.

This post was edited on 4/1/16 at 2:04 pm

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Posted by Meatball

Member since Sep 2009

4941 posts

Posted on 4/1/16 at 5:32 pm to burdman

quote:
But gentrification doesn't seek out people of a certain ethnicity, it seeks out areas of a certain socioeconomic status. To me it's not a racial issue, rather a socioeconomic one.

This guy gets it.