Nikki

“The life of a big bad “gentrifier” in East of the River is often filled with lots of work, little to no pay, crushing debt (because of that little to no pay), and an unwavering belief that it’s somehow, someday it will be worth it.

If people had a clue about how much we all sacrifice. I don’t say that to solicit sympathy but so people would stop accusing people like David of trying to make a buck as opposed to believing he really is one of those really nice, really honest, and really optimistic people who believe that change starts within.”

I work in Anacostia and have had the privilege to work alongside of Nikki Peele, David Garber and Stan Voudrie on several projects. Nikki, David & Stan are two of the hardest workers I’ve ever met. In a day and age where workers are getting lazier and less dedicated, this should be praised. Even more praiseworthy to me is that they aren’t just working at a job, they are working for something … the community. I see these three walking the streets of Anacostia every day. Walking from business to business, talking to other locals on the street, promoting community togetherness and working their hardest to bring more economy into the area. I’ve worked late myself and still managed to leave before Nikki!

I have to say I don’t get why anyone would be upset about improving a neighborhood…whether it’s called “gentrification” or something else. Fixing-up broken down houses, chasing out drug dealers, bringing in non-profits and charities, etc. are things that are done to help the people that live here, not hurt them. Yes, these things make the neighborhood more attractive to outsiders moving in, but, first and foremost, they are for the people that already live and work here.

As for making this about race…that’s preposterous. People have better things to worry about than that. Real estate figures have been rising fairly steadily all over the DC metro area for the 9 years I’ve lived here. The cost to buy a home has doubled, and, at times, tripled, everywhere in this area. It’s not just Anacostia. There are a variety of social and economic factors that lead people to move from one place to another. Being a 30 something professional I can tell you that most of my friends are at an age where they want to buy a home, but can’t afford even a town home in some of the “nicer,” more popular areas. Instead, they have been looking at places either further away (with a longer commute) or closer to DC in a “fixer-upper” in an evolving neighborhood (to have a shorter commute). This is true whether they be Black, White, Hispanic or Philippino.

Next time you want to trash people for trying to improve the neighborhood, you should first consider getting off the couch and doing a little community service yourself.

It ain’t necessarily so.

If I were filthy rich, I’d like there to be nearby “colorful” districts chock full of scrappy bohemian hobos, semi-nomadic jazz musicians, and the like. I would fling my spare Sacajaweas at said denizens in exchange for flava’d funk and raw streetwise riffage.

But maybe that’s just me, having grown up around too many riche-gauche MoCo mofos.

True, that.

“How can we get people to gentrify this Godforsaken place [== Detroit]?”
–the same Anonymous

Here’s an obvious idea:

Turn it back into the creative/music mecca it used to be. See: Austin, TX; sundry cities/towns of the PacNW.

“Just see what happens when no gentrification takes place – you end up with Detroit.”
–ibid.

False dichotomy, yo.

The life of a big bad “gentrifier” in East of the River is often filled with lots of work, little to no pay, crushing debt (because of that little to no pay), and an unwavering belief that it’s somehow, someday it will be worth it.

If people had a clue about how much we all sacrifice. I don’t say that to solicit sympathy but so people would stop accusing people like David of trying to make a buck as opposed to believing he really is one of those really nice, really honest, and really optimistic people who believe that change starts within.

Good job David — we know the truth.

Nikki Peele
AKA The Advoc8te
Congress Heights on the Rise
http://www.congressheightsontherise.com

P.S. And for those people who for some reason think things like this matter. I’m black and I moved to Ward 8 four years ago when I purchased my first home.

oh – across the river? yeah – it’s nicer the….errrr, i mean i won’t get robb….errrr, i mean, no, it’s no problem, i could have stayed, but you know, i just decided to move across the river.

why? oh, you know, just because there was like a _really_ great opportunity there.

??

and, well, you know, i’m life-long baseball fan — go Nationals! haha.

The guy’s comments show a distinct lack of class (what’s so horrible about gentrification??), and his unfounded attack on NPR – one of the few remaining meaningful outlets of public participation on the airwaves in America today — at a time when it is under sustained assault, shows just how selfish some people can be.

i’ve never been prouder than this moment that i’m _not_ a resident of DC. y’all can have this dude.