January 25, 2011 | 2:49 PM | By Anna
Flickr: M.V. Jantzen
Construction in NoMA, which is being transformed by gentrification.
Excuse me, while I nerd out to an exciting new blog– Sociology in My Neighborhood: DC Ward Six. Penned (typed?) by a Professor of Sociology at George Mason University, the site explores the same issues DCentric does, albeit on a hyperlocal level. Here’s part of a post about whether segregation is caused by racism:
Generally, sociologists study whether people are segregated because of personal choice, economic reasons, or racial discrimination. Economic factors are definitely a big reason, especially when we look at housing costs, but racial discrimination still exists. Let’s take a look at sociologists Michael O. Emerson, Karen J. Chai, and George Yancey’s “Does Race Matter in Residential Segregation? Exploring the Preferences of White Americans.”…
Controlling for all sorts of variables, Emerson and his colleagues found that whites are neutral about the likelihood of buying the house if the neighborhood is 10-15% black. Above 15% black, whites say that they would not likely buy the house. They write, “Our findings suggest a low probability of whites moving to neighborhoods with anything but a token black population, even after controlling for the reasons they typically give for avoiding residing with African Americans.” The reasons that whites typically give are crime and declining property values. So, even when the neighborhood offered has little crime and good property values, whites still choose not to live in those with 15% or more black residents.
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January 25, 2011 | 12:55 PM | By Anna
Flickr: Chris Brogan. www.chrisbrogan.com.
Racialicious Editor Latoya Peterson was at the “Broadband and Social Justice Summit” last week; she covered the event for The Root. Her entire report is worth a read; highlights are below.
Politicians and industry leaders touted their efforts to bring high-speed access to more African Americans, but the issue of net neutrality is still a source of conflict.
Over the hum of laptops and the persistent, attention-demanding chirps of a hundred BlackBerrys, the Minority Media & Telecom Council convened its “Broadband and Social Justice Summit” in Washington, D.C., last week, a gathering of industry and government leaders, to discuss how broadband access and adoption can help bridge the digital divide and provide minority entrepreneurs with unprecedented opportunity in the digital realm.
Despite the gains spurred by activists, telecom workers and policymakers, disparities in broadband access — particularly along race and class lines — persist. According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, more than two-thirds of adults have broadband Internet access at home. While African Americans have made considerable gains in the last few years, just 56 percent of blacks have broadband at home…
…the summit was not without controversy. Net neutrality, a huge point of contention for many members of of the black digerati, was often demonized by speakers at the event. Net neutrality is the idea that the Internet remains free and accessible on an equal level to all users, rather than a tiered system in which wealthier users can dominate or restrict the bandwidth available to other users.
January 25, 2011 | 10:38 AM | By Anna
UPDATE: One of you kindly informed me that the numbers in this post aren’t accurate. Thanks for that!
Flickr: M.V. Jantzen
Georgetown's renovated, modernized "Social Safeway".
Prince of Petworth has exciting news for the residents of his neighborhood. D.C.’s newest, sleekest Safeway will be built in Petworth, replacing an aging facility which attracts as many complaints as it does shoppers:
Back in May ’10 I wrote a post titled Battle of the Safeways: Haves Vs. Have Nots comparing the new Georgetown/Glover Park Safeway to Petworth’s Safeway on Georgia Ave (3830 Georgia Ave, NW). I am happy to say that, soon, this argument will no longer apply. Petworth is slated to be home to the city’s newest and largest Safeway at 60,000 square feet. While I’m trying not to exaggerate I believe this is the biggest news to hit Petworth/Georgia Ave since the metro station opened. This news is so huge that I have passed out twice since starting to write this and I’m only on the first paragraph. This is, in the parlance of our times, a true gamechanger…
There will be two underground floors of parking removing the current parking lot and curb cuts on Georgia Ave. will be no more. There will be 85 spaces on one floor for shoppers and 135 parking spots on a separate floor for residents. The ground floor will be 60,000 square feet including a full deli, Starbucks and a state of the art pharmacy and will look a lot like the City Vista/Sexy Safeway and the new ultra modern Safeway in SW-Waterfront…
Additionally, the Safeway will increase from 40-50 employees to 150-160.
The entire process should take about 2 and 1/2 – 3 years.
When the extensively renovated “Social Safeway” held its grand opening in Georgetown, people were frustrated at how beautiful and well-stocked (yes, especially with Organic food) it was compared to its siblings in less affluent parts of D.C. Not only does this news address that, it means better options (and more jobs!) for a neighborhood which would welcome them.
January 25, 2011 | 8:20 AM | By Anna
Good morning, DCentric readers! In honor of the SOTU, today’s breakfast links have a “Washington” -flavor:
Family of slain D.C. teen met with her alleged killer “…a man they spoke with was allegedly responsible for her death. In an amazing twist, ABC7 shot footage of Frazier’s family last summer talking with Brain Gaither, the 23-year-old man accused of killing their daughter. The footage was taken while the family was searching in SE D.C. for Frazier, who went missing on Aug. 4. The footage shows the suspect dressed in a white t-shirt with his arm around Frazier’s mother as if to comfort her. He even offers to allow the family to search through his apartment on the 1700 block of Trenton Place SE.” (tbd.com)
Ellmers uses congressional health insurance because Washington is very expensive “Although Rep. Renee Ellmers campaigned last fall as an ardent opponent of the new health care law passed by Congress, she was not reticent about taking advantage the health plan offered to members of Congress…“Unfortunately, being here in Washington is very expensive,” said Ellmers. “Yes we do have a salary and we do have benefits. It costs a lot of money to be here. I’ve signed on to the private plan, just like so many in America are on. The benefit is available to me. People need to understand out there it costs a lot money to be here in Congress.” Ellmers, a nurse who is married to a physician, makes a congressional salary of $174,000 per year.” (newsobserver.com)
What Else Could Gray and Brown’s Lincoln Navigator Leases Pay For? “…both Mayor Vince Gray and Council Chair Kwame Brown are utilizing city-funded transportation — luxury SUVs, which, if the vehicle’s manufacturer’s website is to be believed, come with an option for including rain-sensing wipers. Suderman reports that the vehicles, leased by the police department’s “executive protection unit,” cost $1,941 (Gray) and $1,963.28 (Brown) per month — and that the Department of Public Works didn’t put an order in for the vehicles until too close to Gray and Brown’s swearing-ins on January 2, which cost taxpayers another $1,600 in expedited shipping fees.” (DCist)
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January 24, 2011 | 5:02 PM | By Anna
Flickr: wally g
The next time I pass this statue on H street, all I will think of is, "His teeth"!
Now reading about the man my Alma mater is named for…and his disturbing dental work, via Jamelle Bouie over at TAPPED:
Indeed, we laud George Washington and Thomas Jefferson for their private opposition to slavery, but they never challenged the system and took advantage of its benefits when it suited them…As for Washington? This anecdote stands out:
In 1784, five years before he became president of the United States, George Washington, 52, was nearly toothless. So he hired a dentist to transplant nine teeth into his jaw–having extracted them from the mouths of his slaves.
This is not to condemn the Founders are horrible, terrible human beings but to situate them as men of their time, filled with the prejudices of their class, and unwilling — or unable — to transcend them. If we’re out to respect the Founding Fathers, then we should acknowledge their flaws and try to remember them as they lived, not as demigods in a morality play.
It’s a peculiar historical detail, but it’s so memorable that going forward, I will always think of it when I consider our first President.
January 24, 2011 | 3:43 PM | By Anna
Flickr: District 47
Organic, vegan food from a Bento.
Kindly allow me to start this post by thanking you. I am humbled by the letters I am receiving regarding “The Privilege of Prioritizing Organic Food“. Your emails are thoughtful and heartfelt; I am grateful for them, and for the way you have shared my story on Facebook and Twitter. Thank you.
I wrote that post on Thursday and a few of you have left comments, the majority of which were productive and welcome additions to DCentric. One comment, however, stood out. It bothered me enough that I wanted to respond to it, but I kept revising my reply because I am sensitive to the challenges of creating a trusted space for discussing personal or controversial issues (that’s my ultimate goal with this blog), and I don’t want to discourage anyone from sharing their point of view. That is why I’m so glad one of you addressed the questionable comment, instead.
Here’s the comment that I wanted to call out, from “Organic Trade”. After reading it, I wondered if I hadn’t conveyed my point well enough– buying organic may be easier and more affordable than ever, but it’s still beyond the reach of too many people, no matter what their “priorities” are. Also, I don’t understand how choosing organic and thus, more expensive versions of something you buy a lot of is an “easy way to save”:
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January 24, 2011 | 12:54 PM | By Anna
While Frazier's family searched for her, someone used Facebook to anonymously taunt and threaten them.
Last week, I included a story in my morning roundup about Latisha Frazier, a 19-year old woman who has been missing since August; Frazier’s family became worried when she disappeared, because the teen mother was devoted to her three-year old daughter, Diamond. A missing person is tragic enough, but Frazier’s family suffered even more when they were harassed with anonymous threats and taunts via Facebook. Once alerted to this unfortunate use of their site, Facebook removed the account and cooperated with MPD, which resulted in a breakthrough in the investigation; after seeing Frazier’s story on ABC7 news, someone contacted the MPD with information about the case, and yesterday, Frazier’s family learned that
“probable cause was established that on August 2, 2010, Latisha Frazier was at the 1700 block of Trenton Place SE, where she was assaulted during a dispute and was ultimately murdered.”
Brian Gaither, 23, of Southeast was arrested and has been charged with Murder Two and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday, police said.
At this time, Frazier’s remains have not been located.
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January 24, 2011 | 10:33 AM | By Anna
DCentric
M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, Georgetown.
Before moving to Columbia Heights, I lived in Georgetown, a neighborhood I have always loved without any embarrassment or hesitation. I can’t count how many times I was either teased or questioned about being a POC (Person of color) living in the one part of the city where “they don’t want minorities”; then I’d hear a familiar tale about “the only reason Georgetown isn’t on the Metro is to keep it white.” I’d sigh and explain that while that theory was popular, it was a myth; there were logistical issues behind the lack of trains in popped-collar-land. Besides, when I lived there, there were plenty of teenagers roaming M Street or Wisconsin Avenue– and they were minorities. So it’s not like the lack of a metro stop was a particularly effective strategy for keeping the chocolate away from the vanilla.
I see that the Georgetown Metropolitan is sick of that unnecessarily divisive and inaccurate explanation as well, since he tackled it admirably in his post, “All You Need to Know About the Georgetown Metro Stop“.
Why There is No Georgetown Metro
If you take anything away from this article, please let it be this: the reason there is no Metro station in Georgetown has absolutely nothing to do with neighborhood opposition. Nothing. No “rich Georgetowners wanted to keep out minorities”-conspiracy. No matter how much it fits with the popular stereotype, it’s just not true.
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January 24, 2011 | 8:30 AM | By Anna
Good morning, DCentric readers! Welcome back from your weekend.
Librarian at D.C.’s Ballou High scrambles for books “This library used to be a hot mess,” senior Tiesha Hines said. “No books, no computers, no tables.” Sophomore Tiffany Adams said most students were scarcely aware that there was a library at Ballou until this year. Now, she said, “we come here and get our work done.” The mission is a personal one for Jackson, who is saddened at how Ballou has declined since her student days. She grew up in Southeast, the daughter of a “pieman” who delivered fresh pies for Mrs. Smith’s. Her mother managed a dress shop. There were books in the house – her favorite as a child was Judy Blume’s “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” (The Washington Post)
The Thorny Path to a National Black Museum “Addressing a topic as fraught as race would be challenging anywhere, but it is particularly tricky within the Smithsonian, a complex of 19 museums that last year got $761 million from Congress. Efforts to tackle difficult topics often become politicized, torn between historians’ desire to treat issues with scholarly detachment and an expectation that the Smithsonian’s role is to honor the nation’s past…”This is not being built as a museum by African-Americans for African-Americans…The notion that is so important here is that African-American culture is used as a lens to understand what it means to be an American.” (The New York Times)
An Urban Teacher’s Education: Why Teachers Quit “In Detroit, everyone’s favorite not-a-real-superintendent, Robert Bobb, has kids being taught by Walmart. He’s hoping bring (sic) the same model to DC…New teacher evaluation systems in New Haven, DC, Baltimore, NYC and plenty of other places across the country will make it exceedingly difficult for anyone in an urban school to keep a job for longer than a few years. What better way to get rid of tenure than to never grant it to anyone in the first place? I, for example, might soon be required to move 85 percent of my students to grade-level proficiency despite many of them being unable to read or write a paragraph in English.” (anurbanteacherseducation.com)
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