http://dcentric.wamu.org/jp/how-longtime-black-churches-adapt-to-gentrification/ Race, Class, The District. Mon, 16 Jul 2012 03:01:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://dcentric.wamu.org/jp/how-longtime-black-churches-adapt-to-gentrification/#comment-1425 formerdcrez Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:30:00 +0000 http://dcentric.wamu.org/?post_type=jiffypost&p=14944#comment-1425 In our experience in Brookland, "adapting" meant expecting new families with young children to join, provide need resources and volunteer labor but expect to have no attempt made to meet their needs. Requests for seemingly obvious accommodations like a nursery were met with hostility and accusations that "we" were trying to take over the church and make it "white."  I understand that fear of losing their identity as a black church can make people hyper-sensitive to any kind of change, but you can't then be surprised if new neighbors do not feel welcome. In our experience in Brookland, “adapting” meant expecting new families with young children to join, provide need resources and volunteer labor but expect to have no attempt made to meet their needs. Requests for seemingly obvious accommodations like a nursery were met with hostility and accusations that “we” were trying to take over the church and make it “white.”  I understand that fear of losing their identity as a black church can make people hyper-sensitive to any kind of change, but you can’t then be surprised if new neighbors do not feel welcome.

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