About three years ago, I finally noticed that the racial landscape of my predominantly black neighborhood of View Park was changing. Going through my normal routine as I got home from work and classes, I put the leash on my dog and walked out the house. I walked by several white people walking around the neighborhood with high-tech strollers and their dogs. I was confused. Each one that would walk by me was extremely nice and introduced themselves as the new neighbors. In my mind I was just confused for a bit about what their intentions were for moving here. I know it’s nice but why? Why now?
South Central is the best place in LA to live especially in View Park/Baldwin Hills a prestigious and fairly wealthy black neighborhood. All fifteen to twenty minutes away from many of the amenities Los Angeles has to offer like LAX, the beach, several malls, amazing restaurants, West LA, Beverly Hills, Culver City etc. It really is central to all of Los Angeles. However it’s hard to watch this neighborhood become gentrified. For a young black man growing up here it was great to see successful black people living with one another peacefully. This area is a beacon of hope for African-Americans to realize that we can be successful in a society that restricts the amount of success African-Americans can have.
According to an article by Andrew Khouri in the LA Times, “Priced out of much of Los Angeles, young professionals are zeroing on several neighborhoods around USC and to the west, as the expanding Expo light rail line delivers new residents to the area.
Communities such as Jefferson Park, Leimert Park and West Adams are attracting buyers — and investors — seeking their relative affordability, location between the Westside and downtown Los Angeles, and the rail link between the two.” There is no way to stop people from moving to these neighborhoods because that in its self is discrimination but we just ask that they be mindful of the culture that currently resides.
There are many factors that are leading to white people moving into these south central neighborhoods and it is truly out of our control but I can only hope that the current residents of my neighborhood in particular remain strong and hold on to their homes despite the lucrative deals being thrown in their face everyday. I hope they realize what this neighborhood has meant for my generation growing up because it is motivation for me to be successful and give back to my communities.
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