User talk:AlejandroK1998/sandbox

Gentrification beginning in the late 1970s and early 1980s generated new discussions between the inhabitants of the Shaw neighborhood and the Dupont Circle Conservancy organization. Preservation advocates in the Dupont Circle neighborhood began to propose the expansion of the neighborhood. The advocates were members of the Dupont Circle Conservancy, an organization predominantly led by white people. As a response to this proposal, the 14th and U Street Coalition, which called itself the representative of African-American interests and historical identity in neighboring Shaw, began protesting that the Dupont Circle preservationists were trying to occupy their neighborhood and its history. [1]

Discussions as such still have present day implications. Gentrification in the 2010s has transformed the neighborhood into an upscale retail hub. But the mix of upscale newcomers and very poor, long-time residents have been linked to social implications that vary from cultural to political within the community. In Shaw, wealthy newcomers and lower class, long-term residents have shown differences in tastes, preferences, and values. Gentrification has also brought about a greater spectrum of political views in Shaw. Because the population has become more diversified, an influx of differing views, ideas, and outlooks has become more prominent.[2] The newcomers seek to renew and refresh the neighborhood. They want Shaw to prosper and surpass its racial difficulties. On the other hand, older residents cannot forget their past, since they consider their history essential for their neighborhood’s character and identity. An example can be the great amount of security installed in the neighborhood after the 1968 riots in certain establishments and public areas. These are the same areas newcomers walk around in, unaware of what happened there in the past.[3]