Spatial Justice: Resource Site for Gentrification of Highland Park

Emma Cones

Spatial Justice was a course different from any Critical Theory Social Justice classes I have taken at Oxy. It is unique in the fact that it focuses on community based research and creating relationships with members of the community. In the beginning of the course we focused on looking at documents that focused on gentrification in particular areas, methodologies on colonization and space, and mapping. Toward the end of the course, we focused on working with members of the NELA Alliance, and documenting the businesses of Highland Park. Reviewing the reports that focused on gentrification in a particular neighborhood was really helpful in figuring out how to operate this project.
 
Even though many of these reports strive to give a non-biased description on the status of these neighborhoods, the intent of the writer is always evident within the language they choose, or what they choose to highlight on. We have read documents that focus solely on the economic status of neighborhoods such as “The State of Highland Park” by KCET. That article in particular supported gentrification as a process that may “clean up” and contribute tourist dollars to a low-income neighborhood. Other articles focus on humanizing the Gentrifiers and looking at gentrification as an industrial complex rather than a matter can be fixed amongst community members. The class is very much based around highlighting the hegemonic immorality of gentrification and finding ways to prevent gentrifying.   However when we did our photo project where we would walk up and down York taking pictures of businesses and interviewing they’re employees/employers, we had to approach them with questions that did not serve to support gentrification nor insult it in order to get them to talk. In actuality, this technique really helped, I was able to learn much more about gentrification then I thought I knew. We interviewed businesses that were cheaply priced, had been there for a long time (10+ years) and catered to the community. We also interviewed business that were fairly new (5 years and under), more expensive, and appeared to cater more to a white audience. In one interview with the owner of Highland Park Cleaners(she is an older east Asian woman), opened up about how gentrification was threatening her 30 year long business and her thoughts of moving the business once her son graduates from school. We also interviewed a young white woman, the owner of NA MA color environment, who explained to us that she was born and raised in Inglewood, California and was displaced by gentrification and so she moved to Highland Park. She described her move to Highland Park as something she needed to do for her family.
 
I think in the end, what I learned from the project is that everyone has the ability to contribute to gentrification however no one wants blood on their hands. When working with the NELA alliance members in the play and workshop, Gentrification is Colonization, we focused on how Occidental and we as Occidental students contribute to gentrification. I realized my positionality as an Occidental student, and how I have subliminally given money to businesses that do not focus on serving Highland Park members such as Berry Bowl and Block Party, however I constantly judge new businesses popping up in Highland Park that are further contributing to gentrification. This doesn’t mean that these businesses are not wrong by doing what they’re doing, however it is important for everyone to acknowledge their role as having the ability to contribute to or prevent gentrification from continuing.
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