How do race, socioeconomics and geography play into gentrification?
DH: I think it’s class before it’s race. That’s why the Robert character doesn’t just call out the white folks, he also calls out black folks, Asian folks and Latino folks that are coming from other parts of America. No matter how low on the ladder you think you are, you’re still an American, and you bring class privilege with you. And then, if you’re white, you also bring white privilege. Immigrants, on the other hand, come to this country with no money and they bring sweat equity. Americans move to the big cities and bring money and very little sweat equity. Americans don’t move to New York City because they’re going to work in construction. They don’t move to New York City to wash dishes, clean the sewers or to be maids in hotels. Immigrant neighborhoods will always turnover, but that’s not gentrification, neither is it colonialism. It’s colonialism when people who have an economic, social and privileged advantage collectively change the face of a neighborhood. I think a lot of youn
