Charlotte Residents Voice Concerns Over Gentrification and Community Displacement

Charlotte Residents Discuss Impact of Rapid Changes

Charlotte, like many cities across the nation, is undergoing significant changes. For some residents, these transformations bring excitement and opportunity, while for others, they signify a heartbreaking loss of their long-held community identity. Just this past Tuesday, the Redress Movement, a national non-profit focused on fostering smart growth and addressing the legacies of housing segregation, held a forum titled “Lineages of Displacement and Legacies of Power” at the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church.

Sharing Personal Stories

During the event, two Charlotte residents shared their personal housing experiences, shedding light on the emotional weight of these changes. Jacqueline Stowe, who grew up in the former Brooklyn community—a vibrant Black neighborhood—is one of those residents. Stowe recalled attending Second Ward High School and explained how her grandchildren struggle to believe her when she shares stories about where she once lived. “It has had generational effects,” she shared. “It’s hard to identify my roots now, because they’re gone.” Brooklyn was a thriving community until urban renewal led to the displacement of hundreds of families and the destruction of numerous businesses. This story of loss isn’t just Stowe’s; it mirrors countless Black communities across America that faded under the pressure of highway construction and urban development.

“I can’t go downtown and say this is where I’m from,” Stowe expressed, her voice tinged with sadness. The experience of loss resonates deeply with many, as the rich histories of these communities vanish.

Gentrification’s Toll on Families

Another poignant story came from Nkengi Freeman, a fashion designer, seamstress, and fiber artist. Freeman’s tale centered around the cherished home of her grandmother, which served as the family’s foundation for years. “My grandmother’s house was the foundation of our family,” she reflected, a veil of nostalgia and loss in her voice. However, as gentrification made its mark, her family lost that irreplaceable home. “It was like, now you gotta figure something out,” she said. The stability that once came from her grandmother’s house abruptly evaporated, forcing Freeman to seek affordable housing options.

Freeman explained her journey involving a social worker who pressured her to take a job in a call center despite her qualifications in fashion design. The expectation to settle for unskilled work for the sake of accessing affordable housing was not only frustrating but demeaning. In her thirties and a mother of two, Freeman now pursues her dream of working in fashion through contract work, making alterations, and balancing the challenges of motherhood.

Building Community Solidarity

During the forum, the moderator, Greg Jarrell of the Redress Movement, pointed out how Freeman’s situation exemplifies the systemic pressures many face. Freeman nodded in agreement, expressing empathy for Stowe’s experience. “Everything you just talked about is what I feel now,” she affirmed, calling out the protection of certain historical sites while lamenting the loss of significant places that had once sheltered the legacy of figures like Maya Angelou and Martin Luther King Jr.

If action is not taken, these communities may continue their slow disappearance, leaving behind broken ties to the past.

History and Future Solutions

Historian Tom Hanchett provided an insightful history lesson during the event, discussing the Fusion Movement that reshaped political dynamics in the South at the turn of the 20th century. “Some amazing people came together to change the system,” he noted, detailing how Black and white voters once united to support a progressive agenda focused on racial justice.

The conversation then shifted towards creating a path forward, as Housing Justice Coalition advocate and attorney Ismaail Qaiyim spoke on the importance of community building among those facing housing insecurity. “It’s about bringing people together to leverage power to collectively achieve a goal,” he emphasized, highlighting recent successes in uniting residents against unwanted development in historically Black neighborhoods.

Qaiyim urged the attendees to understand the intricacies of property rights in the legal system, which often prioritize ownership over community cohesion. “The law holds property rights above everything else,” he remarked, driving home the challenge faced by many in their fight for justice and equity in housing.

Discussions like these emphasize the need for communities to unite, not only to remember their past but also to create a future where everyone finds a place to call home in Charlotte.