Gentrification: How “Urban Renewal Projects” are Displacing and Erasing Diverse Communities

Urban renewal projects are often advertised as renovations to improve city safety and quality of life. However, the result is quite the opposite, commonly resulting in eviction, displacement, and homelessness for locals through gentrification. Definitions: Gentrification, Urban Renewal, and Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods. Sociologist Ruth Glass first coined the term gentrification in her book London: Aspects of Change,…

ByMina PisanApril 28, 20240Comments

Housing + Food Security Learn

Gentrification: Stories From the Frontlines of Change and Injustice

"There are a lot of empty places." The replies were interchangeable when asking New York City locals what they believed was the biggest problem plaguing their city. The responses they provided were: "the cost of living," "gentrification," "overcrowding," and "the housing crisis." In the first article from this series, "Gentrification: How 'Urban Renewal Projects' are…

ByMina PisanApril 28, 20240Comments

Learn Racial Equity

Xenophobic Propaganda: The History and Impact of the “Chop Suey” Font

There is no secret that the United States was a host for xenophobia during World War II; xenophobic propaganda typically consisted of overdramatized Asian caricatures paired with a "Chop-Suey" font. With its exaggeratedly slanted letters and jagged edges, the United States government often paired with caricatures of Asian people that perpetuated stereotypes and fueled fear…

ByMina PisanApril 28, 20240Comments

Learn Racial Equity

The Term “Melting Pot” Was Once Used as a Tool to Promote Cultural Assimilation

In conversations about diversity in the United States, we often hear the term “Melting Pot” being used to refer to the mix of cultures and practices throughout regions. You may hear someone referring to a populous city as a Melting Pot. This term, commonly seen as a positive display of cultural diversity, originally referred to…

ByMina PisanApril 28, 20240Comments