[Music] are usually the term NIMBY not in my
are usually the term NIMBY not in my
are usually the term NIMBY not in my backyard they’re characterized as a
backyard they’re characterized as a
backyard they’re characterized as a group of individuals who have the
group of individuals who have the
group of individuals who have the propensity to oppose new developments in
propensity to oppose new developments in
propensity to oppose new developments in their community they are spunky yet
their community they are spunky yet
their community they are spunky yet passionate group to say the least and
passionate group to say the least and
passionate group to say the least and they often represent a generational
they often represent a generational
they often represent a generational voice that has been victimized by the
voice that has been victimized by the
voice that has been victimized by the process of gentrification and yes their
process of gentrification and yes their
process of gentrification and yes their experience was real yes they were
experience was real yes they were
experience was real yes they were displaced and yes they were replaced by
displaced and yes they were replaced by
displaced and yes they were replaced by middle-class white families and
middle-class white families and
middle-class white families and businesses and yes they were primarily
businesses and yes they were primarily
businesses and yes they were primarily members of african-american families and
members of african-american families and
members of african-american families and communities and as a result this
communities and as a result this
communities and as a result this generation has developed an emotional
generation has developed an emotional
generation has developed an emotional connection to the process of
connection to the process of
connection to the process of gentrification versus a strategic one
gentrification versus a strategic one
gentrification versus a strategic one they have become risk-averse and fearful
they have become risk-averse and fearful
they have become risk-averse and fearful of change in essence they have lost at
of change in essence they have lost at
of change in essence they have lost at the game of gentrification as a third
the game of gentrification as a third
the game of gentrification as a third generation community builder I’ve had
generation community builder I’ve had
generation community builder I’ve had several encounters with limpy’s at
several encounters with limpy’s at
several encounters with limpy’s at community meetings and public hearings
community meetings and public hearings
community meetings and public hearings who have wrongfully accused my family of
who have wrongfully accused my family of
who have wrongfully accused my family of gentrifying the community the community
gentrifying the community the community
gentrifying the community the community we live in by the way they have
we live in by the way they have
we live in by the way they have passionately opposed our developments
passionately opposed our developments
passionately opposed our developments versus support my family’s dedication to
versus support my family’s dedication to
versus support my family’s dedication to providing quality housing and
providing quality housing and
providing quality housing and homeownership opportunities to members
homeownership opportunities to members
homeownership opportunities to members of our community and you know it often
of our community and you know it often
of our community and you know it often amazes me how the voice of my generation
amazes me how the voice of my generation
amazes me how the voice of my generation is rarely in the room or even being
is rarely in the room or even being
is rarely in the room or even being heard at these meetings so I started to
heard at these meetings so I started to
heard at these meetings so I started to think I bet if my peers better
think I bet if my peers better
think I bet if my peers better understood the concept of wealth
understood the concept of wealth
understood the concept of wealth creation and the importance of our
creation and the importance of our
creation and the importance of our economic and cultural mobility then we
economic and cultural mobility then we
economic and cultural mobility then we would have a different perception of
would have a different perception of
would have a different perception of gentrification than that of our parents
gentrification than that of our parents
gentrification than that of our parents or even our grandparents we could
or even our grandparents we could
or even our grandparents we could understand that gentrification is
understand that gentrification is
understand that gentrification is something not necessarily to oppose all
something not necessarily to oppose all
something not necessarily to oppose all the time but instead something to
the time but instead something to
the time but instead something to embrace prepare for strategize around
embrace prepare for strategize around
embrace prepare for strategize around invest in and redefine so if you don’t
invest in and redefine so if you don’t
invest in and redefine so if you don’t mind I like to speak to a particular
mind I like to speak to a particular
mind I like to speak to a particular demographic no offense to any other
demographic no offense to any other
demographic no offense to any other generation I like to speak to my pee
generation I like to speak to my pee
generation I like to speak to my pee members of my group Generation X that
members of my group Generation X that
members of my group Generation X that generation that has directly benefited
generation that has directly benefited
generation that has directly benefited from the civil rights movement but are
from the civil rights movement but are
from the civil rights movement but are now taking care of our aging baby boomer
now taking care of our aging baby boomer
now taking care of our aging baby boomer parents that generation that has been
parents that generation that has been
parents that generation that has been educated and offered opportunity of
educated and offered opportunity of
educated and offered opportunity of access to predominant white institutions
access to predominant white institutions
access to predominant white institutions and Ivy League colleges and who have
and Ivy League colleges and who have
and Ivy League colleges and who have succeeded in becoming doctors lawyers
succeeded in becoming doctors lawyers
succeeded in becoming doctors lawyers and even mayors councilmen and
and even mayors councilmen and
and even mayors councilmen and congressmen that old-school R&B real
congressmen that old-school R&B real
congressmen that old-school R&B real hip-hop generation who have become the
hip-hop generation who have become the
hip-hop generation who have become the new millionaires and soon-to-be
new millionaires and soon-to-be
new millionaires and soon-to-be billionaires
billionaires
billionaires their generation of husbands wives
their generation of husbands wives
their generation of husbands wives babies daddies and single moms who have
babies daddies and single moms who have
babies daddies and single moms who have given birth to today’s millennial I want
given birth to today’s millennial I want
given birth to today’s millennial I want to speak particularly to you and the
to speak particularly to you and the
to speak particularly to you and the goal of my talk today is to not only
goal of my talk today is to not only
goal of my talk today is to not only offer you a paradigm shift as it relates
offer you a paradigm shift as it relates
offer you a paradigm shift as it relates to gentrification
to gentrification
to gentrification but to also offer you some real gain on
but to also offer you some real gain on
but to also offer you some real gain on how to capitalize on it now I respect
how to capitalize on it now I respect
how to capitalize on it now I respect and appreciate that our parents and
and appreciate that our parents and
and appreciate that our parents and grandparents were preoccupied with
grandparents were preoccupied with
grandparents were preoccupied with boycotts and giving up their lives so
boycotts and giving up their lives so
boycotts and giving up their lives so that we can enjoy the civil liberties we
that we can enjoy the civil liberties we
that we can enjoy the civil liberties we have today but what I wish they had
have today but what I wish they had
have today but what I wish they had enough energy and knowledge to do was to
enough energy and knowledge to do was to
enough energy and knowledge to do was to pass down the game consciously and
pass down the game consciously and
pass down the game consciously and willingly to pass the baton to drop some
willingly to pass the baton to drop some
willingly to pass the baton to drop some pearls to consciously educate their
pearls to consciously educate their
pearls to consciously educate their children on the correlation between
children on the correlation between
children on the correlation between culture wealth and politics and how to
culture wealth and politics and how to
culture wealth and politics and how to not only create but recreate black wall
not only create but recreate black wall
not only create but recreate black wall streets all over the country like our
streets all over the country like our
streets all over the country like our nation’s Chinatown’s Korea towns and
nation’s Chinatown’s Korea towns and
nation’s Chinatown’s Korea towns and little Ethiopians where the dollar and
little Ethiopians where the dollar and
little Ethiopians where the dollar and the culture recycle intergenerationally
the culture recycle intergenerationally
the culture recycle intergenerationally now before I drop this game there are
now before I drop this game there are
now before I drop this game there are two very important questions that I’d
two very important questions that I’d
two very important questions that I’d like to ask of my peers and members of
like to ask of my peers and members of
like to ask of my peers and members of my community first question they even
my community first question they even
my community first question they even know about black Wall Street do you even
know about black Wall Street do you even
know about black Wall Street do you even know that we once owned our own economic
know that we once owned our own economic
know that we once owned our own economic cultural space that we claimed as our
cultural space that we claimed as our
cultural space that we claimed as our own we were said to have owned 600
own we were said to have owned 600
own we were said to have owned 600 businesses 21 churches 21 restaurants 30
businesses 21 churches 21 restaurants 30
businesses 21 churches 21 restaurants 30 grocery stores six
grocery stores six
grocery stores six private airplanes to movie theaters a
private airplanes to movie theaters a
private airplanes to movie theaters a hospital a bank our own bus and school
hospital a bank our own bus and school
hospital a bank our own bus and school system for it all to be tragically
system for it all to be tragically
system for it all to be tragically burned down in less than 24 hours due to
burned down in less than 24 hours due to
burned down in less than 24 hours due to white hate envy and institutionalized
white hate envy and institutionalized
white hate envy and institutionalized racism do you even know it’s bit of
racism do you even know it’s bit of
racism do you even know it’s bit of history don’t worry if you didn’t I
history don’t worry if you didn’t I
history don’t worry if you didn’t I didn’t learn about black Wall Street
didn’t learn about black Wall Street
didn’t learn about black Wall Street till after earning a bachelor’s degree
till after earning a bachelor’s degree
till after earning a bachelor’s degree from UCLA and a master’s degree in
from UCLA and a master’s degree in
from UCLA and a master’s degree in psychology and now to my second question
psychology and now to my second question
psychology and now to my second question do we even want to learn how to recreate
do we even want to learn how to recreate
do we even want to learn how to recreate Wall Street is it really important for
Wall Street is it really important for
Wall Street is it really important for us to have an economic cultural space
us to have an economic cultural space
us to have an economic cultural space that we can claim as our own are we
that we can claim as our own are we
that we can claim as our own are we truly committed to creating sustaining
truly committed to creating sustaining
truly committed to creating sustaining and recycling the black dollar and our
and recycling the black dollar and our
and recycling the black dollar and our cultural competency in our community for
cultural competency in our community for
cultural competency in our community for generations because if you haven’t
generations because if you haven’t
generations because if you haven’t noticed
noticed
noticed ginger education doesn’t really happen
ginger education doesn’t really happen
ginger education doesn’t really happen in Chinatown
in Chinatown
in Chinatown Koreatown or call on the west side well
Koreatown or call on the west side well
Koreatown or call on the west side well yes members of these communities do get
yes members of these communities do get
yes members of these communities do get displaced but somehow the culture and
displaced but somehow the culture and
displaced but somehow the culture and the economics seem to remain the same
the economics seem to remain the same
the economics seem to remain the same how is that I believe it’s that these
how is that I believe it’s that these
how is that I believe it’s that these communities all have a cultural
communities all have a cultural
communities all have a cultural commitment and willingness to maintain
commitment and willingness to maintain
commitment and willingness to maintain an economic space that they can claim as
an economic space that they can claim as
an economic space that they can claim as their own so much so that even if they
their own so much so that even if they
their own so much so that even if they don’t live in those respective
don’t live in those respective
don’t live in those respective communities there is an inherent
communities there is an inherent
communities there is an inherent commitment and willingness to support it
commitment and willingness to support it
commitment and willingness to support it both socially and economically it’s why
both socially and economically it’s why
both socially and economically it’s why as we as black people when we talk about
as we as black people when we talk about
as we as black people when we talk about gentrification it’s with a negative
gentrification it’s with a negative
gentrification it’s with a negative connotation or from a victim’s mentality
connotation or from a victim’s mentality
connotation or from a victim’s mentality because gentrification revitalization
because gentrification revitalization
because gentrification revitalization urban renewal no matter what you want to
urban renewal no matter what you want to
urban renewal no matter what you want to call it it’s not necessarily a bad thing
call it it’s not necessarily a bad thing
call it it’s not necessarily a bad thing but I guess it is if you see it from the
but I guess it is if you see it from the
but I guess it is if you see it from the paradigm of the victim and not be Victor
paradigm of the victim and not be Victor
paradigm of the victim and not be Victor now let me back up and first define
now let me back up and first define
now let me back up and first define gentrification that might help
gentrification that might help
gentrification that might help according to Webster gentrification is
according to Webster gentrification is
according to Webster gentrification is the process of renewal and rebuilding
the process of renewal and rebuilding
the process of renewal and rebuilding accompanying an influx of middle-class
accompanying an influx of middle-class
accompanying an influx of middle-class or affluent people into deteriorate
or affluent people into deteriorate
or affluent people into deteriorate areas which often displaces poorer
areas which often displaces poorer
areas which often displaces poorer residents okay a Wikipedia kept it 100
residents okay a Wikipedia kept it 100
residents okay a Wikipedia kept it 100 gentrification is a trend in urban
gentrification is a trend in urban
gentrification is a trend in urban neighborhoods that increases property
neighborhoods that increases property
neighborhoods that increases property values and displaces lower income
values and displaces lower income
values and displaces lower income families and communities with an
families and communities with an
families and communities with an increased share in wealthier residents
increased share in wealthier residents
increased share in wealthier residents and businesses it refers to a shift in
and businesses it refers to a shift in
and businesses it refers to a shift in an urban community lifestyle that often
an urban community lifestyle that often
an urban community lifestyle that often displaces poor residents hmm now why
displaces poor residents hmm now why
displaces poor residents hmm now why does Wikipedia defined gentrification as
does Wikipedia defined gentrification as
does Wikipedia defined gentrification as a shift in an urban community lifestyle
a shift in an urban community lifestyle
a shift in an urban community lifestyle and we all know what they mean by urban
and we all know what they mean by urban
and we all know what they mean by urban in my humble opinion the difference
in my humble opinion the difference
in my humble opinion the difference between these two definitions is that
between these two definitions is that
between these two definitions is that one is factual and the other is a
one is factual and the other is a
one is factual and the other is a paradigm because the truth of the matter
paradigm because the truth of the matter
paradigm because the truth of the matter is education really is just the process
is education really is just the process
is education really is just the process of rebuilding that often displaces poor
of rebuilding that often displaces poor
of rebuilding that often displaces poor residents so how we now allowed it to
residents so how we now allowed it to
residents so how we now allowed it to become defined as a shift in our urban
become defined as a shift in our urban
become defined as a shift in our urban community lifestyle so again I ask you
community lifestyle so again I ask you
community lifestyle so again I ask you do we really want to learn how to
do we really want to learn how to
do we really want to learn how to recreate black Wall Street for today’s
recreate black Wall Street for today’s
recreate black Wall Street for today’s and tomorrow’s generation whose fault is
and tomorrow’s generation whose fault is
and tomorrow’s generation whose fault is this
this
this how did gentrification now become
how did gentrification now become
how did gentrification now become defined as a shift in our urban
defined as a shift in our urban
defined as a shift in our urban community lifestyle when did this happen
community lifestyle when did this happen
community lifestyle when did this happen and how did this happen I would say that
and how did this happen I would say that
and how did this happen I would say that is our own fault while we may say we
is our own fault while we may say we
is our own fault while we may say we want an economic space that we can claim
want an economic space that we can claim
want an economic space that we can claim as our own our actions speak otherwise
as our own our actions speak otherwise
as our own our actions speak otherwise because when we leave the community we
because when we leave the community we
because when we leave the community we really leave the community but why
really leave the community but why
really leave the community but why nobody knows our housing retail business
nobody knows our housing retail business
nobody knows our housing retail business and/or educational needs better than we
and/or educational needs better than we
and/or educational needs better than we do but why when we get a little money we
do but why when we get a little money we
do but why when we get a little money we move out of the community and start
move out of the community and start
move out of the community and start investing our dollars in some other
investing our dollars in some other
investing our dollars in some other communities legacy and we wonder why the
communities legacy and we wonder why the
communities legacy and we wonder why the dollar said to recycle in the black
dollar said to recycle in the black
dollar said to recycle in the black community
community
community for less than an hour so if we want to
for less than an hour so if we want to
for less than an hour so if we want to recreate black Wall Street and build
recreate black Wall Street and build
recreate black Wall Street and build legacies for today’s generation I have a
legacies for today’s generation I have a
legacies for today’s generation I have a few steps and in a my humble opinion
few steps and in a my humble opinion
few steps and in a my humble opinion these are the steps that we need to take
these are the steps that we need to take
these are the steps that we need to take in order to win at the game of
in order to win at the game of
in order to win at the game of gentrification and I will use the term
gentrification and I will use the term
gentrification and I will use the term wealth the acronym wealth because in
wealth the acronym wealth because in
wealth the acronym wealth because in order for us to win we have to have a
order for us to win we have to have a
order for us to win we have to have a long term wealth building strategy and
long term wealth building strategy and
long term wealth building strategy and mindset W willingness we have to be
mindset W willingness we have to be
mindset W willingness we have to be willing to mobilize the black dollar
willing to mobilize the black dollar
willing to mobilize the black dollar simply put if we’re going to create a
simply put if we’re going to create a
simply put if we’re going to create a strong economic base the bite dollar has
strong economic base the bite dollar has
strong economic base the bite dollar has to stay in the black community oh and by
to stay in the black community oh and by
to stay in the black community oh and by the way burning our communities down is
the way burning our communities down is
the way burning our communities down is not an option II evolved we have to have
not an option II evolved we have to have
not an option II evolved we have to have an evolution of the mind we have to
an evolution of the mind we have to
an evolution of the mind we have to begin to increase our financial literacy
begin to increase our financial literacy
begin to increase our financial literacy skills our business acumen and customer
skills our business acumen and customer
skills our business acumen and customer service skills our multicultural
service skills our multicultural
service skills our multicultural networks and our level of engagement in
networks and our level of engagement in
networks and our level of engagement in local political and community processes
local political and community processes
local political and community processes because as many of us know and
because as many of us know and
because as many of us know and understand our true power is in our
understand our true power is in our
understand our true power is in our voice our vote and our dollar a agenda
voice our vote and our dollar a agenda
voice our vote and our dollar a agenda do we even have a black agenda and if so
do we even have a black agenda and if so
do we even have a black agenda and if so can someone please tell me what it is
can someone please tell me what it is
can someone please tell me what it is because from my vantage point our issues
because from my vantage point our issues
because from my vantage point our issues supersede police brutality or yes I
supersede police brutality or yes I
supersede police brutality or yes I acknowledge that black lives do matter
acknowledge that black lives do matter
acknowledge that black lives do matter but what I know is that black legacies
but what I know is that black legacies
but what I know is that black legacies leave hope in an order for us to win we
leave hope in an order for us to win we
leave hope in an order for us to win we have to create and support an agenda
have to create and support an agenda
have to create and support an agenda that’s going to sustain the black
that’s going to sustain the black
that’s going to sustain the black community for generations l legacy
community for generations l legacy
community for generations l legacy simply put we have to want to leave one
simply put we have to want to leave one
simply put we have to want to leave one socially economically culturally but why
socially economically culturally but why
socially economically culturally but why we do decide to leave our communities
we do decide to leave our communities
we do decide to leave our communities and it’s ok to leave but why when we do
and it’s ok to leave but why when we do
and it’s ok to leave but why when we do decide to leave we sell our family homes
decide to leave we sell our family homes
decide to leave we sell our family homes the birth of our legacies to the highest
the birth of our legacies to the highest
the birth of our legacies to the highest bidder versus the family with the
bidder versus the family with the
bidder versus the family with the cultural connectivity because as I
cultural connectivity because as I
cultural connectivity because as I mentioned
mentioned
mentioned like legacies leave hope and our family
like legacies leave hope and our family
like legacies leave hope and our family homes are the foundation of our cultural
homes are the foundation of our cultural
homes are the foundation of our cultural legacies team tres no matter what you’ve
legacies team tres no matter what you’ve
legacies team tres no matter what you’ve been told white folks ice ain’t
been told white folks ice ain’t
been told white folks ice ain’t necessarily coder so we have to begin to
necessarily coder so we have to begin to
necessarily coder so we have to begin to trust each other enough to share our
trust each other enough to share our
trust each other enough to share our money and pull together our resources
money and pull together our resources
money and pull together our resources which will require a new meaning of
which will require a new meaning of
which will require a new meaning of Black Friday
Black Friday
Black Friday and lastly H hope and as our first black
and lastly H hope and as our first black
and lastly H hope and as our first black president Barack Obama said in his book
president Barack Obama said in his book
president Barack Obama said in his book The Audacity of Hope we have to continue
The Audacity of Hope we have to continue
The Audacity of Hope we have to continue to hope in the face of difficulty hope
to hope in the face of difficulty hope
to hope in the face of difficulty hope in the face of uncertainty the audacity
in the face of uncertainty the audacity
in the face of uncertainty the audacity of hope in the end this is God’s
of hope in the end this is God’s
of hope in the end this is God’s greatest gift to us the bedrock of this
greatest gift to us the bedrock of this
greatest gift to us the bedrock of this nation a belief and things not seen a
nation a belief and things not seen a
nation a belief and things not seen a belief that better days are ahead and I
belief that better days are ahead and I
belief that better days are ahead and I will conclude with my rules to winning
will conclude with my rules to winning
will conclude with my rules to winning at the game of justification for the
at the game of justification for the
at the game of justification for the next generation with his speech from the
next generation with his speech from the
next generation with his speech from the 2011 Congressional Black Caucus dinner
2011 Congressional Black Caucus dinner
2011 Congressional Black Caucus dinner when he told black America it’s time to
when he told black America it’s time to
when he told black America it’s time to take the slippers off put on our
take the slippers off put on our
take the slippers off put on our marching shoes and shake it off stop
marching shoes and shake it off stop
marching shoes and shake it off stop complaining stop grumbling stop crying
complaining stop grumbling stop crying
complaining stop grumbling stop crying because we will press on but we have
because we will press on but we have
because we will press on but we have much work to do so to my peers it’s our
much work to do so to my peers it’s our
much work to do so to my peers it’s our time it’s our time to win at the game of
time it’s our time to win at the game of
time it’s our time to win at the game of gentrification and not allow it to
gentrification and not allow it to
gentrification and not allow it to continue to victimize us like it did our
continue to victimize us like it did our
continue to victimize us like it did our parents or even our grandparents we have
parents or even our grandparents we have
parents or even our grandparents we have to begin to see value in our own
to begin to see value in our own
to begin to see value in our own backyards and not let gentrification be
backyards and not let gentrification be
backyards and not let gentrification be defined as a shift in our urban
defined as a shift in our urban
defined as a shift in our urban community lifestyle let’s instead
community lifestyle let’s instead
community lifestyle let’s instead embrace it prepare for it strategize
embrace it prepare for it strategize
embrace it prepare for it strategize around it invest in it and redefine it
around it invest in it and redefine it
around it invest in it and redefine it for legacies and generations to come
for legacies and generations to come
for legacies and generations to come thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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