User:3ptking25

Reactions to 7th street documentary:

Dana Bong: The film we watched in our group was rather intriguing. The changes shown in E 7th street, which was the home of the director, Josh Pais, was the perfect example of gentrification. I was quite astounded when he clearly pointed out the major changes that went through during the course of several decades. The fact that the old 7th street was a tight knit community made it surprising that it turned into one that was filled with people who did not know each other personally. Surely, some of the changes were made to benefit certain aspects of the community, however, most suffered greatly and lost a place they called their homes. In my opinion, living in a community where you know everyone closely would be pleasant and I would love being in a community such as described. Certainly, the fact that the people on 7th street lost the place they called home is unfortubate however that is unchangable.

Amber Caimares: Today we read an article and a documentry about gentrification. The movie was about the changes that happened on 7th Street in the early 90's. Josh Pias, the producer and director of  7th Street, went around his neighbor, speaking to its residents about the changes that happened throughout the community. I think that this film is a perfect representation of gentrification for it describes the exact definition of gentrification. Gentrification means the process of welthy and well educated people moving into a "poor" neighborhood and "improving" it. The previous residents of that community would be pushed out through the means of rising rent, expensive stores and restuarants, etc., however, not intentionally. On 7th Street, the street was first "over run" by Hungarian Jews. However, as time passed, Puerto Ricans, Black, and Native Americans began to populate the area and, slowly but surely, most of the Jewish population trickled out. Then the area changed further more with the introduction of drugs. Years later, more of the Caucasion race came into the neighborhood, thoroughly changing it for the better - for the new residents. The older residents, whether they be childen or adults, are being gradually kicked out by the increase of rent. Many of the older residents have been put out on the street because they weren't able to pay for their homes any longer. One of the residents even stated that in 2010, he wouldn't be able to live on 7th Street because of the vast changes. The neighborhood has changed vastly since then and that is when I realized that, while gentrification is a good thing, it's only good for the ones that are moving in.

Danny Brown: I think the movie,  7th Street, was very relateable because I have experienced this in my own life as well. I like how this was a very emotional film and I also like how he took the time out of his life to document his community. John was the type of kid that I was when I was growing up in Crown Heights and thats why I think it is very relateable. It's interesting how he viewed 7th street to be different in 2010 because of the way that it was changing in his own time period.