According to Urban Dictionary, gentrification means: "When 'urban renewal' of lower class neighborhoods attract tenants, driving up rents and driving out long time, lower income residents. Creating a "hip" reputation attracts people who want to live in such an atmosphere, driving out the lower income artists and residents, often minorities." It also involves the displacing of local businesses due to higher rent.

This definition is right on. I never knew what gentrification was until I was taught of the term and the meaning. Even worse, I had the neighborhoods around me as examples of what gentrification is.

LOTS and I mean LOTS of coffee shops began opening up. Old clothing stores began to close down. Swap meets were shut down. Everything around me was changing. There were more White folks moving into what they would call the "hood," a place they would never imagine coming to.

Aside from pushing out people from the community WE grew up in, the level of discomfort rises. I can be walking around or go into a store and feel as if I am the one who is out of place. As if, I don't belong in this neighborhood. MY neighborhood.

The worst part is that these gentrifiers moving in don't seem to have a sense of realization of their actions. THEY ARE PUSHING OUT PEOPLE FROM THEIR HOMES. Displacing them. Increasing to the already-high number of homeless people. Gentrifiers are saying it's OK to kick out people from their homes, leaving them in a tough situation of where they will move to. They say it's OK for these residents to live in fear of not finding a home for their children, for themselves.

But the people say, "The people united will never be divided" because as we stick together, and fight to protect one another, then that sense of fear can subside just for a little bit longer.