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Community Corner

Gentrification

In recent, the Highland Park community has seen a massive revamp after having been a hotspot for investors, our community is both benefiting and being hit hard in its culture. This is a result of gentrification, which has brought a new "hipster" culture to the Highland Park community. However growth of new culture has had a tremendous effect on the people who made up Highland Park. As a Latino-American it has hit a point in which this community has affected my self and my family (in both a positive and negative way).
Highland Park was at the time I was raised a town in which gang danger was a very imident problem. But as a community many were able to avoid those problems, which of course we still saw many deaths, robberies etc. Now the gang issue is still present however to me it feels as if Northern Highland Park has of partially cleaned up. However a new issue has arisen, one that was not present before (or not apparent) in our community. That issue has been a strong stereotype of the hispanics living in the community. While walking down York Blvd's new pizza joint (formaly Italiano's Pizza) today, I encountered this issue first hand. I was given a glance by a family who was eating there while I took a look inside to see what change had happened to the old. Of course a much nicer environment except now it had the "get out of here" ambiance. The guys making the pizza's of course attended the white family in front of me. I personally felt so offended to have even walked in there. This situation however is not the only time this has happened. Months back my father and I visited "Society of the Spectacle", being interested in purchasing a pair of sunglasses for my grandfather. Once arriving we were ignored and just looked at while the person in the store spoke with another person along with her dog, who to my knowledge were talking about a personal event. We found the pair we were looking for and once we felt we liked a pair to see its price we were Kindly asked to give her "a second". Then she continued to complement the ladies dog and play with it. After a period of 5-7 min. of allowing the lady to have a "second" we placed the sunglasses back on the display and walked out. At the point in which the lady asked if I needed something. I kindly responded "its fine".
These issue are all personal recounts and do not wish to offend any person, because my intention is to live in a community in which these issues do not continue. 
Take the time to think of all the low-income families living in the area who have or will be affected by a new cultural transition. 
Lets not let history repeat itself, and allow the opportunity for everyone to live without the fear of not being able to pay for living in a town known as home, or the fear of being pushed out of local businesses which in theory should help the community. 
Please Respond with your opinions on this matter. 
Thank You
- Local College Student (CSUN)

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