Being Mexican myself made me feel at home when visiting the Chicano Park. Even though I work with the Barrio Logan College Insitute, I have not explored much of the community. Upon driving through, I did not need to wait until Professor Alvarez mentioned the heavy gentrification happening to know about it. The modern apartments, art galleries, coffee shops, and bars were all clear examples of gentrification. However, I was left puzzled by the fact that the workers in Por Vida, one of the coffee shops, and a brewery in the area were Latinx themselves. Later that day I spoke with a good friend of mine who so happened to be doing research on the gentrification of Barrio Logan in one of her classes. She mentioned to me how a lot of the gentrification is being done by members of the community themselves. These businesses have strategically placed themselves next to Chicano Park because any major event at the park will render the most revenue them the most revenue. In turn, making it harder for the people of Barrio Logan to keep their own homes and businesses. Gentrification is almost always assumed to be done by white people, but there are times when it is the members of the very same community who exploit their community and culture to make a profit. I have not done enough research on my friends, as well as my, observations, and, as a result, I might be completely wrong. Nevertheless, I find this to be an interesting topic that I will delve into more. Overall, the experience was beautiful and educational. It has given me more insight into the community that BLCI serves and with the information, I hope to better serve them.
May 7, 2019
Chicano Park Reflection
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