Can ya’ dig it C.C.?
Did you know that the Ambassador likes to promote fascinating happenings on her spare time? I am a promotion machine when I feel the cause merits the attention, and this is one of those instances. Hear me out, this is worth your while – especially if you live in D.C. or give half a shit about the district and what’s going on in it. And I know there are some of you in the general area reading this. Even if you’re not from the area, you’ll be able to appreciate this because countless cities (if not all) across America are facing this same exact issue.
Two people by the names of Ellie Walton (a filmmaker for *Washingtonian*) and Sam Wild (a London based journalist) have created a documentary which focuses on the gentrification that is occurring in the taxed (but not represented) District of Columbia, entitled “Chocolate City”. Peep the trailer for the movie…
What makes this film stand out, in my opinion at least, is that it focuses on gentrification from the point of view of the people who are facing the negative effects of it – the citizens that are losing their homes. The people who aren’t the ones making money off of the change that’s occurring in their neighborhoods. You would think that in a city that is probably most known for its political atmosphere that issues such as these would be garnering more attention, but in true American fashion, issues like these just kept getting swept under the rug because they go along with the ever-popular capitalist mindstate. Where there is money to be made, dammit, the TI’s are going to continue to exploit that opportunity.
If you live in or around D.C., or if you’re really ambitious and would like to make a trip to the area, there are a couple screenings coming up where you can catch the film…
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Jan. 31st, The Marvin Center at George Washington University (time: TBA), 2121 I St., NW
Feb. 10, Busboys and Poets, 4pm as a part of the Our City Film Festival, 2021 14th St. NW For more info, check out http://www.choc-city.org/ |
Folk what u know about my fav and the gretest roup of all time LOL. y u take me off the blog roll. was it something i blogged
Good lookin out DP.
oh and I totally have that Parliament album lol.
looks like its gonna be a solid flick….
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I’m there, dude.
Yo P-Matik. Let me know what screening you want to go to. I can’t decide which one I’m tryna hit up yet, so I’m waiting for one loc. to provide some incentive.
Oh and the Busboys and Poets joint in February – be aware you need to purchase tickets. More details on the calendar at B&B’s website
http://www.busboysandpoets.com/
Thanks Amanda. I was actually going to post about the film today. I heard about it last friday then forgot. Good looking. I’m definately going to check out the film. Discussion about gentrification is constantly going on out here. And keep up the good work.
http://www.dontsleepdc.com
DC STAND UP!!!!!!
…..even… though i shant be there cuz i live in BK now.
(sheepishly sitting back down)
I’ll definitely be checking for this one … Living up in Columbia Heights, I can see it all around me. All of a sudden a Target, Marshall’s, and Washington Sports Club is popping up.
These are some real issues – and you can feel the tension walking around the neighborhood – How do you promote the improvement of communities without whitewashing them and pushing out the current residents? It’s all a shell game, up in Boston the historically African-American area was up on Beacon Hill, until those in power felt it would be a nice place to live, and pushed the folks of color out to Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury.
It’s been going on since this country was founded with the Native American reservations – any time the government realized the effed up and put the ‘Indians’ on valuable land, they tore up the old boundaries and started over.