Forum Archive: Posts by: 27yrsinFG

27 years ago my mother invested in Fort Greene and was one the pioneers investing money time and energy into recreating the beautiful neighborhood we now know today. Back then I remember never feeling safe to play or walk in the park and it was insane to even think of entering it at night. In college I thought of moving to the upper westside and living the NYC life. Whenever I invited my Manhattan friends to come hang in Brooklyn I always got a polite no from them. Imagine my surprise when those very same friends moved to Fort Greene and as the secrete was shared, the Upper Westside and some of the Eastside moved to me, in Fort Greene. Why go to the city when the city has come to me. The sad thing is that although I feel safe and feel that the I finally have the neighborhood my mother worked so hard to gentrify, I and my mother apparently don’t belong here according to some new comers.
Yesterday as my mother drove home and had a near miss accident with a newcomer who was trying to park his car on Washington Park, she was informed by the newcomer to get out of his neighborhood. Has Fort Greene become rascist as it got gentrified? The balance between the number of blacks who reside in Fort Greene has now between out numbered by the number of whites that now reside here. But apparently with the balanced diversity that once existed some of the newer residents seem to think that the black residents don’t belong here. I see it in the arrogance of newcomers who refuse to say hello to neighbors, even if they live in the same building. Fort Greene is a beautiful neighborhood lets keep it beautiful for both new and old residents, both the black and white ones. Say no to the arrogance and rascist behaviors. For those who choose to move in thinking that FG is a White neighborhood, think again, it is a diverse neighborhood that belongs to everyone who lives here. I am black and I’m here to stay.