What if your childhood changed for the worse because of gentrification?

By Michaela Carter

Years later, today, as I am sitting thinking about my childhood, I begin to just have this urge to want to go check out the neighborhood I originally came from. While heading out to North Portland the graffiti that was created when I was there, the candy ladies house, and the “hood” corner stores are all gone. I begin to acknowledge and notice gentrification has taken over. The realization that my family, and other black families were truly pushed out so the white families, the ones who could afford the rent increase could move in. The houses are now remodeled, and the hood corner stores were now turned into thrift stores. Going back to my original childhood spot broke my heart, seeing my beautiful house, the beautiful I saw in it, even though the city and government didn’t see it, changed upside down tore me apart. The memories of our childhood garden in our yard were nonexistent now. My neighborhood altogether was unfortunately nonexistent.