My third source entry is a New York Times video entitled ā€œWhy heā€™s holding out in East Harlem, despite the gentrificationā€. This video documentary was produced by Yousur Al-Hlou and Ben Laffin, and was released by Times Documentaries on may 21st, 2018. This video addresses the first person account of Ray Tirado (a Latino New Yorker) and his experience with gentrification, and how it has negatively impacted him.

 

The video begins with the narrator stating that East Harlem is one of the most affordable neighborhoods in one of the most expensive cities. He then goes on to say however that this is changing. In 2015 new owners of Ray Torodoā€™s apartment complex voiced a plan to tear down the building and build a new one on top of it, with much higher rent. Due to this Ray is the last person in his entire building, the last hold out. Despite all this the landlords refuse to wait for him to leave, and have already started demolishing the building around him. The documentary then turns to following Ray around the city, and documenting just how much gentrification has affected the neighborhood. In the video Ray passes a building and states ā€œThis here on the corner was at one time a grocery store where I used to buy my sandwiches, and then it turned into a pizzeria place where I could buy a pizza. Now itā€™s a hipster spot where itā€™s so expensive that um, even happy hour is not a happy hourā€. This shows how gentrification negatively affects the community, as it not only leads to increased prices but it also ruins the community and familiarity that has been established there. As the documentary continues it documents Ray going to court to battle against losing his home, he states ā€œI’ve been living in my apartment for over 50 years, the only solvent thing that i know is my homeā€. Continuing to show that gentrification has a horrible impact on the poor minorities living in NYC. The documentary ends with him losing the battle, and inevitably losing his home.

 

My last source entry is to be one i discuss with prof Couglin, so i wonder if i can get any court documents or legal information on the impact of gentrification in NYC as i know it will help to strengthen my work. This will help as to not only provided factual and legal information, but to also make sure that i am covering every single aspect of what is expected from my source entries. If i could ask the directors or producers something in specific i believe it would be how did seeing this man lose his home effect the team and recorders, iā€™d want to know whether it was impactful or not. I believe that if it was impactful to them then it could be for anyone, and cause people to question whether gentrification is right or not.