Gentrification is No Accident
I do a lot of work trying to promote cycling within communities which are traditionally marginalized by bike culture. Bicycle mobility is a sometimes contentious subject within some of those communities, especially when bike infrastructure is seen as a “white stripe of gentrification,” a spearhead for the forces seemingly gathered to displace communities of color.
Urban Adonia hits it right on the head yet again:
“Sustainability usually refers to ecology and economy, but the need to sustain our diverse urban places should also be in the foreground. When we lose diversity, we take away our opportunities to learn about other ways of life, to become comfortable in integrated neighborhoods. Americans need more of these opportunities, not fewer.”
Personally, I contend that all people deserve equal access to transportation and all communities can and should be built safely and livably. I don’t know what the magic formula for sustainable, liveable and just development is. I am pretty sure that it includes more voices of the traditionally displaced being sincerely listened to by planners, the gov’t and advocates. With this in mind, come on down for the Bikeability Tour of Southeast Seattle:
Image from the Art of City BuildingPlease join the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board, Cascade Bicycle Club, Beacon B.I.K.E.S., Bike Works, and Seattle Neighborhood Greenways for a “Bikeability Tour” of Southeast Seattle on Tuesday, May 22, from 6 to 9 p.m.
The purpose of the Bikeability Tour is to identify challenges and opportunities for better to bicycling in Southeast Seattle, including what could be done to improve safety and connectivity through the area for bicycle riders of all ages and abilities.
We will congregate at Daejeon Park on the Mountains to Sound Trail at 6 p.m. and end the ride at El Quetzal on Beacon Ave at 8 p.m. for an hour of food and discussion of what we saw along the way. This ride is open to the public and attendance at both or either the ride and discussion is encouraged.
Event Location
Start from Daejeon Park on the Mountains to Sound Trail
1144 Sturgus Ave. S.
Seattle, WA
Great post, Davey! Love the blog.
I am confused by the comment
“especially when bike infrastructure is seen as a “white stripe of gentrification,” a spearhead for the forces seemingly gathered to displace communities of color.”
I lived in North Minneapolis for several years and can tell you cars do more to displace communities of color and financial hardship than bike infrastructure. A bike can be had for 20 bucks, which then empowers a person, while a car is just a money pit of despair.
Hi Devin. I couldn’t agree more that auto-dependance disproportionately injures communities of color and people of color as individuals. I also totally agree that the affordability of a bike, especially compared to the debt-trap that is car ownership is one of the major potential advantages to bike mobility for everyone.
I was gonna qualify everyone, but it doesn’t need it. Everyone.
Personally, I don’t like cars.
Professionally, I see reducing auto-dependance within communities traditionally undeserved by “Alternative Transportation” movements as a worthwhile thing to do. However, it is my impression that many leaders within communities of color see bike lanes as an aspect of gentrification and displacement. One big part of allyship in struggles against systemic oppression is to listen to the folks you wish to work towards liberation with, even if what they have to say challenges some of your most basic assumptions (more biking is good for everyone), or strategies (more bike infrastructure is good for everywhere.) Please bear in mind that I do believe that more biking is good for everyone and that more high quality bike infrastructure is needed, while not everywhere, all over the place.
To get my head around that disconnect of listening but disagreeing on this particular subject, I remember that it is possible to see displacement as functionally a matter of real estate costs and property values. There is a sick irony at play, right? The more a neighborhood is made “livable,” “walkable,” “human-scale,” the more it’s properties will be able to be sold for a premium. So folks who lived in the previously less “livable” neighborhood get driven out by higher rents!
I have no solution to this problem. I have not heard very many likely approaches that will lead us to one. But I am very committed to finding one. What do you think?
Davey,
Thanks for the response. I can see both sides also and again saw it in MN with the new boom of urban housing, etc. As for the answer, I also do not have one, other than we cannot become divided in our goal of finding a solution. I believe this is something the car centric folks want, us divided and fighting amongst ourselves.
Devin