Sydney A
The suitcase begins to overflow with old stuffed animals and family heirlooms. Sheila tries to close the box but to no avail. This is the last day she has to move and multiple decades’ worth of memories simply cannot fit in a single box. She takes her daughter’s hand as they walk past the “For Sale” sign on their front lawn. The only home her family ever knew, gone right before her eyes. Another family pushed out by the rising costs of gentrification.
Gentrification occurs when urban neighborhoods are renovated and there is an influx of people trying to move to these areas. Urban neighborhoods are unfortunately the prime location when it comes to gentrification. It’s right in the heart of the city, and businesses are within walking distance. When more people attempt to move into the city, rent becomes higher and it is harder for low-income families to continue living there. This results in those who have lived in the community for years being pushed out, while wealthier families move in.
Temple University is expanding at a great rate. The new library is under construction, and plans for the proposed retail and stadium complex are underway. Temple prides itself on keeping up with current times. The university has almost 40,000 students enrolled and housing is not guaranteed, even for freshmen. Along Cecil B. Moore Avenue, old deteriorated lots are right across from the freshly built modern apartments. More of which are being constructed now. Since students become forced to find housing, these apartments that used to be family homes are now occupied by Temple students, who aren’t necessarily the best neighbors.
Sheila William, a proud single mother of three, grew up in her North Philadelphia home. She even began raising her own children there. That home held generations worth of memories within its walls. “Philly doesn’t even look the same anymore,” she said. “There used to be so many homes and now all you see is a big Temple T, just mocking us.” Three of William’s friends also lost their homes due to the increasing amount of rent.
Her children have never been outside of North Philadelphia, but now their home is no longer welcoming to them. William now has to restart her life in an unfamiliar place. “When I was growing up, all I ever saw were black people now I see less and less. This place is not going to have any black people in the future if people keep moving out, but maybe that was the real goal all along,” said William.
As the institution continues to expand its borders, residents are increasingly being pushed out. John Perry, a Temple student from North Philly, has also witnessed the effects of gentrification throughout his lifetime. “They tried to rename the area around Cecil B Moore Ave. ‘TempleTown’ as if Cecil B Moore didn’t fight for us,” he said. “They might as well change the whole city of Philadelphia to ‘TempleTown’ since we’re erasing history.” Perry’s relatives had to relocate to the outskirts of Philadelphia in order to escape the increasing amount of rent.
He is scared of the addition of the new stadium because the value for the properties around it will increase, resulting in higher rent. “We were here first, so why are we being treated like second class citizens. You forced us into ghettos by redlining, banned us from white neighborhoods, and now you’re taking away our homes, in these so-called ‘ghettos’. America was built on our backs and this is how you thank us,” exclaims Perry.
On October 21st, 2016 a group of over 150 teenagers attacked students on Temple University’s campus. This was not the first time a situation of similar nature took place. And it begs the question: why? Why would teenagers from the community want to attack Temple students? The answer is that the community needs help. “While Temple keeps getting bigger and kicking our people out, they can’t even help our children here,” says William.
Nathaniel Morris, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, volunteers at the local high schools around Temple’s campus. “These kids don’t even think they can make it to college and Temple is right here pushing them out of their homes while selling them a dream of higher education,” his voice began to lower. “Kids should be worried about succeeding in their schooling not whether or not they’ll have a roof over their heads.” Morris believes that if institutions of higher learning are going to continue to kick their local residents out, then they should at least give back to the community to allow a gateway for their children to get in. “What is a child without hope?” Morris questions.
