That’s How You Weave A Narrative!
The Daily News makes it sound like the grant money is going to fight gentrification itself:
Posted: September 16th, 2011 | Filed under: Brooklyn, There Goes The NeighborhoodA local Brooklyn Latino organization wants to help long-time residents take back the community before hipsters and their trendy bars and overpriced clothing stores wipe out the area’s Latino culture for good.
“When you wake up one morning and you see the corner bodega is now replaced by a fancy cafe or restaurant and you see your neighbors being pushed out because they can no longer afford the rent, all of a sudden you’ve lost your friends,” said [the] head of El Puente. “You begin to wonder, ‘Am I next?'”
El Puente (The Bridge) has landed more than $2.8 million in federal, city and private grant money for its Green Light District project to send swarms of volunteers door-to-door in the next 10 years to help Latino residents get healthier, more educated and more cultured.
. . .
Though Southside remains largely Latino, hipsters from Williamsburg are encroaching quickly.
“We want to spark the Latino community to take back their community,” [the El Puente head] said.