tohbi-isi

[tohbi-isi]

Fuck The Redskins - Outline & Sources

THESIS: Using Native Americans as team names and mascots is rooted in racism.

SIDE 1: To use the word redskin is to show honor.

Define redskin and honor, show video and bounties.

“Plenty of words in the dictionary have multiple meanings. It just turns out that this one doesn’t. Help me out, white man. You can take things out of context all over the place, but in this particular case it is what it is. It’s very obvious that the name means honor. Honoring what? Your strong, proud, courageous, brave heritage. Redskin is a bounty. It meant proof of Indian Kill. Well when you put it like that, it sounds terrible.” Video quote from Comedy Central

“We also hear that several of the good Indians, who had returned to La Paz and vicinity wounded, have since died. They are better Indians now.” Newspaper quote

SIDE 2: If the word redskin is offensive, then so is the word cowboy.

Define cowboy, show photos of non-white cowboys to argue the correlation that cowboys are opposite to Natives “redskins”

“Cowboys are the coolest, Indian cowboys especially.” INFR rider, Freddy Heathershaw

SIDE 3: To keep the Washington Redskins name is to continue tradition.

Outline the changes the team saw since inception to prove that traditions change.

“He goes on to cite polls showing that many Native Americans don’t find the team name offensive. In closing he says, ‘We are Redskins Nation and we owe it to our fans and coaches and players, past and present, to preserve that heritage.’“ Video quote of Newsy summary of Forbes x Daniel Snyder interview

SIDE 4: If Florida State can be called the Seminoles, Washington should be able to keep their name.

Seminole Nation involvement in FSU’s use of their name, as well as the fact that they are a single tribe.

“[The] Seminole Tribe of Florida has an established relationship with the Florida State University, which includes its permission to use the name Seminole, as well as various Seminole symbols and images, such as Chief Osceola, for educational purposes and the Seminole Tribe of Florida wishes to go on record that it has not opposed, and, in fact, supports the continued use of the name Seminole.” FSU quote of Seminole Tribe

Sides addressed in terms of various opposition because not all fans give the same reasoning for keeping the name. This allows for swift rebuttal in favor of the thesis. Rebuttal includes definitions, quotes, and video clips in the form of oral presentation and keynote.

Works Cited

Ahtone, Tristan. “The Coolest Cowboys Are From Indian Country at National Rodeo Finals.” 11 November 2013. Photographs by Tomas Muscionico for Al Jazeera America.

Comedy Central. “The Daily Show - The Redskins’ Name - Catching Racism.” Online video clip. 26 September 2014.

Florida State University. “Florida State University Thanks Seminoles for Historic Vote of Support.” FSU News.

Florida State University. “Relationship with the Seminole Tribe of Florida.” University Communications. 2018. 

Frank, Priscilla. “A History of Black Cowboys And The Myth That The West Was White.” 23 January 2017. The Village Voice. Photographs by Brad Trent. 

Hotnews. “Snyder Defends Redskins Name in Letter to Fans.” Online video clip. 9 October 2013.

Indian National Finals Rodeo. “History.”

KENFL74. “FSU Football Chief Osceola Renegade at Doak Tomahawk Chop.” Online video clip. 22 November 2016.

Lee, Jess. “cowboy—224.jpg.” Jess Lee Photography. Classic Cowboy.

Other sources include Bridgette Hoshont’omba’s personal image cache for protest and bounty photos, Twitter user @NativeHal, and the Washington Redskin’s Facebook cover photo.

PROMPT: Political Problem: Take a controversial issue, show both sides, and then determine what the correct position is. Research with solid sources should be incorporated.

[tohbi-isi]

Fuck The Redskins - Keynote

Included clip plays from 2:07 - 2:35

Included clip plays from 0:29 - 0:42

Included clip plays from 0:11 - 0:41

Prompt, Outline, & Sources

Mis-Rep design by @oxdxclothing, used with owner permission.

[tohbi-isi]

Shutting Down a Shit-Show: Tales from RadioShack #8470

Book of Bondage & Business 3:27-45

“Hi, welcome to RadioSlack…Whack. I mean, Shack.” Kyle’s words caused eyebrows to raise, especially with the KFC uniform he was wearing.

Working RadioShack is one big inside joke. Not only is it a complete dumpster fire, but we are the dumpster fire. There are few things more important than selling fixtures when you’re closing down a store: dropping cash every night, selling a massive stockpile of batteries, and climbing your sexy coworker like a set of monkey bars in the break room. Thrilling, truly. Someone needed to euthanize all the poor parts in the drawers overflowing with fuses and capacitors that the few remaining nerds didn’t want. That was me. Once we unfurled our bright Entire Store: Up to 30% Off signs, they came in flocks.

To pass the time I started talking to our regulars. One in particular bought a lot of parts but didn’t do a lot of talking. To protect his identity, we’ll call him Tony. Eventually Tony confided that his growing collection was to light up his latest furry costume. You heard that right. Furry costume. The boots, in particular. They were to be lined with brown fur to look like hooves, and the parts he was collecting would make them glow during BDSM basement adventures. Maybe it was the shortage of nerds that brought on our downfall, or perhaps we needed to restructure our marketing and target the kinky ones.

Book of Time Wasters 1:1-12

Time wasters. They have no money, no desire to buy anything, but hours of free time and they want your attention. Please, tell me more about this radar detector. No, I don't have a drivers license, why do you ask?

Often, these were the types of customers that didn’t know a thing about electronics. They would come in looking for a versatile, not-too-big, not-too-small, expensive but on-sale gift for their mother-in-law’s god-daughter’s engagement party. Now the bride has a registry, but we all know that there’s no need to stick to the registry when you want to do something really impressive. Something really grand. You know?

What about this RC F150? If it can stand up to our front door (and take it down) then surely it’ll be something that can keep her entertained while she gets high with the groom’s best friend. Oh yeah, can’t forget that she’s a cheating whore, that’s definitely relevant to finding the right gift.

Somehow it was always the old people that got me though. Forget bonding with the kids; these grannies were looking for ways to bond with themselves. “I just keep getting viruses, darned if I know why! Those nasty pop ups. You know.”

“Well, what are you typically doing when you get the popups?”

“I want to look at porn, of course!”

It was always weird porn. Gay porn. Weird gay porn.

Book of Hands 2:13-43

Thou shalt not giveth hands to thy customers. - the Ten Commandments of RadioShack

The first commandment is actually “Thou shalt not thinketh on anything longer than two seconds, or thy will be done.” I’m sure you’ll be able to guess what I was thinking of when the transplant walked in. (Transplant: noun. A person who moves from a suburb/rural America to a major city, or vice versa.)

“Okay my darlings, get whatever you want!” When it came time to check out, she pulled gift card from the depths of her massive purse. Cue dramatic pause.

You see, Sprint apparently shut down our gift card system after draining all the funds and closing out the partnership. By Sprint I mean me, because it’s most definitely me causing all the bullshit following Chapter 11 filing. That’s what the capital M-A-N-A-G-E-R on my badge means, right? Well, not my badge actually, it was Kyle’s but he never wore it. Beside’s the point, really; it’s only funny when you see how half-assed that thing looks with my label-maker Bridgette sticker covering his name.

Anyways, back to the she-demon and her gift card. When I told her there was nothing on the gift card, and pointed to the sign saying that we weren’t even supposed to be accepting them, the gates to hell opened and I was told to call the manager. Not me, but the general manager since I, quote, unquote, couldn’t do my job. I obliged.

“Here, you better take your phone back before I throw it across the room.” Her voice was like pterodactyl screeching.

I mean look ma’am, no one said you had to use my phone but you insisted. The devil on my shoulder was egging me on, and so I listened. “Throw that phone and not only will I lock these doors, but I’ll clock out, too.”

Now I know what you’re thinking - a hostage situation over a phone. On the contrary. If there was only a single worker on staff, we were permitted to lock the doors so long as we let customers out when they asked. My guess was that she wouldn’t ask. Plus, the room full of customers was amused once that lock clicked.

Apparently her husband wasn’t, as he promptly paid for everything. Apologized even. Said he’d call corporate to handle it. (Which, to be clear, is what I advised to begin with.)

Book of Batteries & Sin 3:5-20

When you’re working for a bankrupt company, as long as you make as many sales as you can, don’t get high while on the clock, and don’t burn the place down, you’re good. Of course, when you’re basically in charge of yourself the only thing you need to be sure of is that the place isn’t going down in flames. Or that if it is, it’s not your blunt that lit the place up. (It’s okay if it’s Kyle’s blunt though, fuck Kyle.) Corporate must have gotten a few calls about our back-alley activities though, because that’s when the regional manager came in.

Typically Clay was making big bucks sitting down in Texas telling the rest of us what to do via cryptic emails, but apparently needed the entertainment of telling us what to do in person. “Alright everyone, the goal is to sell every single RadioShack brand pack of batteries by June 1st.”

“Now I know, I know, we’re bankrupt. But don’t worry! Your store isn’t slated to close!” Of course not. No one was selling batteries like 8470. These batteries would be the single thing to keep our doors open, as they had for the last decade. Out here in the middle of nowhere if you aren’t petting a cow you’re licking a 9-volt for fun.

I guess he was trying to be motivating. So the following week, we sold the batteries. All of them. I still don’t know what one man needs with thousands of batteries but I’m sure it’s something exciting. World’s largest vibrator probably, because he did come in with the furry guy on a few occasions.

Book of Flames 4:26-36

Our days continued on much like this - one big, shitty joke. Instead of break-room romps I decided to take Kyle home with me. Open the store, sell some printer ink from our stash, close up, drop cash, start all over again. Hours were maxed out for the three people that made up our team and as long as we got there before noon, Gary (the other manager) didn’t care how late we were. Receipts taller than me - longer than our storefront, really - were our trophies.

Local nerds decided fucking was more fun, the old folks started objecting Satan’s Whore at weddings, and all was well. Everything sold, right down to the dust. The dark spots left behind by our giant neon sign were like hieroglyphics from a long extinct people. Fitting comparison, too, seeing as how there was radio silence from corporate once bonuses failed to roll through. But it’s fine, really, I’m not bitter at all.

If you’re lost and wondering what the point of this was, I’d just like to say: see, I told you so. Shit-show.

Supplementary Material 8470: RadioShack call number for the Shawnee, OK store located on N. Union Dr at Shawnee Mall Characters: Bridgette, self. Gary, ex co-manager of 8470. Kyle, ex and ex-coworker; part time-er at RadioShack and KFC. Tony, customer and proud member of the furry community. Links: Fixture Sale - Dust | RadioSlack RC: Remote control Sources: My own experience, though some other RadioShack workers on our Reddit did lend me a hand with some of these awesome lines. Check it out here.

This piece has been Officially Kyle Approved.

PROMPT: to be added.

[tohbi-isi]

When Companies Who Don’t Need to Advertise Do: A Look at Apple’s Art School-esque Commercials

Corporate influence is nearly everywhere today. Product placement on the big screen, commercials at the break, print ads, billboards, signage in building windows, and vehicle decals are a few examples. Brands and products nestle into the brains of consumers any way they can. Regardless of how a brand launches their name into public view, there’s a point in their existence where advertising is no longer necessary in order to keep sales climbing. Because marketing is more than just ads, some companies are able to set focus on other aspects that entice customers and keep them coming for more. Of every candy sitting in Dave’s Liquor Store on the corner of 4th and Walnut in Long Beach, I can say I’ve only seen advertisements for a handful. As David Fallarme points out in his writing “How Kit-Kat Made Me Realize Marketing Is Evil”, marketing is also packaging, colors, and price. (85) Other companies offer something consumers will want regardless of factors like price or catchy advertisements, but continue to put in every bit of creativity. One such example is the work of Apple, an innovative tech company founded, in part, by the late Steve Jobs. Staying on top of the game is a priority for Apple, proven by a release of an Apple Music playlist complete with songs from every ad released in their 40 years of business. (Business Insider) Customer loyalty allows Apple to highlight the aesthetic pleasure of their products in advertisements as well as take marketing to the next step with interactive media.

High-octane shots combined with melodious sounds have become characteristic of the brand itself. Words that flash on or throughout the screen give a minimalistic look while allowing consumers to get information; emphasis is added to improvements the company is most proud of. Though their craftsmanship has evolved over the years, many aspects have carried on or been improved. Their 1999 Super Bowl ad, “Hal” was speaking directly to the consumer through Hal from 2001 Space Odyssey as a way to talk about how great the latest Macintosh was, their apple logo at the end the only identifier or information given. The very first iPhone commercial, entitled “Hello” from 2007, features flash cuts of film characters repeating the greeting utilizing flashes of text and logo to emphasize information given. In the case of “Hello”, that information being that the first iPhone was set to release that coming June. By definition, these two ads are good – likely all Apple advertisements are – something I’d like to dissect following my distaste for “Hello”. The Next Web posted a critique of Apple’s work in advertising; a look at the evolution and how they’ve continued to make such authentically Apple commercials. “Apple has always made great ads; and while there is a clear distinction in the direction the company has gone post-Jobs, I think it’s starting to establish a new style without forgetting what’s worked in the past.” (Connolly) Their latest series of ads follows the September 2018 Special Event held at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California. Like most Apple events, it opens with a short film that is equally engaging and attractive to the eye; their ads employ similar stylization to captivate the audience.

“Apple’s big news in 108 seconds” uses signature techniques to draw in both existing and new customers. In 1:56, the company summarizes September’s Special Event announcements. The iPhone XS and XS Max with their super retina displays, A12 bionic chip, IP68 liquid resistance, dual camera, and other specs comes first. The special event audience and a female drummer appeal to our need for affiliation and our need for aesthetic sensations. Further, their flash of words allows an actor to break what’s referred to in acting as the 4th wall and speak directly to the audience. “What about the cameras? Well do they have two times [interruption – optical zoom]? Yeah, well what about [interruption – depth control]? Stop doing [interruption – that]. Don’t be a [interruption – sorry]?” Equally informational and funny, this style aims to make people comfortable with big corporations. This same skill combined with bright colors brings the iPhone XR to life, allowing them to detail its nearly identical specs but announce the liquid retina screen before moving on to key features of iOS 12 and the Apple Watch Series 4. Beautiful shots demonstrating the camera capabilities continue their appeal to aesthetic desires, friends using group FaceTime bring the need for affiliation even closer to real life, and their accentuation of health features from the watch gives a little appeal to the need to feel safe. After all, what do we have if not our health?

In a less direct approach similar to some of the out-there ads that has popularized Super Bowl commercials comes “Better You” and “Growth Spurt” – product-specific advertisements. “Better You” opens with a man drinking what one can assume is coffee before turning into a twin with an Apple Watch notification. A triplet taking a call from the watch appears before a fourth is observed listening to music from his watch. Suddenly, a fifth is running up through the crowd of clones tracking his pace. The ad culminates with a sixth carbon copy of the man running into the ocean as a way to show off waterproof capabilities; music previously enhancing the shot transitions into lyrics at this point, which does well to emphasize the commercial’s logo ending. The title itself is a very clear usage of the need to achieve, borrowing from the idea of constantly bettering yourself as a selling point for the watch’s ability to help better daily activities. Music with a harder tone and this man literally chasing multiple facsimiles lightly calls upon the need to aggress by showing how one can let out aggression with physical activity. One might even say this need to be active is a physiological need being answered. “Growth Spurt” is a little different, immediately appealing to our need to nurture with a cat’s meow before a woman uses her XS Max to take the pet’s photo. Said pet then grows to be “max” before she tests the ability on her sandwich, appealing to the physiological needs. A child grows at a quick pace while his mother snaps a photo, giving us a quick circle back to the idea of nurturing. More pets, children, and food are showcased; we even see Super Mario grow into his super size and take out many question mark blocks and coins. Apple’s back-and-forth style used here overwhelms viewer senses to appeal to their heart without being grotesque in pushing their products.

Multi-appeal ads are extremely effective in being good advertisements because even when the point is lost among the style of filming, there’s a higher chance for some part of that ad to speak to someone. Well, multiple someones. Companies with extreme success can often afford to explore the creative side of advertising when they make enough money to float regardless. “Apple’s marketing has become a benchmark for other companies that want to reach similar heights of recognition and revenue.” (Kulkarni) Quality products and quality advertisements have launched Apple to the top and set them apart from competitors. As Ed Tsue says, “Good advertising works. Not all advertising is good.” (88) Apple has become iconic in their own right, making each advertisement a stunning reflection of the exemplary products offered. While Apple has never really used commercials heavily, they have found a way to do so that is reflective of what appeals about their technology: shiny, new, dynamic.

Works Cited

Apple. (1984). 1984 [Television commercial].

Apple. (2018). Apple’s big news in 108 seconds [Internet commercial].

Apple. (2018). Better You [Television commercial].

Apple. (2018). Growth Spurt [Television commercial].

Apple. (1999). Hal [Television commercial].

Apple. (2007). Hello [Television commercial].

Business Insider. “The Best Apple Ad from Each Year Since Its 1984 Super Bowl Hit.” 25 February 2017. Accessed 25 February 2017.

Connolly, Amanda. “The Only Thing That’s Changed About Apple’s Advertising is Nothing, Thankfully.” 10 September 2015. Accessed 30 October 2018.

Fallarme, David. “How Kit-Kat Made Me Realize Marketing Is Evil.” In English One Reader, (pp. 85-88). Charles Brown.

Kulkarni, Chirag. “10 Things You Need to Learn From Apple’s Marketing.” 8 September 2016. Accessed 30 November 2018.

Tsue, Ed. “Is Advertising Inherently Evil?” In English One Reader, (pp. 88-89). Charles Brown. (Original work published 2013)

PROMPT: to be added.

[tohbi-isi]

Preventing Movements from Being Overlooked in the Age of Activism

Contemporary social movements have a higher chance of fading into the background now more than ever. Benjamin Sáenz, a professor at the University of Texas at El Paso, says “There is no [Chicano] movement per se. That doesn’t mean there is nothing happening” (Guerrero, 61). This holds true for many modern-day movements where people have the Internet to aid in spreading information faster than traditional methods. It’s easy to be forgotten when activists can be branded far-left SJWs (social justice warriors) as a tactic to ignore the message. The racists that many of today’s movements are fighting against can have entire pages taken down after false reports of hate speech. In a country founded on the beliefs of the white, Christian majority we often see the issues that stick are what these people are in direct opposition with – black vs white, gay vs straight, rich vs poor, Christian vs savage. Movements like Black Lives Matter see huge success because they are right – there’s an issue that needs to be addressed – but also because this country thrives on the continued white against black narrative that raises white inhabitants higher on their pedestals. While all social movements of the future have to worry about whether the public regards their goals as positive or negative, it is especially the movements of smaller groups that are vulnerable to being left behind. In addition to the fading of news that inevitably happens with a 24-hour global news cycle, active erasure now occurs with a few clicks.

Because I am not Black, Mexican, or Asian it isn’t my place to speak on the movements of those groups beyond observations of them. I can, however, speak to the many movements of my people. Okla Chahta ohoyo hapia hoke. I am a proud woman from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. All through school I had teachers ask me if I knew that Native Americans made up just 1-2% of the entire United States population. It was hurtful to always be stared at as if I belonged in some sort of museum, and pushed me to look deeper into the needs of Indian Country as a whole. Issues my tribe doesn’t face, others do; and where there is trouble, there is generally a movement to change the cause for a better outcome. Since the very first colony settled on these lands in 1492, Indigenous peoples have been at risk for becoming one of these aforementioned forgotten groups.

Diminishing the power of those who make up today’s 566+ federally recognized tribes was the goal from day one and that’s obvious when you look at our numbers in the broad population. Even so, this has not stopped the fires burning among us. Every day we fight for a different facet of the erasure and oppression we face: Standing Rock, Bears Ears, Mauna Kea, Native mascots, tribal sovereignty, missing and murdered Indigenous women. The goal is to start these movements and prevent them from disappearing before anything can be accomplished. But how can we ensure that when even movements like that of Colin Kaepernick – who had the attention and support of millions of football fans – can be warped and forced out of the spotlight?

Journalist Jacqueline Keeler, of Navajo and Dakota decent, spoke briefly with me on the issue of staying relevant and being heard. Much of her beliefs appear to lie in the idea that our strength manifests in numbers.

I think that it’s not going to be easy and this is not the natural course of things. The exertion of sovereignty [and] something which I really advocate for: an Indigenous tribal government. I think that we need to organize politically because we’re talking about political rights, you know? Our safety, our security, our identity is only going to be protected politically. All of this is permeable as long as we are not politically strong, so we need to strengthen ourselves politically. Obviously we are talking about several hundred different nations, but we are stronger together and we have more at stake in common than we do apart.

Strengthening ourselves politically is an important idea to consider because tribal sovereignty is already ignored in day to day life. We need leaders who aren’t afraid to assert their power, and from there we need to work together to get our best into the U.S. government. Politics are at a turning point where things will either improve for those experiencing injustice or history will repeat itself.

National headlines detailing Standing Rock Reservation and the protection of sacred sites that were desecrated for the Dakota Access Pipeline proves that this idea of strength in unification is on the right track. Standing Rock is shared by Yanktonai Dakota, Hunkpapa Lakota, and Sihasapa Lakota. People from these tribes united and rallied for help in protecting their lands and burial grounds that were being threatened. Tribe after tribe sent letters of support and representatives to aid in the work that was happening up north. I sent packages of supplies to the very first wave of protectors in April 2016 while urging my tribal leaders to pen their support and send help. I observed Linda Black Elk, of the Standing Rock Sioux, use her background in Ethnobotany as an EMT for the protectors. I watched as needed roles were filled and veterans showed up to stand on the front lines following Trump’s executive order that reversed Obama’s protections. Although the pipeline has been completed, the events at Standing Rock are an inspiring example of strength in numbers. If we can come together and turn the public’s attention to the injustices we face, we can come together and work from inside the corrupt system that holds us down.

A Lakota youth advocate, Megan Red Shirt-Shaw, has worked admissions at multiple universities and is using her experience to work on a project designed to connect Natives pursuing their Ph.D. with mentors in their desired field. This came to mind when reading about Sáenz and Guerrero discussing how “Many of the young leaders of yesterday went to school and are now our doctors, lawyers, educators, and writers” (Guerrero, 61). If wielding our collective power to change societal tradition is key to the social movements of the future, avenues to and participation in academia is necessary. Education will be the foot in the door for minorities in politics; without which nothing will change about the lack of diversity in our representatives. The statistics for politicians in the United States proves that the diversity of the country is not reflected. In 2015 I read a Washington Post article titled “The new Congress is 80 percent white, 80 percent male and 92 percent Christian” that went on to detail the exact numbers of the 114th Congress. This country is not in a crisis where our population of women is severely lacking in numbers, so why is it that our government doesn’t more accurately reflect the diversity of the current population? Activism taking center stage in conversations across these lands means more youth are likely to actively pursue higher education and get involved in politics. As these numbers rise there is higher potential for the government to accurately represent this nation’s inhabitants.

By working together toward the ultimate power of representation we will eventually be able to reinvent the foundation of this country without a radical anarchy. And that’s how it should be done – slowly and with enough thought that everyone can benefit – otherwise we run the risk of someone being left out or these lands being damaged further. “Critics will rightly contend that co-management is not an ideal status for tribes. We are indigenous to the land and by right should have complete authority. But the political reality is that we don’t” (Curley, 72). I don’t believe there is a need to speak of something as severe as overthrowing and abolishing the government while minorities are at such a clear disadvantage. Though a nice fantasy to dwell in, a slow trickle into spaces that don’t currently have their doors open to us will be much easier.

While it is less than ideal to have to work so much harder than those currently in power just for the chance to enter their stadium, it’s worth it when we look at the cause. The root of any social movement examined corresponds with lack of power and that’s why we must focus on taking back said power and distributing it where deserved. Without that we will only see movements grow silent and fade out like the Chicano movement and the water protectors at Standing Rock. Movements visible to those who are involved, but otherwise unseen. We can choose to let the media pit us against other movements, break us from the inside, and turn onlookers against us or we can cease to feed that monster and focus on feeding ourselves. The majority will look away when comfortable and it is in those moments that we can choose to stay down where they want us or build up.

Works Cited Bump, Phillip. “The New Congress is 80 Percent White, 80 Percent Male, and 92 Percent Christian.” Washington Post. 5 January 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the- fix/wp/2015/01/05/the-new-congress-is-80-percent-white-80-percent-male-and-92- percent-christian. January 2017.

Curley, Andrew. “Some Thoughts on a Long-Term Strategy for Bears Ears.” In Edge of Morning: Native Voices Speak for the Bears Ears, (pp. 66-73). Jacqueline Keeler. Salt Lake City, Utah: Torrey House Press. May 2017.

Guerrero, Salvador. “The Chicano Movement – Alive and Evolving.” In English One Reader, (pp. 61-62). Charles Brown. (Original work published 2011)

PROMPT: to be added. Blog & posts under construction/revision.

[tohbi-isi]

Gentrification, or Community Development?

Gentrification can be a very controversial thing for the cities experiencing the phenomenon. This is dependent on who you ask and what their definition of the term is, however. With no definitive definition of gentrification it can be quite hard to determine if the experience is good or bad. Whether or not the things being done are helpful to the place you live and the people in it is of no concern. Gentrification can have as simple a definition as the dictionary provides, which is a process of renovation. By the very definition the city that I most recently called home – Shawnee, Oklahoma – is a city that is being gentrified. Places in both Los Angeles County and in various Oklahoma cities are both full of rapid growth and gentrifying areas. The last two years have seen establishments on our main street, Kickapoo Avenue, pop up like flowers in the spring. Surprisingly enough is that residents are very much a fan of the growth. Perhaps this means it is time to start examining academic definitions when developing areas are under the microscope. Without the component of displacement, gentrification is really just simple improvement.

An article by Julia Wick titled “Boyle Heights Activists Take Aim At Art Galleries In Fight Against Gentrification” details how residents are being run out by newcomers who are changing their city. “We’re not against artists, we’re against gentrification,” she quotes Giovannie Nuñez as saying. In an area with a population of 151,385 the process of gentrification can be a lot more disruptive than it is in a city of less than 32,000. Shawnee is a city where public housing is sprinkled throughout the neighborhoods - the housing establishment my stepmom lives in sits between two houses that are owned by the families living in them, for example. Another resident Wick quotes, Leonardo Vilchis, says that “the galleries are playing a huge role in our neighborhood, we see them jumping the river, moving right next to public housing, threatening our rents.” The Wal-Mart where everyone shops is about two miles away taking a path with no sidewalk, so to us it is an exciting thing to see new stores and restaurants pop up within walking distance. This feeling is the direct opposite from what Wick’s writing exudes.

For proponents and critics alike, gentrification can be a nuisance just as bad as any other issue a city is already facing if it exacerbates the existing issues. For cities in California this is very much the case.

Los Angeles, as you surely know, is deep in the grips of an affordable housing crisis, and residents in a place like Boyle Heights are especially vulnerable to displacement. The neighborhood is overwhelmingly composed of renters (only about a quarter of residents own their homes) and the area has a median income of $33,235. For context, the median income for Los Angeles County is $62,400, and under housing guidelines, a family of four with a household income of $43,400 would qualify for services in the “very low income” category.

Although there are many Shawnee residents who are considered ‘very low income’ and thus get housing assistance through Shawnee Housing or receive some sort of financial help, the estimated median income is $35,654. This is only $13,522 less than the state median, but with such a great difference in population between cities this can be the difference between needing assistance and being able to afford the cost of living on your own. The 2015 Census records show Oklahoma City as having 631,346 residents while Macomb only had 33; the city of Lotsee has only two residents. If you compare all of these numbers to the year 2000 or even 1990 you will find that there has been a steady growth but without much major change for those with long-time roots in the area. In 26 years there have only been an additional 4,293 residents in Shawnee with no exact number on how many are births and how many are transplants looking for a new place to settle down. This goes to say that while Oklahoma is being gentrified in terms of what the dictionary states, the changes being made are not necessarily a bad thing. So then one must ask, is it genuinely gentrification or is it simply the development of a community?

While Boyle Heights sees an influx in galleries and residents who consider themselves artists, Shawnee is seeing Kickapoo Avenue build up and expand in ways helpful to residents. When I was a child the street had more dirt and residential housing than anything. Between the Shawnee Mall and Kickapoo Spur, just over two miles away, all you would find was a gas station, McDonald’s, Lowes, Big O Tire, Braum’s, Hardee’s, Sonic, BancFirst, a pharmacy, the insurance office, Brown Derby, a realtor, and a private car lot. Written out in a list like this it sounds like there is a lot going on for just one street in a small expanse, but having been back in Long Beach for a mere three months the only thing I could tell you is that the number of places has at least doubled. There are too many places to remember in that small area now and numerous small shopping centers with multiple stores in their squares. Small local chains comparable to In-N-Out are all around and there are many small, local businesses that have been an asset supported by the community long enough that they will probably remain open until someone moves or dies - that is just the kind of place Shawnee is. One of the places that appeared seemingly overnight this last year is Harbor Freight - having more than just Lowe’s to choose from when you need tools or hardware has been helpful all around to residents.

Maybe the path gentrification takes - negative or positive - has to do more with the people doing the so-called gentrifying and the way it has been defined locally than the actual process of it. The aforementioned 26 year growth, or lack thereof, shows that people are not exactly rushing to make Shawnee the place that holds their heart. Still we are very much a city that welcomes those who want to into the community and maintains ties with those like myself who want to leave for a while.

But to the families who have raised their children here amidst great struggle, and to the generation of young Mexican Americans who grew up here and now grapple with how to have the community be a place that can grow with them without furthering displacement (see also: gentrification), Boyle Heights is no Neverland.

There is no public transit system and daily errands often require running around from one end of town to the other, if not an entirely different city, but there is a desire to see the city grow with and for the residents. Life in Shawnee is not without struggle, but the city gentrifies – no, expands – to better itself and the people who love it instead of to accommodate outsiders and maybe that is the key to it all - do better for your own, and not those looking in.

PROMPT: Boyle Heights and New Orleans are both fighting outside forces of gentrification in the name of keeping the local culture alive. Describe your own neighborhood or another local one which is changing. Is gentrification a good thing or not? Why? Be specific as to how and where and compare them to the current struggles from the readings.