Will Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) ever acknowledge the problem about gentrification in Washington, D.C.? English transcript below:

Showing IMAGE of a book, “Black Reconstruction in America” written by W.E.B. Du Bois.

Du Bois wrote this book in 1935, I would like to share a quote from the book [IMAGE] with you all, “The slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery.” W.E.B. Du Bois

The statement is powerful. Nothing can deny that. He wrote many, many articles, thousands of them, publishing academics, magazines, presentations, workshops, conferences, many others. Priceless. Including 24 books published.

One book, would be mind-blowing to read, [IMAGE] The Souls of Black Folk, provides a critical examination about gentrification whether it would affect the Black community identifying the most brutal suffering a human being can deal with.

Du Bois was right. I’ve studied many of his works, published books, articles, newspapers for years, also visiting Philadelphia, the spots where he lived, taught, studied, wrote many intellectual columns, the energy was amazing. The experience I would never forget. Du Bois wrote this book in 1939, [IMAGE] Black Folk Then and Now; Try to analyze both books to read and see the difference between the lines.

Yesterday, I watched a movie on Netflix, Residue, released last September 2020. It is an hour and 30 minutes long. It’s based on a true story filming in Washington, D.C., discussing gentrification at the center of the social problem. It is worth watching this reel. If you want to be a better person unpacking your own soul, and understand their struggling souls by watching this movie, read both books, I’d suggest reading this book first: The Souls of Black Folk.

If you want to continue reading more of Du Bois’ works, go ahead, and learn more. That’s why I continue to study Du Bois today and the future. There are thousands of his published articles I have not yet read. Du Bois had influenced my thinking very much.

The movie above would be a wake up call to learn. Gentrification is part of the problem. For example, Racism, white privileges, class, wealth, oppression, and it is happening in Washington, D.C; I have been living in DC for nine years, I am from Portland, the whitest city in America, years ago, researching gentrification in Portland was my focus of topic for research methods class.

Originally thought there would be about two or three neighborhoods in Portland would be hit by gentrification, but after doing research, there were a lot more than I thought and gave me a lot of experience to understand the warnings.

I moved to Washington, D.C. in October 2012, after visiting H Street NE plus Trinidad area where I lived for two years, seeing the houses being bid for sale, it would be sold incredibly fast bidding by white people who can afford between $600,000 to $900,000.00, some were $1 million, 1.5 million and brought some concern.

I was chatting with few Deaf people (I never met them until that day) on H Street, it was in December 2012, being a DC newly citizen for two months, asking them how long they have been residents in DC, some between two to four years, asking them if they ever notice the gentrification problem in this area, they would ask me what does “gentrification” mean, and had to explain what it meant, then calling me “pea-brained”. There was none critical thinking being shown. One person was laughing at me that it does not exist. Who’s pea-brained?

Currently, it is growing very fast, condos, business buildings, I live in my area, there are three condos now building, and one condo development, have not even been built yet, just shoveling a lot of dirt on the ground, 50% already signed up to live there once it is done. That tells a lot. Gentrification, eh?

H Street. 2012. I remember seeing some familiar restaurants, later between 2013 and 2015, it was very fast marketing there, so fast before we blink, remembering a long-time Black owned business, barber shop where I would go there while living in Trinidad, now is out of business forever which was disappointing to know.

It has hit several Black-owned businesses in the area eventually. Restaurants, bars, clothing, etc. Again, I asked some Deaf people if it is still gentrification or not. The answer is still no.

Last time I visited H Street NE was last October-November 2020 where I have not visited since last March 2020 because of a Coronavirus pandemic. You know, COVID-19 has hit the world hard.

For example, the restaurant industry is extremely hard in America, in DC alone, 50% of restaurants have been out of business already. After visiting H Street, it felt like a ghost town, remembering one Black-owned business no longer serving the proud citizens of DC, seeing several LEASE signs on windows.

Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) owns a restaurant, Mozzeria on H Street, picking DC because of the large Deaf community for one. Did CSD ever care at all? Did they ever do extensive research whether H Street would be part of the gentrification problem? Because there are many Black owned businesses that cannot afford because of racial barriers.

Communication Service for the Deaf has a lot of money. Like, the Social Venture Fund (SFV), can afford through the age of Coronavirus pandemic, and that tells a lot. Again, did Communication Service for the Deaf ever invest by supporting the Black Deaf community?

Struggling stories, but not only that Communication Service for the Deaf owns Mozzeria, but also Gallaudet University is being controlled by CSD. It means CSD is monopolizing the Deaf community. Ever recognize that? CSD being part of gentrification, too? You decide.

Why? Black-owned businesses for years, years, and years, being neglected and forced to close their businesses, and that is not a good sign. Speaking of “not good sign”, about 2015 or 2016, I would go to Metro every day and pick up Washington Post Express newspaper, [it’s a free newspaper. Now it is no longer serving anymore] and would read one column I remembered well, seeing that the first time since 1970, the majority of voters would be white over black, which is not a good sign. That’s gentrification in the broadest sense of term.

I know that Frederick Douglass would be extremely disappointed by now. There was a story where Douglass would move to Anacostia, it is in Southeast DC and live in a house where he would live and died of a heart attack in 1895. Before Douglass moved to Anacostia, there would be a majority of white people living there, once Douglass moved in, the white population would disappear, and Black citizens moving in the area to live and honor Douglass in any way, and that tells a lot.

DC is now being gentrified, for example, after showing you the IMAGE of the movie, why they decide to film in Washington, DC: Showing IMAGES:
“DC HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST GENTRIFICATION RATES IN THE COUNTRY. STUDIES SHOW THAT BLACK AND LOW-INCOME FAMILIES HAVE BEEN PUSHED OUT OF DC NEIGHBORHOODS FOR DECADES.”

That is the reason. Not only DC, but it has impacted America. Why DC? Large Black population. For example, Black Deaf community does suffer much more than we understand, I cannot imagine the unbearable pain. Did Communication Service for the Deaf ever care about gentrification doing to the Black population? Now, do you see the problem?

Would Communication Service for the Deaf ever acknowledge the problem, for example, gentrification is part of racism and white privileges? The stronghold of Communication Service for the Deaf ownership, like CEOs and others are white. Think about that.

-JT

Copyright © 2021 Jason Tozier

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