Washington, D.C. is an area of great diversity and rich history. Everywhere you look, there are white marble buildings and old architecture that signify where our country has been. Among these buildings, there is also a mix of newer architecture that foreshadows the direction our country is headed. Although this all may seem marvelous and inspiring, as you travel out of the downtown area, you will stumble upon neighborhoods that are not as becoming. Numerous neighborhoods surrounding the downtown Washington, D.C. area contain buildings with architectural designs that seem to come from the 1930s, due to their rounded corners with windows and their brick structures. Some buildings may even have a deteriorating infrastructure; this can be signified by peeling paint, rust, or even boarded-up windows. These appearances may make the neighborhood less favorable to inhabit, therefore challenging community leaders to discover new ways to draw people in.

Over the past few decades, gentrification has been changing the dynamics of these proclaimed neighborhoods that surround the downtown area of our nation’s capital. Gentrification is a process in which houses and districts are renovated or improved so that they conform to the middle-class taste. As a result, there is a notable increase in apartment complexes and construction sites.

These neighborhood “improvements” are raising the cost of living and equity of people’s homes. This is causing an influx of middleclass individuals and an outflow of families who cannot afford this higher cost of living. Many low-income families who have been there for generations are forced to abandon their homes or collect their property’s value and flee the city for the suburbs or any other area where they can afford to live. Some areas of Washington, D.C. that used to be primarily African-American have now had a major decrease in their African-American populations and a sudden increase in their Caucasian populations. This process of gentrification may seem subtle, but it is becoming a major issue for the long-term residents that live here. The Brookland neighborhood in northeast Washington, D.C. is a prime example of gentrification: there are numerous cafes and restaurants lining the streets as well as businesses that draw in more of the Caucasian middle-class. It is designed to appeal to young adults and college students.

—Alex Wissler is a senior biology major currently completing the cross-cultural requirement through Washington Community Scholars Center (WCSC) in Washington, D.C. and participating in an internship at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital in their histocompatibility lab.