If you are following the headlines in places like New York, San Francisco and even Austin, then you know a serious movement is afoot in our cities and is playing out in a variety of ways.
And while this movement, most often referred to as gentrification, usually arrives on the back of a host of "other" issues that are regularly and heatedly discussed in the public square, it is rare that communities create the space to engage in thoughtful dialogue to begin to better understand all sides of this complex matter.
In a notable exception, the downtown main branch of the Grand Rapids Public Library (GRPL) will host a special Speak Up GR: A Forum on Gentrification this Monday night.
"We'll try to keep the focus on Grand Rapids and look at neighborhoods that have been affected by gentrification," says GRPL's Reference and Adult Services Supervisor Jean Sanders, "We'll look at the positive and negative aspects of gentrification and how it relates to urban revitalization."
Panelists will be asked what various groups(residents, developers, city officials, etc) can do to address or avert the adverse consequences of gentrification and will include Kent County Land Bank Authority's David Allen, Past Perfect's Jennifer Metz, Michigan State University's Community Development Specialist Carol Townsend, LINC's Darel Ross II, and Trinity Nonprofit Housing's Judith Transue.
The panelists will engage with each other and with the audience in very timely and frank conversation about the urban myths and yet very real realities of gentrification in our region.
This panel discussion is the second Speak Up GR event tied to a Grand Rapids Civic Theatre's (GRCT) production. GRCT's Clybourne Park opening January 17 through Feb. 2 is the inspiration for this event. GRPL's first panel event was tied to GRCT's production of The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.
Admission: FREE
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