Gentrification and Generational Wealth

In the late 70’s before Harlem went through extreme gentrification, the city decided to sell brownstones for $1. The idea of the program advertised as “Be A Pioneer” was to give locals a chance to buy abandoned properties owned by the city and renovate them, allowing us to become home owners/entrepreneurs in our own community.

There was one major catch. You had to renovate and live in the property within one year of purchase. The city claimed that renovation costs would run about $30,000, which was needless to say an unrealistic figure. We estimated rennovation for the house we wanted to purchase at $100,000, but the actual costs for most houses could be as high as $300,000.

In any case, my ex-husband and I desperately wanted to purchase a Harlem brownstone and live uptown. I was working as a full time teacher for the board of education, and my ex was a full time musician working 3 gigs – supper club, theater and after hours joint.

I went to my mom with this great idea and asked if she would help us by co-signing a loan so we could get the renovation money. To my surprise, my mom thought this was the most ridiculous idea she ever heard. 

She had grown up in Harlem with her parents and 6 siblings. “No way” she said. “I’ve worked all my life to get us out of Harlem and now you want me to help you get back. You must be losing your mind!”

We lived in Queens in a predominantly white neighborhood and graduated from "good schools". There was no way to convince her. That the future of Harlem was destined to change was beyond her imagination. Her disdain for my stupidity was hurtful. The conversation was quickly over.

My in-laws were very willing to help but for them it was not possible. Without credit we were destined to watch our friends purchase their houses and become successful entrepreneurs and landlords. Some even enjoyed the luxury of living in these beautiful brownstones that made them millionaires 25-30 years later. 

My mom lived long enough to admit that she was wrong, but that didn’t matter to her. She made it clear that even if it were now she wouldn’t help us. The idea was still ludicrous in her mind, and soaring property values had already excluded any thoughts of buying property for less than a half million dollars.

About 10 or more years ago my sister was fortunate enough to take advantage of another program offered by the city. She purchased a small duplex apartment in a condo on 145th street for several hundred thousand dollars. Today the value of her property has doubled.

What’s the point of telling this story?

Generational wealth is something that most black folks don’t discuss or even think about. We are so busy doing for ourselves, trying to hold on to what we’ve got or spend it before we die. 

This was ONE of the most discouraging experiences of my life. However, as I’ve grown older and wiser I’ve begun to understand how the history of slavery has so irreparably damaged us.

Willie Lynch (a British slave owner in the West Indies) who taught "fear, distrust and envy" as a method of controlling slaves specified that 

"Whereas nature provides them [slaves] with the natural capacity to take care of their offspring, we break that natural string of independence from them and thereby create a dependency status....

The Black slaves after receiving this indoctrination shall carry on and will become self-refueling and self-generating for HUNDREDS of years, maybe THOUSANDS...  

...CONCENTRATE ON FUTURE GENERATION[S]. Therefore, if you break the FEMALE mother, she will BREAK the offspring in its early years of development...

...by creating a submissive dependent mind of the n#$%^&r male slave, we have created an orbiting cycle that turns on its own axis forever, unless a phenomenon occurs...!" 

We have been conditioned to a subconscious self-hatred that prevents many of us from extending that help to make the world better for our own children and future generations, not just financially, but emotionally and intellectually.

Fortunately, times are changing. Millenials are learning and understanding our history and getting the education that promises stability and success in a country that will never give us our 40 acres and a mule.

We have learned to embrace our success, build positive financial habits and navigate the pitfalls and roadblocks to our success.

Older, wiser and stronger, and always reinventing myself, I’ve had many defeats but many more successes. I’ve learned to push back, preserver and find a way. I’m grabbing the bull by the horns once again, going with the flow and welcoming the abundance of the universe.

The universe has guided me to Mexico where me and my husband have acquired our first home together and are in the process of buying our second home in the beautiful city of Talpa de Allende. 

We are not only thinking about generational wealth for our families, but for anyone who is bold, audacious and adventurous enough to join our holistic community which promises peace, safety, tranquility, good health and luxurious living.

The community has it's own organic farm (pesticide and fertilizer free), fish farm, wells, water rights and is graced by a vortex that feeds the property with an amazing healing spiritual energy. To make things even better it is the first Net Zero development in Mexico. That means we produce our own electricity and sell the overflow to the utility company.

What's the bottom line? The developer is pre-selling the houses so we can get a two or three bedroom house on an 800+ square feet lot between $175-$250,000. We've already visted a model home, explored the property and chosen our lot close to the vortex.

The developer is building 350 new homes on this 180 acre property and I'm completely excited about this new advenutre where we will be one of the first to bring our creativity and talent to help build the brand of this new holistic community.

“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much” – Helen Keller.

Change does not come by fighting the existing status quo. We're building a new model - an ecologically sustainable community that provides all the basic needs of healthy living. Food, water, shelter, electricity, good health, peace, safety and freedom.

Contact me if you want to learn more about our holistic community in Talpa de Allende, Mexico.