Jean Guerrero: 'Gentefication' is complicated. One cultural barrio shows a way forward
LOS ANGELES — "Gentefication," a Spanglish term for gentrification led by a barrio's own Latinx people, or gente, has a mixed reputation. Critics argue it's no different from gentrification: displacing vulnerable residents and changing a community's character to indulge wealthier and whiter tastes. Defenders claim it can bring socially responsible development and preserve a neighborhood's ...
by Jean Guerrero, Los Angeles Times
Dec 03, 2021
3 minutes
LOS ANGELES — "Gentefication," a Spanglish term for gentrification led by a barrio's own Latinx people, or gente, has a mixed reputation.
Critics argue it's no different from gentrification: displacing vulnerable residents and changing a community's character to indulge wealthier and whiter tastes. Defenders claim it can bring socially responsible development and preserve a neighborhood's culture.
The complexities have inspired TV shows like the Netflix series "Gentefied" and the Starz series "Vida," both featuring Boyle Heights, one of the best known examples of gentefication.
But closer to the Mexican border in my
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