Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You can play a role today. Did you protest today? Did you donate to a mutual aid organization?
- When I lived in DC and MD between 2016-2020, I did pitch in to mutual aid many times. The main way that helped to prevent gentrification was by being neighborly and supporting the mutual aid/communal safety net. A homeless couple lived with us for two months. I bought groceries for people who needed them, like the large family who lived in two hotel rooms. Gave money to get out of homelessness to a former co-worker (3x rent deposit on an apartment). Paid bail for a falsely accused man. Paid someone's dental bill for a long-term pain. For two years, 10% of my take-home pay as a reparations payment to a Black mutual aid group.
- I have moved away from DC and back to NOVA, lived in the area since childhood. Here, I'm the person who would be gentrified out because renting on a relatively low salary. I buy almost exclusively from locally-owned businesses and small farms, with the exception of loving Costco - they are union, very good at what they do.
- If we buy a house in a small town as we plan, then I may be the gentrifier/remote worker pricing out a local. There, wanting to do some kind of community service like teaching/ sharing my skills to be useful to the community.