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Inglewood “wind of change”: Good or bad for community?
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Although cheaper than Hollywood or Koreatown, for the community of Inglewood, that already suffers from inequality issues, the price for housing is not affordable. According to rentcafe.com, Inglewood saw a seven percent increase from 2018 to 2019. The average rent used to be $1,654 and is now by $1,770.
By Isabell Rivera, Our Weekly Contributor
Inglewood, known to many as the mecca of local sports, hip hop culture, gang activity and long-standing inequality is receiving a wind of change. It could be considered a bigger storm for some by virtue of gentrification.
The term gentrification means, “The process of repairing and rebuilding homes and businesses in a deteriorating area such as an urban neighborhood, accompanied by an influx of middle-class or affluent people and that often results in the displacement of earlier, usually poorer residents.”
Opinions vary among residents
Opinions are split, doubts are high. All with good reason. Since Los Angeles County decided that Inglewood will be the location for Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park, the new home for the Los Angeles Rams, Chargers and Clippers (scheduled for completion in 2020), the neighborhood has seen quite a difference.
Although cheaper than Hollywood or Koreatown, for the community of Inglewood, that already suffers from inequality issues, the price for housing is not affordable. According to rentcafe.com, Inglewood saw a seven percent increase from 2018 to 2019. The average rent used to be $1,654 and is now by $1,770.
“We have heard many stories about businesses closing and moving out. Several shops on our block have closed in the four years we have been here,” said Renie Schoenkerman, owner of MiddleBar. “Hard to survive with rent increases. Our staff who lives in the neighborhood has had to contend with these issues as well.”
More Whites are returning
Looking back, Inglewood wasn’t always a predominantly Black or Latino neighborhood. In the 1940s up to the late 1960s, Inglewood was a staunchly segregated White neighborhood.
However, more African-Americans moved to the city, which resulted in the familiar White flight toward the suburbs. But with change, also comes hardships, such as poverty, high crime and food deserts. But besides its issues, Inglewood was also considered the Harlem of the West, with its Jazz bars and entertainment that attracted various celebrities, such as Marilyn Monroe, and Rita Hayworth.
“Over the years, the neighborhoods are changing as more White folks move into Inglewood,” local resident and architect Christopher L. Mercier said. “It’s a funny flip on diversity as Inglewood gets more diverse. The hope is that this influx of new residents, and new businesses can quickly learn to grow into the existing culture this area has and help to grow its positive aspects with minimal displacement.”
MiddleBar owners, Renie Schoenkerman and partner Corrie Scully, have been in Inglewood since 2014 and love its diversity. The power couple, that specializes in craft cocktails and hosts pop ups, looked for a place that offered space and affordable rent.
What they’re saying on Market Street
Scully, a New Orleans native, found similarities on Market Street that is the home to many for southern comfort cooking.
‘We were on the search for a commercial kitchen when we came across our space in Inglewood. It was so cute and we saw the potential on Market St. well before the announcement of the stadium and revitalization,” Scully said. “We just felt we could bring some good hospitality to this historic neighborhood.”
Located at 129 N. Market St., MiddleBar’s mission is to grow with the change and serve the Black community, as well as the White community. But the increase of rent makes is hard for residents and business owners to stick around.
“One of our waitresses, an Inglewood resident, has seen a $500 hike in the last year alone,” Scully said. “Our rent increases at a rate of 5 percent per year and is set to go higher this year.”
Although gentrification can have a positive impact on a community, it could also result in backlash, hurting the people who have been there their entire life. Business owners and residents fear the change and plans for the new stadium will push old residents, which are mostly Black and Latino, out of the area.
Differing views of gentrification
“As business owners, we see the changes as very positive for business and communities. Overall, the vision of the new Inglewood that Mayor [James T.] Butts is promoting will bring long lasting, positive change to the city,” Schoenkerman said. “As humanists, we see the greed of landowners who hike up prices and force people out of their homes as morally corrupt.”
Despite Inglewood’s gentrification process, it’s still not Disneyland. Crime rates are still high, according to city-data.com. But does this really keep White people away from this new prime real-estate?
“At MiddleBar, our goal is to create an excellent experience in Inglewood. An experience that residents will not have to travel to Culver City or Westchester to get,” Scully said. “We focus on music, food, drink, hospitality and service. We host local artists and chefs and rent our dining room for residents’ special events. MiddleBar on Market is a community-driven, community building business that brings people together to gather with loved ones, relax, and enjoy a precious moment on earth. We aim to promote happiness.”
Sharp increase in tourism
The number of Whites moving into Inglewood is increasing dramatically. Businesses, such as Airbnb, have witnessed an increase in bookings via tourism. The so-called “Jewel of the South Bay” might actually become the next Rodeo Drive, with the nearby plans of the makeover of the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, investors see a new mecca of opportunities.
“I think gentrification in the Inglewood/Crenshaw area is a good thing,” Mercier said, “as long as it is bracketed to focus on the existing cultural condition of that area as an opportunity to inspire what re-gentrification is. How it includes local business and local residents at the heart of its creation. Gentrification should be home grown and not transplanted if that makes any sense.”
And although hip, new places have moved to Inglewood’s busy shopping mile, Market Street, others have left. The change is sneaking up slowly, like a big, bad storm. Once the new stadium is built, things will happen quickly.
“I think there is a mixed response,” Mercier said. “Many realize the city needs the improvements and has for years. At the same time, there is tremendous fear, everyone is going to get pushed out. The recent approval of the rent control measure is a first step in helping to keep local residents in their homes. I think, more things like this need to be developed that result in some form of help to mix incoming new residents with the existing, so that the notion of a truly diverse community can really develop here in a unique way. That I think, is the real opportunity Inglewood has.”
Affordable housing a high priority
Various media outlets have reported that Inglewood residents demand affordable housing, as well as the access to healthier food options, such as a weekly farmer’s market.
Earlier this month, Butts, in support of the community, proposed an emergency ordinance to put a hold on rent increases for a 45-day period, while the city determines its next steps. In a unanimous 5-0 vote, the emergency ordinance took full effect. It prevents landlords from raising rent more than 5 percent and will prohibit the eviction of tenants for reasons other than criminal activities. However, as great as it sounds, the ordinance doesn’t count units built after 1995, including all single-family homes, condominiums and hotels. If the city needs more time to decide, the council has the option to extend the ordinance for up to one year.
“It was clear that we have to figure out something that respects the property rights of owners but gives options to tenants that can’t afford a rental increase,” Butts said. “We’ll figure out a balance between that.”
Nevertheless, the Inglewood community could possibly see more job opportunities, than are currently available.
“If gentrification can bring life to a community without forcing out the community then there is positivity. Good business, good jobs, good community,” Schoenkerman said. “It’s the greedy landlords I wish we could force out of town.”
Neighborhood culture a mainstay
On Market Street, it isn’t all about southern comfort, but also about the culture that is to be found at the nearby Residency Art Gallery at 310 E. Queen St. Owner Rick Garzon has mixed feelings about the current situation.
“I think Inglewood is already a great place to live, and has been for decades,” said Garzon, a 30-year Inglewood resident. “We would like to see more of the services that are offered in more affluent neighborhoods such as graffiti removal, better landscaping, more public art, all-inclusive city-led engagement programming and etc.”
But there’s more going on than building a new sports stadium at a projected cost of $4 billion. A little over four miles north, in the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw neighborhood, the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza got approved for a third phase renovation project. One-tenth of the new units will be designated as moderate-income housing for those with household earnings between roughly $51,000 and $77,000, according to city officials.
However, the median household income of Inglewood is about $44,377 and the poverty rate is about 20.7 percent. The median household income in the Crenshaw District is a reported $40,042, which means majority of the local residents likely cannot afford the rent and may be forced to move to surrounding southeast neighborhoods.
Because Inglewood has so much potential to be a living, vibrant region of opportunity, assistance is needed to help the city reach its full potential. Architects such as Christopher L. Mercier are working on new ideas to make Inglewood more attractive. He has worked on the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain, among other architectural icons, and developed the idea of the Inglewood Living City Project a few years ago. A project, that would include green areas, and eco-friendly resources. Unfortunately, the idea has not found a home in the mayor’s office, just yet.
“The main piece of the puzzle in really about identity,” said Mercier, who has resided in Inglewood since 2003. “What we think about an area is an environment we create in the mind, and that in turn supports an environment of the physical world and vice-a-verse. Inglewood is already changing. The trick is to ensure that all [the] new and old residents support the existing local cultural icons and places of this community and help them to grow. Inglewood and the surrounding communities have some great and unique conditions that need to become recognized and celebrated even more as the cultural identity of the area shifts, so none of us loose the great pieces, places, and cultures that make Inglewood Inglewood.”
#NNPA BlackPress
EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — “I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.”

By Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
46th President of the United States: 2021—2025
The people of Galveston, Texas, have been commemorating Juneteenth since the Civil War ended. Yesterday, in honor of the 160th anniversary, I went there to join them.
You can read about the events of Juneteenth, but there’s nothing quite like going to Galveston and seeing where it all happened.
After General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, Union troops marched across the South for two months, freeing enslaved people along the way. Their final stop was Galveston, an island off the Gulf coast of Texas. There, on June 19, 1865, Union troops went to Reedy Chapel, a church founded in 1848 by enslaved people, and posted a document titled simply “General Order #3.”
“The people of Texas are informed,” it said, “that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”
We can only imagine the joy that spread through Galveston – and across the state and nation – on that day and those that followed.
Yesterday, there was once again joy in Galveston, with a parade, picnic, and fireworks. There was also great solemnity, because Juneteenth is a sacred day – a day of weight and power.
The Book of Psalms tells us: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation, and the promise of that joyful morning to come.
As President, I had the great honor of signing the law declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday. It was our nation’s first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was created in 1983.
Our federal holidays say a lot about who we are as a nation. We have holidays celebrating our independence… the laborers who build this nation… the servicemembers who served and died in its defense.
And now, we also have a national holiday dedicated to the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans.
Signing that law was one of my proudest acts as President.
Yet for 156 years, Juneteenth was not written about in textbooks or taught in classrooms. Still today, there are those who say it does not deserve a holiday. They don’t want to remember the moral stain of slavery and the terrible harm it did to our country.
I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.
I also believe that it’s not enough to commemorate the past. We must also embrace the obligation we have to the future. As Scripture says, “Faith without works is dead.” And right now, we Americans need to keep the faith and do the work.
In honor of Juneteenth, let’s help people register to vote.
For decades, we fought to expand voting rights in America. Now we’re living in an era when relentless obstacles are being thrown in the way of people trying to vote. We can’t let those tactics defeat us. In America, the power belongs with the people. And the way we show that power is by voting.
So let’s reach out to family, friends and neighbors – especially those who have never voted before. Remind them that with voting, anything is possible. And without it, nothing is possible.
Yesterday in Galveston, we gathered in Reedy Chapel to commemorate Juneteenth, just like people have done for 160 years and counting. We prayed, sang, and read General Order #3 again. The pews were full of families. How many people must have prayed for freedom inside those walls. How many must have sent fervent thanks to God when slavery finally ended.
I remembered the words of my late friend John Lewis. He said, “Freedom is not a state. It is an act.”
Juneteenth did not mark the end of America’s work to deliver on the promise of equality. It only marked the beginning. To honor the true meaning of Juneteenth, we must continue to work toward that promise. For our freedom. For our democracy. And for America itself.
#NNPA BlackPress
Cities Across the U.S. Shrink or Cancel Juneteenth Events as DEI Support Wanes
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship. In many communities, the once-growing recognition of the holiday is facing sharp resistance tied to the unraveling of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
In Denver, Colorado, the annual Juneteenth Music Festival, one of the largest in the nation—was cut from two days to one. Organizers said more than a dozen corporate sponsors walked away from commitments, leaving them with a financial gap that almost canceled the event. Norman Harris, the festival’s executive director, said several companies “pulled back their investments or let us know they couldn’t or wouldn’t be in a position to support this year.” Harris credited grassroots donors and small businesses for stepping in when larger backers stepped aside.
In Colorado Springs, the local celebration was relocated to the Citadel Mall parking lot after support from previous sponsors disappeared. Organizers noted that where there were once dozens of corporate partners, only five remained. The downsized event was pieced together with limited resources, but community leaders said they refused to let the holiday go unacknowledged.
Scottsdale, Arizona, canceled its Juneteenth observance after the city council voted to dissolve its diversity, equity, and inclusion office in February. Without the office in place, the city offered no support for planning or funding, leaving residents without an official celebration.
In San Diego, the Cooper Family Foundation lost a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts that had been earmarked for Juneteenth programming. Organizers said the decision forced them to personally finance key elements of the event, including cultural exhibits, performances, and youth engagement activities.
Bend, Oregon, called off its Juneteenth event entirely. Organizers cited political tensions and safety concerns, saying they could not secure the partnerships needed to proceed. A public statement from the planning committee described the current climate as “increasingly volatile,” making it difficult to host a safe and inclusive event.
West Virginia, which has recognized Juneteenth as a paid state holiday since 2017, will not sponsor any official events this year. State leaders pointed to budget constraints and recent decisions to eliminate DEI programming across agencies as the reasons for stepping away from public observance.
Austin, Texas, has also reduced its Juneteenth programming. While the city has not canceled events outright, organizers said diminished city support and fewer private contributions forced them to focus only on core activities.
“Thankfully, there was a wide range of support that came when we made the announcement that the celebration is in jeopardy,” said Harris. “But it shows how fragile that support has become.”
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Juneteenth and President Trump
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Juneteenth is a day for African Americans in this nation to connect to their ancestry. It honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The primary focus is freedom and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire Washington Bureau Chief and White House Correspondent
President Trump is set to proclaim the federal observance of Juneteenth as the White House is open for business on this holiday. The White House says the president will sign a “historic proclamation designating Juneteenth as a National Day of Observance, marking the 160th anniversary of General Order Number 3 in Galveston, Texas.” The declaration was that “all slaves are free.” This Trump proclamation, according to the White House, “will celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation, the Republican Party’s role in passing the 13th Amendment, and reaffirm the administration’s dedication to equal justice and prosperity for all.”
This proclamation comes as President Trump has denounced Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and anything Woke. Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom from the tyranny of 250 years of slavery after the Civil War.
The Juneteenth celebration started when Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, and told the slaves that they were free on June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was created.
The Emancipation Proclamation, which is on display in the Lincoln Bedroom of the White House, was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It established that all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”
Juneteenth is a day for African Americans in this nation to connect to their ancestry. It honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The primary focus is freedom and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.
The Juneteenth federal holiday was signed into law by then-President Joe Biden on June 19, 2021. This Trump White House is in full swing today, with a press briefing by Karoline Leavitt, not taking the federal holiday off. Also, President Trump will receive an intelligence briefing in the morning and participate in a swearing-in ceremony for the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland.
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