Project Statement

The purpose of our project is to further explore the idea of gentrification in reference to the Williamsburg community. Through this exploration we hope to raise awareness about the issue of gentrification within the community while providing information and resources for those residence that wish to explore the topic more in depth.
The first phase of our project consists of a stop-motion film that’s main goal is to simply catch the attention of the community. We plan to find objects that are specific to Williamsburg’s history and show them being “gentrified” (a box of Domino sugar transforming into “Sugar in the Raw,” etc.) We would also focus on specific buildings and areas within the community that have been gentrified, thus driving home the relevance of the issue. This would start the dialogue we are looking to create and would begin to touch on the idea of money being a catalyst for change.


We would create booklets that contain further information about the idea of gentrification as well as information about organizations that are working to curb it i.e. historical preservation organizations, rent control groups etc. The main goal of our work is to emphasize the importance of the community in reference to combating the negative aspects of gentrification. We hope to provide the information necessary to allow those people who are leading the gentrification process to begin to work within the community. Rather than simply focusing on the negative aspects of gentrification we plan to emphasize the positive contributions and opportunities it provides for communities. We hope to provide the opportunity for those people who are not actively taking part in the community to begin to refocus their attention to the area where they live, whether they take part through the contribution of their time, financial contributions, or otherwise.