A new gentrification crisis

When the newly retired firefighter opened South L.A. Cafe in November, he was the latest in a string of Black entrepreneurs hoping to contain the spread of gentrification in South Los Angeles. Facing the development of luxury condos, hotels, and upscale restaurants that many residents cannot afford, Joe Ward-Wallace opened a coffee shop and market where neighbors can linger and buy fresh food. Sales increased by 10 percent each month, het hy gesê, part of a renaissance of Black-owned cafes and other businesses in the historically African American community.

“It was a tactic for cultural preservation,” Ward-Wallace said. “We were on an upward swing right before COVID to reclaim our community.” Then the coronavirus pandemic ground the nation’s economy to a halt. Overnight, business at South L.A. Cafe dropped 70 persent. Ward-Wallace furloughed nine of his 10 werknemers…Lees meer