At the end of June, New York City public school children were dismissed for the summer break. When they return in the fall, some schools are likely to see changes in the composition of the student body as gentrifying neighborhoods become home to a more diverse population.
New York has been through many waves of gentrification, dating back to the 1960’s and 1970’s when the avant-garde of the city’s art community started setting up shop in SoHo and Tribeca. The most recent wave has been a massive migration of urban millennials into the neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens. These neighborhoods have seen an increase in swanky coffee shops, trendy restaurants, and gourmet grocery chains, but the increase in Instagram-worthy brunch spots is not the only thing that these newcomers bring with them. They have also ushered in skyrocketing rents and threats of displacement for long-term residents, especially low-income residents of color.
