YO REAL TALK... GO SEE "TAKING OVER"

This past Thursday my friend Netty and I went to LAGCC (LaGaurdia Community College) to check out Danny Hoch's new theatrical piece, "Taking Over". My head had reached unseen heights of stuffiness not to mention my body refused to let out that large sneeze needed to relieve me of my discomfort. This inconvenient cold was not and was not going to discourage me from seeing this new play before it officially hits the stage.

Why is that? Ok 1 its was free, 2 it was in Queens where I live, 3 it was a part of the Hip Hop Theater Festival, and 4 it was a Danny Hoch Play about Gentrification!!!

MY SICK BEHIND WAS NOT MISSING THIS PLAY!!!

So the play tackled the ever brewing topic of gentrification from the racial, social, and economic perspective. Danny Hoch put on a dope performance portraying a variety of characters more so real life people who are affected by the changes in their Williamsburg, BK community.

Get this- dude played a Polish/Boricua college student, 60 something yr old black woman, young brotha who had just been released from prison, a well to do French real estate agent, a Jewish sheisty businessman, a 20 something mid west liberal white girl, a dominican cab disbatcher, and a militant rapper. He definitely portrayed these people to a T enabling us to gain same insight on this issue not only happening in Williamsburg but all across the country!

This is one of those topics I am most passionate about. I am an advocate for change in a community but if that change results in displacement of the lifelong residents, then that change needs to be revised- real talk. Also when gentrification is in its early stages it is imperative that residents, community activists, city officials, as well as the business people come together to reach a compromise in an organized and assertive fashion so that everyone is reaping the positive ripple effects of gentrification.

And that's all I got to say (Trust- I got words for days but that spoils the future poem I want to post on here)

Those in the NYC AREA DEFINITELY CHECK OUT "TAKING OVER"

-PeAcE