"This is a very pivotal moment" for Detroit, says gallery owner George N'Namdi of the N'Namdi Center for Contemporary Art in Midtown. He talks in Metro Times about a city "on the verge of major change" and tells why he coined the phrase "psychological gentrification."
George N'Namdi: "The powers that be who are doing a lot of the current investment . . . have to make sure they include everybody." (Photo by Alonso del Arte)
N'Namdi, a resident since 1976, speaks about "the feeling of being left out" in a Q&A exchange with staff writer Lee DeVito. Here are excerpts from his replies:
A lot of people are talking about gentrification. It’s not like your traditional gentrification, where you’re physically uprooting people, because we have so much vacant property here and we’re happy to have people occupy the property. What’s more important, though, is what’s happening with psychological gentrification. . . .
Right now, Detroiters take a lot of responsibility in their environment. We don’t want it to change where they begin to feel like it’s not their city. That’s what I mean by psychological gentrification. You go into places, you’re not seeing yourself as often. The different types of business that may be coming in, they may not be catering to you. . . . If too much is done to give you the illusion or the sense that it’s not yours any longer, then you begin to have the feeling of being left out. . . .
You want to have a diverse community that is not dominated by anyone, and particularly not dominated by the minority. . . . The powers that be who are doing a lot of the current investment . . . have to make sure they include everybody.
African-American residents and entrepreneurs share responsibility for being included, the businessman adds.
I have been encouraging African-Americans to not only participate in the different activities in Detroit in the city, but also to be investors in the city. There is a new vision of the city — it has more of a creative kind of a base. . . . So partake in the different offerings that are happening now so that your presence is always felt.
If you don’t have the property ownership and business development, you begin not to see yourself. People won’t develop the businesses around what you are like. . . .
We’re putting together an investment team . . . to create a gallery district and restaurant district on Grand River around Rosa Parks. All this development that’s taking place downtown, I do feel that it will ultimately begin to go to our neighborhoods.
N'Namdi frames his message in terms of preserving "that Motown soul," which he sees as a core part of what draws startups, job-seekers and visitors.
You don’t want Detroit to be losing its funk. Cheap real estate is everywhere in this country — but it’s missing that funk, it’s missing that soul.
-- Alan Stamm
