MAKE POVERTY HISTORY On H Street

   H street was the home to the Make Poverty History (MPH) campaign. This global movement that took place in order to present pressures to international institutions to eradicate global poverty. The policies posed would cancel the debts owed by heavily in-debt countries. They would also jump start the aid to these countries in order to make them participants in the global economy. 

       

   The campaign gained a lot of attention not just in the district but on the international scale as well. Through protests, celebrity endorsements and large out-door concerts all aided in the mass media attention during the time of the campaign. Trademark bracelets were made and handed out during the upstart of the campaign and became a link between people across the world that believed in this caused. 

The Global Call to Action Against Poverty Coalition creators of the MPH are said to involve around 30 million participants from more than 200 countries.  In other areas such as Canada, MPH focuses on ending child poverty in Canada. 

Here We Go Again

Gentrification: the process of renewal and rebuilding accompanying the influx of middle-class or affluent people into deteriorating areas that often displaces poorer residents.

H Street saw a significant shift during the time of “white flight”. Before 1960 this neighborhood was predominantly black at notable 94%. Yet after this reversal began the district, H Street especially saw a huge decline in african american residents in what was once an area known as theirs. In 2010 the census tract found that now just over half of the population down H Street is black at 63.

The process of this gentrification led to huge tensions with previous residents, who felt that they were now unwelcome due to the act of being priced out. 

The median sales price of modest houses on H Street as of September 2009 was 417,000. A price almost only obtainable but working upper middle class.

History is showing to repeat itself again as young white people are moving in waves to the H Street area due to its property and location value. Like we saw during white flight, longtime residents are quickly being priced out. Through research I found it interesting that the District does not have a predominantly white working class neighborhood thus, when looking for affordable housing, the white upper middle class workers often choose to live in a neighborhood that has long been majority black.

The H Street neighborhood, is currently going through a renewal and transformation. Many new restaurants, shops and banks have made their home in the this area making it a prime location and the real estate label of, desirable. Thus H Street is once again gentrifying just has it had during the first renewal of the District. 

H STREET: A GLOBAL NEIGHBORHOOD

H Street, a commercial district: The neighborhood of H Street NE is considered to be one of DC’s earliest and busiest commercial districts. A commercial district is known for their land uses that primarily revolve around commercial activities such as, shops, theaters, banks and most notably their restaurants. Commercial districts can best be contrasted to that of an industrial zone which, consists mostly of the production of goods rather than the distribution of them. As a result of H Street’s label as a commercial district, authorities use zoning laws based around the commercial businesses to define boundaries within and without of the district. The aspects that make H Street a global neighborhood are best defined by the commercial aspects of the community. 

A little bit of back history: So, H Street went through a dramatic decline after WWII where businesses in this specific corridor were damaged as a result of the 1968 riots. The street did not in fact recover until the 21st century as we have seen throughout the regrowth of global economic participation in such things as banking. The cause of this regrowth came from the H Street NE Strategic Development Plan. This plan centralized importance in the Arts and Entertainment District between 12th and 15th Street NE as well as the Central Retail district, between 7th and 12th Street. 

The Entertainment District & global participation: In the mid 2000’s the Art and Entertainment District began the revitalization of The Atlas Theatre. This theatre has been around since the riots in 68 and was in much need of revamping. The place was rebuilt from the ground up and was refurbished and made new and is now the anchor of H Street and what is now known as the “Atlas District”. This theatre brings in a draw to international visitors because of its mere reputation, history and acts that all come from the Atlas. With the implementation of the arts on H Street, many other businesses have been put in to coincide with the facility. 

The sweet aroma of international foods: Restaurants are a huge aspect in the making of H Street as a global neighborhood. The Atlas Room is a very popular rest by not only locals, but international visitors as well. The Chef of The Atlas Room is known for using global flavors while also utilizing local ingredience. The classic cooking of French and Italian food presents another indication of global influences on H Street. Just down the street from The Atlas Room is The Ethiopic's. Ethiopian food is full of spices and flavors uncommon to Americans yet with the prime location and great reviews people flock to try this new out of the ordinary food. The Ethiopic is located at 401 H St NE 
Washington DC 20002. Lastly is the Toki Underground. From most young adults that I had the pleasure of talking to I have been told this is a must eat spot for Taiwanese and Japanese food. This restaurant is so out of the ordinary with graffiti all over the walls and the unexpected sounds of the Wu-Tang Clan coming through the speakers. Toki Underground is known for their soups, pulled pork shoulder and egg and duck wings. The Toki Underground is located at 1234 H Street, NE Washington, DC 20002.With Restaurants such as these three, all in walking proximity, give H Street a certain special global appeal. The smells are what I took notice to when walking down my corridor. Such rich spicy aroma filled my neighborhood with unfamiliar, yet pleasing smells. 

The World Bank: Not as appealing as the food and theatrics of H Street but just as of if not more important in the global aspect of H Street comes from The World Bank located in H Street NE. The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programs benefiting the US economy. The official and stated goal of TWB is the reduction of poverty in the global spectrum. As discussed on their website, TWB was put in place to promote global public goods such as delivering vaccines to several parts of the world for diseases such as malaria and AIDS. 

With these HUGE components of global influence and global participation, H Street is most definitely in the category of a global neighborhood! Whether its the smells of global spices or the international draw to the Entertainment District H Street, in my opinion, is an actor in the world of global interaction.