Oral Histories of Gentrification In Northside, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro (2024)

Undergraduates: Sophie Krejci, Hooper Schultz, Irene Newman

Faculty Advisor: Seth Kotch
Department: American Studies

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In the Summer of 2023 I put forward a project I designed known as Oral Histories of Gentrification In Northside, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro. The original goal of the project planned to interview members of the Carrboro and Northside community regarding their experiences with diversity, affordable housing, and social capital in their respective communities. Unfortunately I learned very quickly how unoriginal the project was. In order to adapt my project I began to work with people adjacent to the communities and those who have played an active part in their development. My first narrator, Danita Mason-Hogans, is a Civil Rights historian and Chapel Hill native who spoke on the importance of addressing her community as “what is now called ‘Northside’”, as the name was changed by someone other than the predominantly black community members. I then interviewed Tai Huynh, a former UNC-CH student and current Town Council Member and Vice Chair on the Housing Advisory Board in the Town of Chapel Hill. Tai chatted on the inability for newcomers to join the Chapel Hill community because of housing and zoning laws. Finally I interviewed Vishanth Palanivel, another former UNC-CH student, who works closely with longtime residents of Northside in order to build relationships with members of his community. Vish noted that several members of Northside were unhappy with its development and felt that their voices were losing power. With several passionate voices working towards a better community, old laws, college students, and wealthier residents continue to blockade new policy.