Brick by Brick: The challenges of gentrification in South Florida (includes documentary)

South Florida continues to suffer from gentrification, redlining and food deserts.

Redlining was a map tool used in the 1930s to deny housing loans to people of color. However, this practice was later made illegal by the Fair Housing Act in 1968.

Redlining often leads to gentrification, which is the process of transforming poor urban areas by constructing luxury buildings to attract wealthier residents, improving housing and introducing new businesses.

“People are coming at least once a month trying to buy me,” said Willie Williams, a pastor and barber in Overtown. “I say, ‘Before I sell, I will build.'”

Gentrification is a complex issue that impacts not only housing, but also the economic and health of a community. It has the potential to erode the unique history and cultural fabric of a neighborhood.

Due to gentrification and redlining, some areas lack access to nutritious food.

This affects mostly Black people in low-income neighborhoods, which creates food deserts.

Discover the reality of current residents’ situations and gain insights from experts by watching this compelling Brick by Brick documentary.

Elizabeth Salazar is a senior FIU student pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Digital Communication and Multimedia. She is a South Florida-based freelance fashion photographer with 5+ years of experience. She enjoys video editing as well as being part of film productions. She hopes to one day be able to work alongside a team to create meaningful visual stories.

Gabriela Fuentes is a Puerto Rican native majoring in broadcast journalism and minoring in Spanish language. After graduating, she plans on pursuing a career as a reporter working for networks such as Univision or Telemundo.

Dylan Harris is a junior FIU student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Digital Communications/Broadcasting. He was born and raised in Hollywood, Florida. His passion for broadcasting and digital communications started very young because of his passion for media worldwide. He enjoys making sports podcasts about recent sports news. Dylan looks forward to achieving his goal of being able to work for 7 News in the Broadcasting section.