An op-ed by George Derek Musgrove ’97, history, assistant professor of history, recently appeared on The Root DC blog on the Washington Post website.

In the piece, Musgrove and co-author Chris Myers Asch discuss why current discussions of gentrification in the Washington D.C. region can be so heated.

“Simply put, people do not want to be gone or forgotten,” they write.

“Displacement and struggles over who ‘owns’ the city have a long history in Washington. Ours is a city both Southern and transient, where the constant churn of newcomers has amplified the importance of place and rootedness.”

The authors conclude that “We must also help create the conditions in which a diverse population can flourish now and in the future.”

The story, “Not gone, not forgotten: Struggling over history in a gentrifying D.C.” appeared online on October 19.

This story originally appeared in UMBC Insights.

When alumnae of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Lambda Phi Chapter reunited during this month’s Homecoming weekend, it was more than just the predictable flurry of pink and green and catching up on each other’s lives.

That’s because the women added a philanthropic component to their event, raising nearly $700 to support UMBC’s Second Generation Scholarship Fund. Thirty-eight alumnae contributed to the fund, which was founded in 1986 to support students who have taken at least one Africana studies course and demonstrate a commitment to improving the lives of minorities through community service, extracurricular activities or other community involvement.

Event organizer Dr. Tamara L. Lewis ’92, psychology, presented a check to Gary M. Brooks ’79, history, a member of the scholarship board. Lewis is a member of the UMBC Alumni Association Board of Directors and President of the Chapter of Black and Latino Alumni.

“The Second Generation Scholarship Fund started from some alumni who wanted to give something back,” said Brooks, who explained the need for scholarship funding has increased sharply over the years.

“Back when I was in school in the ’70s, if you could write your name on the X, you’d get enough scholarship funds to go to school. It wasn’t a question of money,” he said. “As time went on, those behind us found out that it is a problem [finding the] money.”

Read more about the Second Generation Scholarship Fund here.

An op-ed by George Derek Musgrove ’97, history, assistant professor of history, recently appeared on The Root DC blog on the Washington Post website.

In the piece, Musgrove and co-author Chris Myers Asch discuss why current discussions of gentrification in the Washington D.C. region can be so heated.

“Simply put, people do not want to be gone or forgotten,” they write.

“Displacement and struggles over who ‘owns’ the city have a long history in Washington. Ours is a city both Southern and transient, where the constant churn of newcomers has amplified the importance of place and rootedness.”

The authors conclude that “We must also help create the conditions in which a diverse population can flourish now and in the future.”

The story, “Not gone, not forgotten: Struggling over history in a gentrifying D.C.” appeared online on October 19.

This story originally appeared in UMBC Insights.

An op-ed by George Derek Musgrove ’97, history, assistant professor of history, recently appeared on The Root DC blog on the Washington Post website.

In the piece, Musgrove and co-author Chris Myers Asch discuss why current discussions of gentrification in the Washington D.C. region can be so heated.

“Simply put, people do not want to be gone or forgotten,” they write.

“Displacement and struggles over who ‘owns’ the city have a long history in Washington. Ours is a city both Southern and transient, where the constant churn of newcomers has amplified the importance of place and rootedness.”

The authors conclude that “We must also help create the conditions in which a diverse population can flourish now and in the future.”

The story, “Not gone, not forgotten: Struggling over history in a gentrifying D.C.” appeared online on October 19.

This story originally appeared in UMBC Insights.