---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know, I personally think that…"
description: "\"You know, I personally think that gentrification happens long before you start seeing white people in formerly people-of-color neighborhoods. It starts..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/majora-carter-17939_community_you-know-i-personally-think-that-gentrif_1352824.png"
---

#  You know, I personally think that gentrification happens…

![“You know, I personally think that gentrification happens long before you start seeing white people in formerly people-of-color neighborhoods. It starts happening when we start telling the young, hard-working, quote-unquote &quot;smart&quot; kids that they need to measure success by how far they get away…” quote by Majora Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/majora-carter-17939_community_you-know-i-personally-think-that-gentrif_1352824.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/majora-carter-17939_community_you-know-i-personally-think-that-gentrif_1352824.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/majora-carter-17939_community_you-know-i-personally-think-that-gentrif_1352824.png)

> “You know, I personally think that gentrification happens long before you start seeing white people in formerly people-of-color neighborhoods. It starts happening when we start telling the young, hard-working, quote-unquote "smart" kids that they need to measure success by how far they get away from our communities.”

[Majora Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/majora-carter/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Gentrification begins when success is defined by leaving one’s own community, not when outsiders arrive.

**In simple terms:** Success measured by leaving community fuels gentrification.

Key Takeaway

Redefine success within community.

Themes

gentrification community success identity migration

Mood

concerned reflective

Type

sociopolitical critical inspirational

When to use this quote

- neighborhood planning
- education policy
- career counseling
- media narratives

Key Concepts

social mobility cultural displacement economic pressure urban development

Questions to Reflect On

- How can success be measured without leaving one’s roots?
- What policies can keep talent in the community?

A Different Perspective

Ignores structural barriers that keep residents from leaving.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Color Neighborhoods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color-neighborhoods-4606404/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Gentrification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentrification/) [Gentrification Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentrification-happens-4606402/) [Get away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-away/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Measure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measure/) [Measure of success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measure-of-success/) [Measure Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measure-success/) [Neighborhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighborhood/) [Neighborhoods Starts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighborhoods-starts-4606403/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Think Gentrification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-gentrification-3527065/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [White people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-people/)

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