Neighborhood Resistance Against Development Plans in early the 2000's
Author: Jorge Guerra, MFA.
Interviewer: David De La Torre, Ph.D Student
Published: August 10th 2017

Jorge Guerra at the University of Iowa's Pentacrest, Oct. 2016.

In this segment, Jorge Guerra recollects instances where people in his neighborhood attended meetings to express opposition to a proposed school development project that may have caused residents to lose their homes.

"It payed off, it really did. Like i said, I know people always talk about how communities, sometimes, regardless of numbers may not make a difference. But that alone made a huge difference. Because, yeah, they completely scratched out the school [development] plan."

Full Interview:
South Central L.A. in cornfields of Iowa.

Jorge Guerra, MFA, shared some memories of his neighborhoods at the University of Iowa. This interview took place on October 1st 2016.  Guerra is a colleague and friend of mine who I met while at the university. He was generous in giving us an hour and a half of his time to take us through some moments and places in his life--from Lennox, to South Central, to Compton, and finally Iowa City where he currently teaches and writes. Guerra takes us through a myriad of topics. He ponders on the boundaries and definition of South Central, identifies cultural hegemonies in urban spaces, addresses gentrification broadly, recalls redevelopment in his community specifically, and shares personal challenges and opportunities in pursuing higher education.

This interview has been slightly edited for the purpose of online publication. Minor cuts to the full audio clip have been made. A few of these cuts were made to long pauses. Other edits to protect personal information. Overall, the interview has remained intact and copies of the unedited version have been stored for long term purposes. Many thanks to Guerra for his cooperation and continued support.
David S. De La Torre