Purpose-Driven Leadership in Urban Policy: Community Resistance and Grassroots Organizing Amid Gentrification.
Faculty Mentor
Okera Nsombi
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
4-14-2026 9:00 AM
End Date
4-14-2026 9:20 AM
Location
PUB 317
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Africana Studies
Abstract
Over the past decade revitalization and in-migration of urban neighborhoods has been on the rise across the United States. While redevelopment is often framed as a positive transformation, it can result in the displacement of long-standing residents and the loss of cultural identity. As redevelopment intensifies in historically Black neighborhoods, grassroots organizing and community-led resistance have become essential in shaping more equitable urban spaces. This study, utilizing a DuBoisan lens, examines how leaders both within formal policy structures and at the community level employ purpose-driven strategies to preserve cultural identity, lower displacement rates, and promote community-centered environments. Drawing from public policy studies and urban sociology, this research analyzes how leadership practices, collective-action, and place-based advocacy intersect to influence redevelopment processes. Through mixed methods, the project aims to identify the strategies that empower communities to assert agency, strengthen local resilience, and create more just outcomes within gentrifying urban spaces. The research asks:
- How can purpose-driven leadership influence urban policy to mitigate the negative effects of gentrifications in Black communities?
- What strategies have proven most effective for grassroot movements in resisting displacement and preserving cultural identity?
Recommended Citation
Finner, Ryan, "Purpose-Driven Leadership in Urban Policy: Community Resistance and Grassroots Organizing Amid Gentrification." (2026). 2026 Symposium. 1.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2026/op_2026/o1_2026/1
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Purpose-Driven Leadership in Urban Policy: Community Resistance and Grassroots Organizing Amid Gentrification.
PUB 317
Over the past decade revitalization and in-migration of urban neighborhoods has been on the rise across the United States. While redevelopment is often framed as a positive transformation, it can result in the displacement of long-standing residents and the loss of cultural identity. As redevelopment intensifies in historically Black neighborhoods, grassroots organizing and community-led resistance have become essential in shaping more equitable urban spaces. This study, utilizing a DuBoisan lens, examines how leaders both within formal policy structures and at the community level employ purpose-driven strategies to preserve cultural identity, lower displacement rates, and promote community-centered environments. Drawing from public policy studies and urban sociology, this research analyzes how leadership practices, collective-action, and place-based advocacy intersect to influence redevelopment processes. Through mixed methods, the project aims to identify the strategies that empower communities to assert agency, strengthen local resilience, and create more just outcomes within gentrifying urban spaces. The research asks:
- How can purpose-driven leadership influence urban policy to mitigate the negative effects of gentrifications in Black communities?
- What strategies have proven most effective for grassroot movements in resisting displacement and preserving cultural identity?
