My Personality is as Gentrified as My Neighborhood | Dawry Ruiz | TEDxYouth@BeaconStreet

Gentrification is more than rising rents and displacement of citizens. This one story of many others speaks to how gentrification is shifting identities and cultures. The investments into Dawry's community, only stunted the growth of one path, and began another course. Considering himself a product of his environment, many others find themselves at crossroads in their lives, and yet not many understand that it can be the development of their community. Dawry Ruiz is a 17 year old artist from East Boston. Throughout his High School career, he has formed a creative mission of focusing his art on: Youth voice, Racial Injustices, and community misrepresentation. He is an organizer: he has planned community events through the non-profit organization, ZUMIX, and put on all ages shows for teen artists in the greater Boston area through Yes Fest. He is a performer: a founding member of the Hip-Hop collective, Project Method, and a Slam Poet who has competed at Louder Than A Bomb. He aspires to use his art to continue to create positive change in his community. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx