Caroline Castillo Cortez is a first-generation immigrant from the Dominican Republic. She has been living in New York City, specifically in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn, since 2007. Currently working as an adult medical-surgical Registered Nurse in Brooklyn, Caroline is deeply passionate about supporting the communities she is a part of and brings a unique perspective on the impacts of gentrification in her neighborhood.

In this interview, Caroline Castillo Cortez, a Dominican immigrant and long-term Bushwick resident, discusses the profound changes her neighborhood has undergone due to gentrification. She reflects on her experiences growing up in a predominantly Hispanic community that has since faced rising rent prices, displacement, and cultural shifts. Caroline highlights the transition from family-owned bodegas to gentrified establishments and the emergence of luxury housing catering to more affluent residents. While she appreciates Bushwick's convenience and sense of community, she expresses concerns about the future affordability and inclusivity of the area. Caroline emphasizes the importance of investing in and respecting the longstanding communities and small businesses that define the neighborhood’s identity.

Interview details

Interview Title:

Interview with Caroline Castillo Cortez

Interviewee:

Caroline Castillo Cortez

Interviewer:

Aaliah Hamilton Gibbons

Interview Date:

October 21, 2024

Length:

24:38

Resource Type:

Recording, audio

Format:

Digital, mp4

Subject:

Gentrification, Bushwick, Affordability, Cultural Displacement, Community Investment

Rights:

Cities for People, Not for Profit: Gentrification and Housing Justice in Bushwick by Cynthia Tobar is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Digital ID:

Cortez_Caroline.mp4

Reference URL:

http://citiesforppl.org/interviews/interview-with-caroline-castillo-cortez

Bibliographic Citation:

"Interview with Caroline Castillo Cortez," in Cities for People, Not for Profit: Gentrification and Housing Justice in Bushwick, http://citiesforppl.org/interviews/interview-with-caroline-castillo-cortez