The only way to save Harlem for the benefit of its longtime residents is to economically cripple the neighborhood. So says Dr. James Manning of the ATLAH World Ministry church. He's proposing an economic boycott of the area in Manhattan between 110th St. and 155th St., from the Harlem River to the Hudson River. The plan is that once interloper businesses have been driven out via bankruptcy, Harlem will become a less desirable place to live for people like whites, rising rents will decline, and Harlem will have been purged of the problems that have been driving people out of their homes.
Gothamist first wrote about Dr. Manning last spring and noted that his empowerment-through-impoverishment plan was not well received by local politicians. The CityRoom blog at The New York Times reports that the Dr. (Ph.D.) is still thumping at his pulpit, calling for Harlem to become an economic "drought zone." Although many feel that Manning is simply trying to re-ghettoize Harlem, he does have some supporters, although they wonder how easy it will be to do their shopping outside of their neighborhoods.
The Times piece notes that Manning may be considering opening up a grocery store of his own within the drought zone and told The Village Voice last year that he uses Fresh Direct to adhere to the local boycott. The Times reporter at Manning's most recent church meeting asked fifteen people if they had an Internet connection so they could also use Fresh Direct. None did. Considering the multi-racial nature of Harlem's gentrification, Manning's proposed solutions seems to have more to do with class than race. If one can't make it to his Harlem church, check out the ATLAH World Ministry YouTube channel.
