BOSTON – In an upstairs loft in South Boston, watercolor paintings line the walls of Dan McCole's studio and living space. His works depict scenes from the streets nearby and some of the locals who live there.
McCole, who grew up just six blocks away, on East Broadway, on a recent day reflected on Southie's character, how the neighborhood has evolved and how it has remained the same. For instance, he said, for as long as he can remember, residents of the area have been accused of being insular and setting themselves apart from others in the city.
What is gentrification, and is it actually a bad thing? And wait a minute, who's the cause of gentrification? These are the touchy questions that NBC's popular sitcom "The Carmichael Show" tackled during Sunday night's "Gentrifying Bobby" episode.
Jerrod, the main character in the series, debates the subject with his girlfriend, Maxine, and helps to educate his father, Joe, mother, Cynthia, and brother Bobby on whether an invasion of wealthy neighbors hurts or helps the affected community:
