In the Wake TV Producers Shayna and Julia discuss Love, Brooklyn, director Rachael Abigail Holder's powerful directorial debut that tackles one of the most urgent issues facing Black urban communities: gentrification and the feeling of becoming a stranger in your own neighborhood.

A Story of Displacement and Belonging: Starring André Holland, Nicole Beharie, DeWanda Wise, Roy Wood Jr., Cassandra Freeman, and Cadence Reese, Love, Brooklyn explores what happens when the place you call home no longer recognizes you—when rising rents, cultural erasure, and demographic shifts turn longtime residents into guests in their own city. With Steven Soderbergh as executive producer, the film premiered at Sundance 2025 to mixed-to-positive reviews, sparking important conversations about who gets to stay and who gets pushed out.

Why This Matters: Gentrification isn't just about real estate—it's about the systematic displacement of Black and Brown communities, the destruction of cultural landmarks, and the erasure of histories that made neighborhoods vibrant in the first place. Shayna and Julia's conversation centers the emotional and psychological toll of watching your community transform around you while you're priced out, pushed aside, and told "progress" is inevitable. Love, Brooklyn gives voice to a reality millions are living but few films dare to center.

Watch the full conversation as Shayna and Julia unpack the film's exploration of belonging, the politics of urban development, and why stories about gentrification matter now more than ever.

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