The Rise of the City

Tucked away in a neighborhood outside the glare of the City of Lights, 20-year-old Marjolaine George is building her future. George, who grew up in the southern suburbs of Paris with her parents and four siblings, is an apprentice working towards her vocational training certificate in carpentry to prepare herself for a long-term career with a steady income.

Few are aware that in Greater Paris, roughly 1.5 million residents live in neighborhoods that suffer from significant levels of poverty, unemployment and homelessness. For example, just a 20-minute drive from the famed Notre Dame Cathedral sits Seine-Saint-Denis, an area that, according to a recent Reuters article, has the highest poverty and crime rates in the country.

Neighborhoods across Washington, D.C. have been experiencing major revitalization; however, east of the Anacostia River, many of the tight-knit, historic communities in Wards 7 and 8 largely remain insulated from the growing economy.

With economic development plans in the works, the area is already seeing some signs of positive change. For example, plans for an elevated bridge park are underway — with a focus on recreation, the environment and the arts. Alongside several residential revitalization projects, highly desired services such as retail shops and restaurants are cropping up too — from Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.'s new Busboys & Poets, to a Walgreens, to a new Chase branch.