The Young Landlords

Content Warning: This section of the guide describes and analyzes the source text’s treatment of racism.

As Black teenagers living in New York City in 1979, the members of the Action Group have direct experience with the discrimination and racism that makes life precarious for many Harlem residents. They know that slumlords profit from their dominance of the housing market while leaving buildings in a state of disrepair. They are acutely aware that the criminal justice disproportionately targets Black residents, as seen in Chapter 4 when two police officers bait Chris into giving them a pretext to arrest him for the theft of the stereo equipment. Though they recognize these issues must be addressed and overcome, the teenagers have little access to the levers of power. There is frequently a disconnect between the scope of their ambitions and the reality of what they can accomplish. Thus, when Gloria presents the Action Group with their first task—achieving world peace—they decide to postpone it and move on to the second task—cleaning up the trash in an empty lot, which they also postpone.

Their individual dreams and ambitions often collapse when confronted with reality. Dean imagines that he can control physical items and individuals with the power of his mind, but learns that he cannot mind control obedience out of Kenobi, their most problematic tenant.