Job Mbaihiguimang, 11, fixes his younger brother’s kite on the front porch of his family’s apartment in Northsde. Mbaihiguimang and his family moved from Chad to the United States 6 years ago with the hope of finding a better life. Mbaihiguimang is currently in the fifth grade at Northside Elementary.

Isrieal “True” Settles, 21, front, and Marcus Young, 23, back, dance at a community event at Northside’s Hargraves Center. The center dates back to the Civil War, where it was used to house Union Troops. In the early 1900’s, it was converted to a community center, where it has served as a hub of African American community and activity.

Students on Team Greece coordinate to pull off a keg stand during a “Beer Olympics” event, in which students divide themselves among teams, or countries, and compete in various drinking activities, such as keg stands, beer pong, and shotgunning.

St. Joseph Christian Methodist Evangelical Church is seen through the steamy windows of a coffee shop across Rosemary St. The church has roots in Northside dating back to 1898 and has been a pillar in the African American community since. Although the demographics of Northside have changed greatly in the past decade, the church’s membership continues to grow.

A worshipper stands and clasps his hands together in prayer during a Sunday service at the St. Joseph Methodist Church in Chapel Hill’s Northside neighborhood. Despite a decreasing African-American presence in the neighborhood due to student-driven gentrification, the church has been able to its attendence steady. Those that have been forced out still find their way back on Sundays.

A pair of Air Jordans hang from a telephone line on Church Street.

Job Mbaihiguimang, 11, strings a knot in his younger brother’s kite. “I like when I can fix things for my brother and get my hands dirty,” said Mbaihiguimang.

An abandoned children’s toy lies in a patch of vegetation at the northern edge of the neighborhood.

The large wheels of consturction equipment can be seen through a basement bedroom’s window. Northside’s changing demographics are driving a boom in construction and renovation, which add value to the neighborhood’s real estate. However, this activity can destroy the physical and mental history of the neighborhood, as many families have to leave their historic homes due to an overall rise in the cost of living, prompting developers to remodel homes with the aim of attracting college students.

A stolen construction barrier sits atop a group of students’ home.