What do you believe is the single most important factor driving up the cost of living in Nigeria?

Ellsworth Avenue in Silver Spring, Md., sizzles on a summer evening: Residents stroll along its tree-lined sidewalks under the neon glow of upscale chain restaurants, retailers and a Whole Foods Market. Beyond the din of downtown is a different kind of sizzle: the intoxicating aroma of sliced meat frying in butter, garlic and onion—called tibs—wafting from one of many Ethiopian restaurants just outside the city center.

Many in Silver Spring's Ethiopian population—one of the largest outside of Ethiopia—struggled to endure the redevelopment that spawned its flashy retail and entertainment district, and the rent hikes that followed. Now, they face new challenges with the construction of the state of Maryland's light-rail Purple Line.

A new book released this week by University of Maryland Associate Professor Willow Lung-Amam asks the question: When a neighborhood is revitalized, who benefits? "The Right to Suburbia: Combating Gentrification on the Urban Edge" tells the story of people of color and immigrant communities fighting for their place in three rapidly developing American suburbs.

"I knew I wanted to write about this region, and I knew I wanted to write about it from the perspective of folks who were actually living here," said Lung-Amam, who is director of UMD's Small Business Anti-Displacement Network. "This is a story that's been overlooked."

Through a deep dive into Silver Spring and two other Maryland suburbs nestled along the edge of Washington, D.C—Wheaton and Langley Park—Lung-Amam reveals the history, politics and growing activism that has led to their varied yet interconnected fates. The book exposes the powerful influence of developers, government and white residents on the shaping of suburbs over a century and breaks down the complex process of gentrification, which uproots communities and culture during redevelopment.

• Read More