Ok, so about a week ago, three people in town were killed within a 24 hour period and the usual conversation about black and black crime and why folk around here kill each other came up. The convo then turned to how it used to be around here... which, naturally meant I had to speak up.
After doing a general search of how wonderful Gary Indiana is, I found this website called Forgotten Buildings and a page in particular called Gary Indiana - A Ghost Town. I read a few of the posts in the blog and came across one in particular that was .... interesting...
Some total stranger from california is working on a docuentary of politics in the middle west and racism in political elections. He commented on how he'd be in the area this week and would anyone be interested in talkin to him. I emailed him. He emailed back. We met Wednesday and talked for a while.
I discovered something about myself and the place I live. I like living here. Its NOT a murder captial. Its NOT some ghost town. Its people who are working hard to pay mortgages and educate their children and keep some sense of peace in their lives one way or another. Its a place with intellectuals and artists and culture and history... Its a nice place to live. If you've never been here... don't discuss it like you have...simple as that.
I was asked a lot of questions: thinkgs like why is having the right to vote important to me, how long have I lived here and participated in the political life of the community, what do I do to make my hometown a great place to live, and so forth...
I like me and my life. I like my hometomwn... and I discovered that I do what I do because its important to be proud of SOMETHING...and to be able to speak on it...
I did... its all good.
Just do it... speak on your hometown... you apparently like the place or you wouldn't be there...right?
uh huh uh huh...
Labels: mah peoples...
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4 comments:
I'm feeling you on this one. I'm from a very small town of about 10K and about 98% Black. Poor and impoverished I guess most would consider it a slum or a ghetto. But, in my hometown there were doctors, lawyers, teachers, and other folks to whom we looked up to. We had a week to celebrate our founding complete with picnics, parades, and dances. There were baseball games and greezie spoons that had the best polish sausages that I still long for. It even had an airport which trained some of the Tuskeegee airmen. Yes, it's poor...yes it's impoverished...it may even be a slum or a ghetto - but it's my hometown!
the really sad thing is... black folk who think a black town is improverished... as if they came from someplace special... so soon we forget where our ancestors came from...simply because we "moved on up"...
So true! So true!
Got an OSF cut at SjP's that you might something tells me that you might like. Hope you get a chance to check it out. BTW - love your playlist!
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