Seasons Change - Madd Things Rearrange...

Let this be a message to those of you who ride this sign on Florida Ave, NE everyday. "Pretty soon, you won't recognize the place. Promise." What do you think Sang Oh Development, LLC is talking about?

Hidden in plain sight, Sang Oh Development makes it clear that their agenda is to make the area unfamiliar. I'm all for beautifying our neighborhoods. But, do we have to whitewash neighborhoods in order for them to become beautiful? Is there not a way for blighted communities to be renewed without the people being removed?

Take another look at this photo:
We must pay attention to what lies right beneath our noses. They will tell you their plans. DC is Chocolate City. And, we do not need urban removal in order to have urban renewal. We do not need to "Black-out" the community through "Whitewash." There must be a better way. Now, we need to tell those brothers standing beneath that sign: "they're planning to remove you from your 'hood."

Ghetto Birds in the Sky...I Can Fly Twice as High...

If you live in the Trinidad Neighborhood, these signs have probably become familiar. Somehow, despite the people's Fourth Amendment Constitutional Right to be free from unlawful searches and seizures, the DC Metropolitan Police have found another way to take advantage of DC residents: the Neighborhood Safety Zone.

According to the MPD website:

The Neighborhood Safety Zone initiative has been developed to help increase security for those who live in high-crime areas around the city and to help residents reclaim their communities. The program will authorize the Metropolitan Police Department to set up public safety checks to help safeguard community members and create safer neighborhoods in the District by increasing police presence aimed at deterring crime.

So, the key to deterring crime is to terrorize the community? How successful have check-points been in the old Soviet Union? Are they stopping rockets from entering Jerusalem? Oh - maybe the goal is to re-enact Tienanmen Square?

How do residents reclaim the community if the police have turned it into a militarized zone? If and when these zones are demilitarized, will not the crime resurface?

How can anyone feel safe with "ghetto birds" buzzing overhead, peering through their windows? Several nights this week, I have witnessed these flocks of "ghetto birds" shining their bright lights as they circle various neighborhoods like vultures seeking their prey...waiting for someone to fall so they can feed on the community.

My father is a retired Chief Deputy US Marshall, former Chief of Police who designed a new police force. He has over 30 years of law enforcement experience. So, I trust his insights...

Police presence is needed - desperately. But, police presence is not helicopters with bright lights, sirens blaring, and domineering officers drunk with authority. Police presence is the old Police Athletic League (PALs). Yet, for some reason the District's PAL has not even updated any of its information since March of 2007. Police presence is officers living in the Police Districts in which they work, so that they are part of - and tied to) the community.

That is what Police Presence means in White communities...not so-called "Neighborhood Safety Zones." DC is Chocolate City, ya'll and we must demand better treatment.

Pay to Be Maced?

Today, I was a part of something quite disturbing...a learning experience for the youth I work with everyday.

After we dismissed them, a few of these Chocolate City teenagers decided to head to an H St Beauty Supply Store (Southwest Corner of 11th & H St. NE). Upon trying to enter the store, they were greeted by the (Asian) store owner, who threatened to mace two young (Black) girls!

He then ran across the street to us - at the Church - screaming, "Please help me! Come quick!" Our initial thought was that something urgent had happened. Yet, we then heard the story - from the owners mouth and we became completely disgusted.

This pointed to a sign on the door which reads: "no teenage boys or girls allowed." What? You're in a Black community, selling a product highly in demand by black teenage girls and teens are not allowed in your store? I wonder: would he have the same policy in a White neighborhood? Hmmm........

DC is Chocolate City! And, we cannot allow these store owners to profit off of our backs while disrespecting our community. Most Black neighborhoods are not serviced by Black businesses. So, the people are at the mercy of those who do serve our community.

Yet, our money is hard earned. And, those hard earned dollars are the weapons at our disposal to bring about community change. Anyone who is going to threaten to mace young Black girls does not deserve our business.

We must have a critical eye for the businesses in our communities. Do they respect you? Do they respect your money? Do they respect your community? If you have answered no to either of those questions: do you still purchase from these businesses? And, if you have answered yest to this question: why do you know care about the owner's lack of respect?

This is Chocolate City! And, we must help community businesses remember this fact? What have you done lately?