Real Change Comes With Investment
By Aisha R. Arrington
President & CEO Fort Wayne Urban League
“I was born by the river, in a little tent. Oh, and just like the river, I’ve been running ever since.” – Sam Cooke, A Change is Gonna Come"
The first time Nyla experienced a sleepover with her second-grade school friend, she couldn’t believe how big the house was or how beautiful the neighborhood looked. The lawns were all green, the brick houses offered curb appeal like you might see on HGTV, and as soon as she dropped her overnight bag on the kitchen table, she saw a pond with a squirting fountain right outside the patio window. She turned to her mom and said, “Can you believe this is what they wake up to every day?” Oh, the words from babes.
Nyla’s mom couldn’t deny what her daughter was seeing; it was an obvious change from their humble home on Abbott Street on the other side of town, right in the heart of southeast Fort Wayne. While the house itself was full of love, promise and two hard-working parents, it couldn’t compare to the neighborhood or environment Nyla was experiencing at the sleepover. Nyla’s mother drove away from the big, bright house with tears welling in her eyes.
Two worlds stood in stark contrast: one rich with wealth and investment, the other left behind. Fort Wayne City Council recently voted to cut $1 million from the Southeast Plan. (Much of that funding was restored after council opted for cuts elsewhere.) Those cuts would have directly affected one of the most underserved communities in the area — neglected and forgotten for years. Money to improve sidewalks and alleyways and make neighborhoods safer and more vibrant was nearly lost — a loss that would have been in direct contrast to recent efforts and investments. The South Anthony Boulevard Streetscape Project, the new Pontiac Street Market, even the newer Pontiac/Wayne Trace roundabout are all good, solid investments the southeast community needed – that they had been waiting for. There was a feeling that momentum was building – that changes were coming.
The people who would have really paid for these cuts are people like Nyla. Her wishes are simple. She would like a clean, level sidewalk to ride her bike on, fewer liquor stores in her neighborhood, and an ice cream stand in the '06. It’s really just a wish list for a community and neighborhood she can be proud of, and the wishes are all very doable. It’s called investment.
The data is very consistent about what happens when poor communities lack support. Luke W. Hyde of the University of Michigan recently stated in the article, "Living in Violent Neighborhoods Affects Children’s Brain Development,” published by the American Psychological Association, that “Decades of research has shown that growing up in neighborhoods with concentrated disadvantage can predict negative academic, behavioral and mental health outcomes in children and teens.” It’s been stated and shown time and time again that Fort Wayne’s southeast side has the lowest graduation rates, the poorest health outcomes and the highest number of homes suffering from food insecurity. Why would funding cuts be made in a community that needs support the most?
Maybe those left behind are simply not seen.
Nyla’s mother picked her up from the sleepover prepared to give a speech about being proud of where you come from and about the importance of doing well in school. Instead, she packed her beloved daughter in the car and promised a stop to get ice cream and, on the way, played a little Sam Cooke.
Nyla, sitting with her legs crossed in the back seat, clutching her fluffy, rainbow-haired unicorn and, knowing the words, sang: “I was born by the river in a little tent" (she paused for a giggle – that line always made her smile). "Oh, and just like the river, I’ve been running ever since. It’s been a long - a long time coming, but I know a change gon’ come.” Humming the rest of the song, she looked out the window as the neighborhood gradually turned from bright and grand to grey and somber. Her eyes confirmed the needs.
Do you see her?