I'm sorry I have been away for a minute, but things have been hectic around here. Shooting a demo dance video for my pet project THE COMEBACK OF J. BLACK...", helping promote events (THE MOTHER'S AND CHILDRENS APPRECIATION DINNER on May 2, 2009, www.lifestylesofthegss.piczo.com) and helping Alfonso obtain interviewees for his video segment "5 Minutes of Flavor" (www.lehighvalleyflavor.piczo.com) can be a full time job! But no matter, it's good to be back in the blogosphere.
So, the "word on the street" seems to be differing with the words from City officials when it comes to gang activity in the neighborhoods. WFMZ Channel 69 actually interviewed people who live in the "hood" while I believe the City may be getting their information from studies and speculation. Either way, I received word yesterday, from a reliable source, that about 100 gang members met at Jordan Park earlier this week. No one really knows what is being planned or is about to happen, but we definitely need to be on alert!
Alfonso's partner, Ben Nicholson, was contacted by the best friends of Manuel Young (the man shot by police outside of the bar Medinas last week) and they state that the story presented by the press is totally false! They wanted their story heard and came to us for an exclusive interview. I plan on showing their contrasting point of view very soon. It is raw and unedited, but will give you, my readers, some insight on how many feel and what life is like living in the inner city of Allentown. Parental guidance may be suggested....
Lastly, with all the violence, craziness, and confusion going "hardbody" in A-town (and it's not even summer yet) I had to ask if there is any solution? My boy, Alfonso, said this:
"It is disheartening to learn that we have such an abundance of programs in Allentown and yet there seems to be a growing problem when it comes to gangs, youth violence, and complacency. There is no simple answer, but from what I have experienced in my dealings with ACTUAL people in the community, on a daily basis, this is how they feel:
The City government doesn't care about them or their families
The community outreach programs don't "REALLY" reach out to those who need the assistance
Information about the programs isn't dispersed into the neighborhoods that need them the most
The people running and involved in the programs can't relate to the residents and the problems in the neighborhood
There is no consistency with the programs - "When the money and funding runs out, so do the people"
If people would stop thinking about politics, grants/funding, and status, perhaps a real change could be made in A-town...."
Truer words have never been spoken,
Peace and 1,
-J. Black
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4 comments:
Hey J. Black -
Well, as a typical suburban mom, I'm pretty horrified to think that the gang members of A-town are seeking to exact revenge on the police. I'm looking forward to reading their side of the story on your blog. I trust you'll be interviewing the police, too, and presenting their "side" of the story as well. (I couldn't care less what the city council and mayor's office think, as no matter what they decide to "do" about this, it's not going to "DO" anything! Especially if they continue to bury their head in the sand regarding gang existance.)
The cycle of violence, particularly gang violence, has been proven the world over to be difficult, if not impossible, to break. Allentown is not alone in trying to ignore the problem, but that obviously won't work. Two things that always seem to go hand-in-hand with gangs are poverty and lack of a two-parent family. Expecting a city to affect change on family structure is wildly unrealistic, and Allentown is already what I would consider to be a poverty magnet. What's a town to do? Money alone won't solve this problem.
As for me, I know gangs are everywhere - they've reached their tentacles into my own Upper Mac neighborhood, as a matter of fact. It's a REAL problem that needs REAL solutions. Unfortunately, I do believe these solutions need to be home grown and cannot be handed out by the government. Real change will have to begin at home, with mothers and fathers remaining intently involved in their children's lives for at least 18 years. I know it sounds ridiculously old fashioned, but the presence of an involved father and mother in the home would do more for the children of Allentown than anything the government can offer.
Finally, and this is sad, I am changing my plans for tonight based on your blog! Hubby and I have a sitter and were planning on getting some brews at the Brew Works tonight. (We go there all the time.) This is just a teeny tiny example of how gang activity hurts business activity in a city. And when businesses suffer, the town goes down into a death spiral, perpetuating all the problems that started the gangs in the first place!
I love Allentown and its residents, and I love the cultural diversity the city enjoys. My prerequists for visiting any city at any time is knowing that I'll be safe, and frankly, I just can't say I have that confidence in Allentown, particularly this weekend. Am I part of the problem? You bet. But...this is how I protect myself and my family.
Looking forward to the next post...
One question, though. Where and when did the mayor say we have no gangs? And why did he accept $200,000 this week to combat gangs if he thinks Allentown doesn't have any?
Thanks for the comment, MM.
The guys who were interviewed are NOT gang affiliated and the meeting in Jordan Park is not gang retaliation against the police for the shooting. (Let's calm the hysteria before it starts)
In fact, I would tell you to keep your plans because I have no knowlege of any incidents ever occurring at Allentown Brewworks.
I will attempt to contact the police, although, they are getting mass coverage by WFMZ Channel 69 and The Morning Call.
The idea you mentioned about family getting involved is key, but unfortunately, many of these young men and women are beyond this point and have the "Me against the world" attitude.
At the moment, I and some associates are planning to have weekly meetings with the inner city youths and gang affiliated persons to see if we can prevent some summer situations from occurring. We plan on putting some of their energy to some positive use that will effect the community. I will keep you posted..
-J. Black
Thanks for the update, J. I appreciate the clarification. Keep up the good work...and maybe I'll see ya at the Brew Works tonight!
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