Still Here, Never Left

There's this theory that the American community is losing the ties it once had. Granted, we no longer sit on front porch with our neighbors, eating tangerines, exchanging stories... I don't think we are as far off in the distance as other may make it seem. We're still here, you just have to look a little closer. You don't have to get your binoculars out; take into account that times are changing and what amused those before us brings us no entertainment so our comradery centers around a different set of values.

I've stayed in New York for the past two weekends, and the community gatherings I witnessed were a huge eye-opener. Not to mention, there's an elementary school right beside my campus, and there isn't a day I walk by and don't find children playing in the court yard. Long story short, we are still holding on. I was at a flag football game today for 11yr. old boys, and the team spirit they had blew my mind. These boys had NEVER won a game. Nonetheless, they were there on time, jerseys on, and ready to play. They even had plans on winning the game (those plans didn't take place, but hey, happy thoughts are nice). There was also a group of older men playing on the other side of the field. What's my point? It's 11 in the morning on a Saturday. Now I don't know where you stay, but I don't know too many men who make plans to meet on the field Saturday morning to enjoy an activity they aren't being paid for. Not to mention, an activity that's probably going to leave them on bed rest the following day with achy knees.

LETS NOT FORGET THE LADIES! There were girls practicing as well, and one girl had a serious throwing arm. I was impressed. Hell, we could have used her on our team :) Long story short, our community has not failed us. We may be located on fields between two project buildings or in the street fooling around (those "bad ass kids" you wish would get out your way when you're in the car, headed only God knows where- that's us!). So what we aren't in a location of your choosing. We're still here. We aren't leaving. Deal with it.
2fingers and blessings,

B

"Times are slowly but surely changing

and you're fighting to keep our generation silent.

So you call our persistence aressiveness

and to imprison us, you label it violence..

But the taller you stack our barriers

the taller you're forcing us to grow,

and the more you try to stupify us

the more you're forcing us to know" -An excerpt from a poem I wrote