After spending practically a lifetime in and around Ward 14, I have watched so many changes, political manuevers, transitions from homeowners and transient tenants; while also sustaining the faith that somehow the days of long ago with small businesses filling the storefronts, every family on the street knowing each other because of the sense of good old fashioned community building was sustained by the residents, and most significantly, because American Pride and the American Spirit had yet to be raped, deprived, and abused so heinously over the last 4 decades...

I recall awesome small family owned businesses in several of the storefronts along Fulton from the Bosak Family on the corner of Carlyle, to the Doll House Store diagonal, to Tony's Auto Parts, to the Fresh Produce Market that sat on the Corner of Robert where we walked to buy our Guinnea Pig lettuce when I was a kid.

I forever remember the vacant, fenced in lot at the corner of Meyer and Fulton. That lot has finally become a home to many elders of our community as an assisted living complex. 

Yet, the neighbors along the way were always steadfast to remind us kids to stay out of the street or watch out for cars as we gleefully explored our neighborhood.

I remember the corner store had a jolly guy that laughed all the time and reminded us of Santa Claus year round as we bought our penny candy with our dimes.  I also remember break dancing on cardboard in that very parking lot which united the divisions of races of children without any violence...just the friendly art of  street dance competition.

I remember my friend's mother had their entire upstairs decorated like a Doll Museum and it was awesome to play up there. Her love and appreciation for dolls inspired me to collect dolls myself which I cherished and carted across the United States and back on several trips. When I left for basic training; my brother's children destroyed my doll collection. Yet, I still have remnants that my own child has in her new found collection of dolls. Yet, as I drive by these days, all that is left of that home is a vacant lot. I still see the home that stood there painted white with green trim along the windows. While they had no big front porch; they enjoyed their stairs all the same as we played outside on our one way street...

I remember that her son had a speech impediment and while the kids joked about it, bullying was not very well tolerated by any of the adults and the kids who broke the golden rules were scolded by the parents who intervened. Yes, we learned to be good to each other as kids-if not by our parents-then by the adults from corner to corner and street to street.

Amazingly, one of the most picked on kids on the block was also one of the few proud recipients of his high school diploma even though he had educational impediments. My mother always glorified how very, very proud she was of him and she forever reminded the other boys that they needed to respect and learn from him and return to school- as they soon became drop outs, my brother included.

Life may have been imperfect, but we enjoyed the joys of childhood tea parties, climbing the fire escapes at Sackett Elementary School, and riding bikes and mini bikes throughout the neighborhoods without fear of being kidnapped, raped, or murdered. Those were days of innocence that pulsated through our veins.

Those were the days of playing in the rain, jumping in puddles and coming in the house soak'n wet!!! Those were the days of banana slip n slides in the back yard and every kid on the street being in our yard. Those were the days of pear, buckeye,  and crab apple trees in our backyard.

Those were the days of trusting the adult across the street enough to run for help when something was wrong at home...God forbid that my best friend's mom hadn't been there the day mom was in the tub screaming in agonizing pain, telling me to "Go ask the neighbor for 2 aspirins" to make her pain go away. Well, I know when I got to the neighbors' house;  I was scared to death and told her that something was terribly wrong with my mommy and she came to the rescue. Ultimately, my mother had a tubal pregnancy as she had her tubes tied after I was born. Yet, I remember when they sent her home with "OPTIONS" of "keeping the child" or "aborting it to save her life"... while as kids we were excited at the idea of a new sibling....her life was obviously most important.

Yeppers, those were the days of flower gardens in everyone's front yards or in the flower boxes they created when they didn't have a front yard. Those were the days of having front porch swings that allowed for mom's sipping tea and coffee while griping and laughing about their lives! Yes, those were the days of dad's working tirelessly at union jobs, getting drunk on the front porches, playing loud music, and laughing into the wee hours of the night with the neighbors....and not having to worry about driving home because it was just a walk across the street.

I remember a huge clubhouse being built by my dad on the back of a garage at one of our homes and into a brick shed at another house so that he knew where my brother was and so that all the kids could come to our house.

I remember hanging out a second floor window to see the girl next door sneaking a kiss from her boyfriend and giggling with my best friend until they heard us and yelled at us! I remember learning to play Candy Land, listening to AIR SUPPLY, and riding in the back of a pick up truck....I remember AVON parties and trips SEARS (at 110 & Lorain),  Red Robin and the West Side Market with my mother.

I remember going to Kindergarten and integrating with the hispanic population which really was cool because it challenged me to learn to speak Spanish which to date, truly comes in handy.

Perhaps I miss the tenderness of the stay at home moms who were able to stay at home cooking, cleaning, and rearing children while their husbands were off at work all day. While I recall every one of those women complaining at some point about their men; I also recall a sense of family that has to date been unparalleled locally in each of those families.

I recall birthday cakes, roller skating at United Skates on Ridge Road, and tents in the living room for slumber parties! 

When I was 9 years old, my family forever moved off that street. Despite moves to Medina, Phoenix,  Arizona, Las Vegas and travelling around the globe with the military...That street, the people, and the community have always remained close to my heart. Now, as the families have all vacated...there are only a couple families who remain from my childhood. Soon, they will be gone and these fond memories will remain.

I pray that the kids and families of the future learn and share the blessings of a sense of community whereever they live. I pray for neighbors to be neighborly and to look out for the best interests of eachother. I pray that children learn to be kind to eachother and respect their elders.

Over the last few years, attending the St. Rocco's Church annual festival has been a way of bumping into some of the friends that I shared my childhood with in Ward 14. While most of us have children and some of our children are also grown up now... it's nice to think about the good ole days and smile...

As we watch these changes and the world changes in our community, it strikes me to the core that our local leadership and even some of the naysaying citizens overlook the simplicity of basic community building techniques that inspire the citizens to participate.

I salute the Second District Community Relations for their efforts within our community and many other groups who have vested themselves in revitalizing our community.

The people and residents deserve to be treated with dignity, consideration, and respect. It's their community and they should have a say in the workings, plans, and long term visions that are being created obscurely behind their backs and without regard for their rights.......

Divide, conquer, and devour the people....

Define Gentrification to an ignorant hillbilly or a fearful hispanic who doesn't speak English. Ask them to partake in democracy and they will blatantly still tell you that they are afraid that the government people will come back to hurt them and they just don't want any trouble. Unbelievable. So many years of intimidation, denegration and gentrification has really devastated our community...

EMPOWER THE PEOPLE TO PARTAKE IN THE CHANGE...

This is their community, their lives, and they have rights to live here without being violated by the public servants. Stop trying to dictate the future to them without their participation...