I hope your weekend was full of rest and recreation. Here’s some information on our Mayor and Commission meetings, recent and upcoming, as well as some reflections on recent events in the community.
Last week we approved the final list of TSPLOST projects, including every District 2-specific project submitted (we held a special called session on Monday to incorporate a project that got left out). Many thanks again to all who participated in the process to bring these investments to our neighborhoods.
Tonight there will be a work session with presentations on our strategic plan and from our external auditors. I especially would like to hear feedback on the strategic plan, which will guide our work in the next three years.
As well, Central Services staff will give a presentation about the coming Costa building renovation, which will include space for the new Athens Black History Center. Outside of meetings, I have been working with the local arts council to secure Mellon Foundation funding for interactive exhibits that bring our history to life, particularly for the youth who gravitate toward digital media.
Lastly, I’d like to address two recent unfortunate events. First is the passing of Mr. Aaron Heard, a tireless community servant and youth advocate for whom the East Athens Community Center was recently renamed. I send my prayers to his family and pray as well that we keep his righteous work with young folks alive.
(Mr. Heard and I at the Aaron Heard Community Center renaming.)
Second, I’d like to address a video circulating of an indecent act taking place in Triangle Plaza.
With this, as always, I ask myself why it happened in order to get at and address the underlying problems.
On its face, it may seem this happened because people don’t value this space. While that may be true for the wider community, I think it’s that people who carouse there in the evening do value it, but as an outlet for the crushing problems they face and as one of the only places, in the face of poverty and marginalization, that they feel able to gather in. I watched the video in question this morning, but I also visited the Instagram page for the person who posted it, and I think this screenshot from their story captures a lot of the problem (apologies for the cursing):
In essence, when the system has long treated Black lives like they don’t matter, people will act like it, harming themselves and the community to feel just a moment of pleasure or power. The harm cycles. The system crushes folks mentally and physically, who wile out in response. Their wilin’ out becomes justification to disregard them. Disregard further crushes them, so they wile out even more. And on and on and on, over generations.
This, to me, is why so many of the problems in our community exist. That’s why I try to work toward solutions that empower people to live with dignity and treat their community with dignity. And I think a lot of the answers lie in solutions many of you are already fighting for: dignified jobs that empower people financially to make dignified choices; dignified housing options so people feel valued and safe, and can socialize privately; lifelong learning opportunities that empower people to think critically and advance in life. That’s my focus, because I truly believe these kinds of investments can finally break this cycle.
In short, I am not one to slap band-aids on wounds that require surgery. I am troubled by what I saw, but in it I find a sense of urgency for the fight and grounding in remembering that a lot of y’all are already at the surgeon’s table, already doing the long, hard work.