An Investment in Ourselves

by Arhm Choi

Communities save people. It’s the older sibling who retrieves your shoes that were stolen by the bully. It’s the great-aunt who cooks you your favorite chili when you’re too disheartened to feed yourself. It’s the place you can play without worry.

The word itself comes from communis, the Latin prefix com- meaning “together”, and -munis meaning “to have the charge of”. Together, to have charge, input, influence. Together, to take charge of ourselves.

The identity of a group is expressed through its art, language, and of course the stories passed on from one generation of tongues to another. It is expressed and solidified through celebrations, block parties, and how we greet each other. We need to celebrate what we do have.

When you google “Harlem community centers,” 755,000 hits show up, while
Asheville centers add up to 341,000 hits (see tagline for more
information). Most of these are recreation centers and YMCAs, meaning
there are few geared towards education and art.

For all that Asheville talks about community, many of its vibrant hubs
have been displaced, forgotten about, or discouraged. Doris (Dee)
Hankins, a former resident of Lee Walker Heights and a prominent
community member, recalls a time when this was not true. She talks
about how “on Eagle Street there was a teen place where we can go and
dance. But all of those things got wiped out.”

Despite this, there are hopeful stories to be recognized. The father of
Ms. Hankins was the Head of the Maintenance Department for Lee Walker
Heights, and her younger brother being the first baby born in the
neighborhood was named Lee Walker. She said that “it was such a
wonderful place to be because you could play in the woods. It is a
freedom when you are a kid.” She described her neighborhood as a
vibrant place, saying that “everybody knew everybody… it was a
wonderful time to grow up because we learned so much.”

Ms. Hankins was nurtured by her community, and this is what we want and
need all our communities to do. Mr. Harry Harrison, of the YMI Cultural
Center, hit it right on. In reference to urban renewal, he simply and
bluntly said, “there should be an investment in people, not concrete.”
Right you are, Mr. Harrison. Right you are indeed.

For more information about the Harlem Community Center, please go to www.harlemcommunity.org