Evening Exchange; Meridian Hill Park, Public Housing Social Programs, City Lights

An update on Malcolm X Meridian Hill Park plus humanities based programs for some District residents. Up next an evening exchange. Good evening I'm Kojo Nnamdi welcome to evening exchange. The Fight to clean up Meridian Hill Park also known as Malcolm X Park has caused many to wonder just what the fight is all about. Members of the friends of Meridian Hill say the park has been free of bacon and some drug users for quite some time. But last week activist Dick Gregory and a group known as dignity patrol took up residence in the park vowing not to leave until the park was freed from drug pushers and alcohol drinkers. Joining me in the segment. And he's just been here for 60 seconds now 60 seconds ago sitting in this spot was Mark Thompson who was representing the same organization with somehow and he'll explain miraculously as he always does. Dick Gregory manages to be here thank you for joining us. Thank you. Also joining us is Mr. Lavoy see Brown who is a member of the friends of Meridian Hill for.

Give us an update. First you were coming then you weren't coming and then you showed up. What happened I just got out of jail we were going to jail every day if they would give me a permit to put it you know that you don't you don't need permits. And why do I need a permit to put up with you no way. And my problem is unbeknown to a whole lot of folks drugs is really not a problem in America's alcohol because we all know the folks like Coke or alcohol. We see nothing wrong with it. But if you look at three years ago when that guy hit that school bus in Louisville Kentucky killed 30 69 you got eight years in jail had he been on cocaine. If you look at the FBI stats we have last year twenty three point nine percent of all home aside was committed by people that had nothing to anybody but alcohol. Nine point two percent of all you homos was committed by people they had drugs so the chances of us being murdered in America is two to one the person we do with alcohol or another stat that that one day we will have to

understand. Fifty two percent of all crack cocaine is used by white folks. 83 percent of all cocaine This is just a whole white racist system that pushes the whole thing and I felt when I went to that park everybody including the cops in black will say Why don't you go to this tree why don't you go to and some kind of way. I feel that children sitting in that park family or watching people drink legally it's an outrage that adults can live in that area and then opt to do some about. Let me provide some background here in a number of ways because for those people who think the dignity patrol is unique to Washington or the degree it is a passing gadfly activist who will lead. I have read reports where in Street-Porter Louisiana you let a dignity patrol there and that for the past two years parks or wherever the communities are that you lead those patrols are still basically in control of community members and that there are still patrols I read where in Little

Rock Arkansas in 1991 you managed to get yourself arrested by trying to clean out drug paraphernalia out of stores there. Again with the dignity patrol this time with the support of governor then Governor Clinton. Some opposition from the police department but again that measure has been seen as being successful yet. I look back over the past day in newspapers going back to March 1990 here in The Washington Post editorials and in articles in March of and people of the Syrian post and Times editorials on August 15th and and an article on a front page article on August 5th all of them characterizing the park as being rested from the jaws of crime the retaking of Meridian Hill. Yet in October 1993. You say the park was not clean. Report was not clean we got the trace. I didn't understand why it was so much brightness in the morning and you know they they say well the park wouldn't think of the holiday I looked at the date right.

We can hire it was a holiday. They you know I don't understand it maybe just because I'm a father to you that alcohol is the problem. We play all these may indeed have children sitting in a park. Well adults can drink legally. It sends a bad message. They've agreed now to change the signs up. I would you know those signs you think you think you think I'm kidding you're not which is we start on that research paper. You know when you when you start to meet with people that you have to see the halo that white folk bring out about taking a leap but we're going to get older people out of all the stores on wouldn't you want to now. That's what's going to happen. MR. We go back. That is the friends of Meridian Hill go back to 1990. Then it was starting out with maybe 200 volunteers now you claim to have as many as 900 volunteers consistently doing work in cooperation with the Park Service and the police department. How do you characterize the condition of the well could have been what I said at

first of all let me clear up one thing. There was not a fight between us and we are not here a mister we are not here and he didn't break a motive might have so we're going to want to refight the issue and we're very happy to have come in we would clarify the condition of the car as being it's a family business. You're right starting in 1990 there was Syria there was a serious problem. But through friends in Meridian Hill and the cooperation of the neighbors community and surrounding the park. We think we have bought this park back and we're very proud of what we've done what we were concerned about was that Mr. Gregory and his dignity Patrol to come into our community to rescue a park which we didn't feel needed rescuing and not give us gives the community any credit for the work that it had done towards cleaning up what had been a bad situation. There is some drinking in the park and we have in our plans with the National Park Service. We have been assured that signs prohibiting that will be posted in the

very near future. We don't think the drinking is on the level at which Mr. Gregg portrays it to be. You don't think drinking in front of a child you haven't you. Yes I have children I grant you yes I do you how do you how do you get my granddaughter 6 years old when my Nobody did a part. She skates and that you don't know anybody drinking it. Well you know I should say the dignity is an acronym for doing in God's name. Incredible Things for yourself. It's incredible I mean you just see it you know mind people drinking from you know going to have you know it's how prevalent is that in your view. The park is safe. One person can write me for accusing me of a serious problem because what you see in the message out today is something wrong would be wrong. That's all I'm saying and I don't know how far you know Grandfather don't understand

this to say about the Gregory made the point earlier that drinking because it is socially acceptable is not seen as being a problem in public places. He and quite a few other people hold a different view. Have you and friends of Meridian still had face to face discussions with the members of the dignity patrol. And why then are you not able to resolve your differences. We've not had any any formal meetings with them. And yes we agree with the public drinking we don't we don't support that and we would. We're still working with the Park Service to get that corrected. It's being done. People also drink soda in the park they drink soft drinks punch fruit punch. People come in the park with brown bags from a nearby store sit on the bench play chess and drink when we don't demand that people we don't know whether it's sort of beer or whatever it is. So when you say public drinking you have to sort of quantify or be more specific.

The consumption of alcoholic beverages in the packet we we we do not support that. Well it's also illegal. No no it's not it's legal by law no. You can drink you know it's in a paper bag or something that is not what it is. You can drink by law in the park if you know what I say the only thing you can't do is throw the bottle down and want to wait because then they get you for later. But legally you can do right now that we're going to be a genius and that lout on a beach and it's going to be signs up in the park and we don't have any problems with that. You know have a problem with that and you know we welcome the support of in his eyes a park was dirty I was there Monday I watched them collect the trash. The majority of which were leaves. OK. It was quoted on Wu well that they found drug paraphernalia in the park that syringes and condoms were in the park. But yet none of this was displayed for the media when the media when Mr. Gregory held it. President one of this Friends of Meridian Hill do on a daily or weekly basis in the

park. You may see me while I go to a concert. No I never asked you that. I never answer. Well the dignity patrol I'll ask because you did start out in Anacostia on Martin Luther King Avenue and one reading the newspapers one would get the impression that you abandoned Anacostia and went to Meridian Hill knowing you I suspect that was not the case you know what probably the number one worst block counties in Belmont the 14th to the extent that they put one way signs that you cannot use that street one way. 6:00 p.m. 6:00 a.m. for those people who don't know it those that street runs at a 90 degree angle down my street from the instrument when I was a 14th from 14th Street to Malcolm X I live on 15th Street. It's not I guess you got to meet up next we're going to wear that black. From 14 to 15 is not a problem. Now if you want to get on a block you should go to Euclid between 14th and 15th or go to Fairmont Street between 14th and

universal I will get back to an economy something that you dignity if you would go and take your cameras don't here's my word my word and go to that street and ask the business people and the people that lived like don't take my word for it. I'm moving in the hotel that we're going to set up a headquarters there and I guarantee you would 24 hours it will be nothing going on there and I guarantee you within no time after we get that refill paper still we will go and get that but I'm not here to debate this man I don't want your grand children drinking from people that I have never I tell you one thing the one thing I'm smoking everybody for I believe and I've stated before the sun must be going on in that part. But this honorable old man you know he is up tight maybe. I'm going only I don't know about. But I'm probably one. He stood up there and you know damn good and well you know we weren't Wrigley's I tell you something else we did. We left them bags out there. And I tell you what I would have had are you know a hell

of a hang up about what people found. We didn't take the bags away. I would open up the bags and call the press conference and say Here we learn oh 50 some odd bags they are now if they so uptight about what was in it why didn't they watch it he owned this show and sit here and tell you the problem was nothing then why didn't they show it to the news media. Well what I'm sitting here and hearing though is the two groups who have the same intention precisely aim to be one. No I don't mean you can I just don't see how that is my intention. It's right in front children they say is a part that's OK he don't mind it so don't never see it and say we have the same intention once they post no signs up. You can have better part but don't tell me I've got to get somebodies permission to go to a federal park. That's crap. Now I don't know it's not about you. It just go no way it wasn't that he needed to mission to go to a federal park. He needed permission to put a tent in camp. We made that information

available to them and he could have gotten a permit but as he said if the drug dealer. To quote him don't need a permit he doesn't need a permit so there was never any effort to block him from using them. And we welcome him. We really want to work with him. In fact this Saturday we'll be planting trees and shrubs in the park and we would like to have Mr. Gregory in his dignity Patrol to come out help. I've got to get to the phones but I have to ask two quick questions first it was reported that you were taken to the hospital in an unconscious condition about a week ago what was that why you have faith in this land. Nobody got caught. I didn't drink any water that day but there that would be normal that this is the 21st day of a lot of press I feel better now than I did for a day but I'm back on the Anacostia question before is that is that is this still going to be a dignity patrol in MARTIN No that wasn't dignity Patrol OK. That group they're still there in the park. They're my thing. You first it's paper.

I don't deal with don't Bush's idea with bias and I think when cities and towns start putting their camera the reason this is such an outrageous town is all in white folks and you know like well coming here from Maryland. You know you got to do you use light up Name calling isn't he just like when you put a light on the road it's just that simple before you go we want to talk a little bit about what happened in those cities that I mentioned before and Little Rock and who continues the work after Dick Gregory has to leave but I got to get to the telephone you're on the air Caller go ahead please. Yeah I love Park I love the theme park avenue and there's definitely a problem in that park after dark. Everyone talks about oh it's all nice they time they get there and everything. At night they'll drug into that the homosexuals but that takes part in that part. It's a place where they just go to hang out and pick up people. Now you welcome the dignity. Yeah definitely. And for people to deny that something happened that part that may not be there at night I can't even

park my car over there because you break into your car they're waiting right there in the bushes near the steps with a waterfall. So this the other guy acts as if nothing happened and I point to the guys most of the common ranger on duty in the park I think the park hours are the park closes at 6:00 in the winter and night and in the summer. It's an open park. There's no way you can stop people from going in. I cannot deny what he says just does not. Do you think it can be helpful if the dignity patrol spends the night in the park so that those nocturnal activities wouldn't continue and that if past experience is any guide they might be discontinued for a period of years. I doubt that very seriously whether they need support for staying in the park for two weeks is going to make a major change in let me get back to my Street-Porter Lousiana Little Rock Arkansas questions what happens after you leave with the dignity patrols and we had it had been closed down for

five years and any cop that went in there with police cause would be suspended it was called a shooting gallery and a bucket of blood. My wife and myself if I had a clue and bought a tent and pitched a tent we need to go but I'm going to enter a Father Clemons is now based in Washington and you see you see him on evening exchange and we pitch a tent in sitting room or don't deal in us. Just a simple those and I'm a little wimpy punks man all you gotta do is make a snowman. Let me tell you didn't make him tell us what happens after you leave. After you leave Well let me let me do it this way. I have never been to a town that had the potential that this town and you have a mayor that would come out and demonstrate you have young folks that don't mind going to jail. You have counseled people that marched to community with what is here. You take it back one block at a time. The dope pushers didn't get a grip on this tile by using violence they did by manipulating people see here you just come back out and I don't know no place that had 900

members like you where there's no place in America they don't have that and what you do is do innovative things. You take that part and none of the members chipped up some money and put a video camera up that will search that park it might you see here's what you write. Whatever I'm involved in you can tell me to stop you to say you can do it here. MATT DILLON became well we know he didn't say you could rob a bank These are not my town. And that's the only that's the only thing that you do in it works what happens is the community people come in and they move in and once they start being afraid we don't have a grill. We got a fear problem in this town and that fear makes you call me in fear works on a town in a country the same way it works on a balmy sense you know. I hear Mr. Gregory saying good sense. We have an organization in the community that's well established. We think you would have been them. This whole thing would have been handled much better. That he first contacted the community and sought the community's help in his

endeavor. We would have been very glad to help him. Probably what he's doing. What's wrong with doing it now and you know let me say this took only reached the paper. Cross country can't take nobody can take nobody I went in the park and there's nobody can I come in and you know I went in that park and I saw the glass not just brothers not honest enough to say there was no blackness in that point what field he would go I just didn't know you you know you are dishonest. There was glass apart was not filthy but glad. OK let me get to the telephones let me got to try to resolve something here. It's your time call you on the air go ahead please. That's correct Larry how are you. And I admit I am well I'm crawling I cannot believe this man sitting here saying there is not a problem. I'm really really good. Ah it's pathetic and I agree with the first caller you know homosexuality a condom. Why would you want me to read Greek and show you a condom I want to know if you're going to have everyone calling

and saying oh we were all proud for Mr. Gray. The point here is that there is a problem here not I don't even know if you even broke apart when you broke. I don't think we want to you want to cast aspersions on what the friends of Meridian Hill say they've been doing for the last three years because I don't want to get in defending and proving by going to see it when you can see that I would say you know that the park is safe but that what happens at night. But I look at people getting uptight and I say something's going on in that park on the way to it had they found diamonds and I what it is but something as I just saw but I don't think that's unique to Malcolm X Park at night two o'clock people go to parks at 2 o'clock in the moon in a special breed of people that is in my judgment. And I'm sure if you went to other federal park lands we've we've seen this it would Jima Memorial and you know you didn't qualify it as a day and didn't see what goes on in all parks at night.

And if these people not been calling you you probably would not wait let me get another call you on their Caller go ahead please. Thank you for being here. Telling the Queen about solving a problem that they don't want to but they can't. Yeah I think they have. Back to you I think it's great we come in and they found out too much and too much is happening too right. I think you guys have tremendous amount of talent. Why don't you call it. They kind of that kind of stuff in a probably right that uses Christian country song swing knows it. Look I don't know what kind of tactics anybody would want to use. I don't have to get no permission to go to jail. I don't have to get new permission to tell the cops I don't want no permit they have to live in that park. I don't and so when I say why do I need a permit if they don't push

don't need a permit and if I choose to go to jail. OK if I choose the bacteria every day and good you know and go 21 days without eating fish one day right. So what I have asked nobody to do it but I tell you what. We've gone all over this country I didn't give nobody's permission in Little Rock an engine to buy little Miss units report and I'm not going to get nobody's mission when we state is really for people who want to come out of these stores. Now we go in enjoying it but there are no problems somebody joining but I use a technique that somebody else might not agree with and I'm not going to get my technical approved by somebody when I can go. The jail. I'm not asking nobody going to you know when I was sick the other day I asked my son to go to jail for many did and we will go to jail you know in that part. Every day he killed him signs is up when no signs is up. I am BOWing down to Belmont again. He's going to tell me. Well the problem in Belmont. Well listen I just like you please why don't you. Well we will go but I really

resent someone who leaves here though to sit until me. We know if you don't believe it and then you press let it go to the third district and yes you know about that street on Belmont. Let me get a few more people who live here and hear you on the air call or go ahead please. My name is already out. I have a great job I got out. I think everything worked. Yeah man I think I have a very good record. There are problems and there's you know a hole but they're not. No matter whatever. But some people are into it. Prior to that I would wonder why do you know about the type of people that write comment and situation like that but not to my knowledge anyway. If they were about what I don't want anything to be done that

we need to work together and they go to pot. Not every day but on occasion I have helped my mother by writing this problem out and we have but now that the national parks and most of everything. Come on let's go. First let me just say that I'm not running a popularity contest and I don't know if you just turn on the television. I sit here and see it I don't know another town that had groups with the pops up like this. I just said that earlier and I didn't say that. Shuckin and jivin. I'm seein you got a man went to you you got you got tonsil people you can turn this thing around in three months but you're not going to turn around in again almost to you anybody help me I'm on. Populated and we start working on a refill maybe you ain't see nothing that was to say about what's wrong with just letting Dick Gregory go ahead and do clearly what is his thing.

We don't have any problem with that. OK let's roll back to the telephone you on their Caller go ahead please. Yeah I'd like to thank Mr. Wright we certainly want to publish the Ha you're doing about thanks for recognition. Some of the statements about Wright made and you are right you are not correct and I am doing it wrong if you don't or are you good you need to respect the community and now that you write about you went to the park and call the press or recognize what record you Jurai you all right you want how you work with the community and not be a problem for us. You know it's the same thing white folks solace in the sixties when we went into the south. You coming to town without getting permission. From the manner it pleases you x you said that yes you are seeking publicity.

Tell me tell the viewers why because when you get publicity to fear you get people out and I talk all it taught me what you don't see the phone calls this company and people want to meet and but that's what it's about. It is the publisher. Why do you think Clinton is in trouble in Somalia. Because what happened all those cameras it was a publicity if they can do it you know go to Walter Reed Hospital and you'd be shocked how many soldiers and even bring it back you would need links a lot of Somalis. But did nobody know about you is a top listed and with published you can change the whole thing put back to the telephone you're on the air color Go happens all are you there. Yeah go ahead. Mr. Gregory I was very close to a really hard. And I think there should be a means of communication the situation is one of the part can people around the trouble around the park with volunteers if you're taking the side and the city can find a way to clean up the park. But that's not a city park man as a federal or

whatever but not really the main issue is the heart itself. So we're not at all well. But what I was wondering are you saying actually I have known of you for a long time and I have I think it's that of us who are talking about maybe it is a very important thing we have seen in the city trying to wait it out again but I'll tell you not to do that. Can I speak. Yeah but I bet you can give me some respect because I'm not you know respect when you room it was not a city. You were right maybe you will be allowed to continue ma'am go ahead. But you're right man and I think that you're I would I would end it with a pure profit. The part is much much better than it had been in the past five years. I'm betting that party and I have a better method. If it what we want repeated that so be it but I think if the pockets but right now then we won't have to go in and out of the park.

OK thank you. Oh that call is gone. OK and it seems. We're running out of time but it's just it does appear that Dick Gregory haven't been doing what he has been doing for years is determined to continue that with all without permission from anybody. And it would appear that the friends of Meridian Hill are prepared to continue what they have been doing in radio remote Meridien who park with or without consultation with the Gregg all in the know. Seems like a good deal to me now to take a short break we'll be right that. I am going to. Do. Welcome back to events change brain structure to public housing communities is just one of the many

tests of the Department of Public assisted housing. Many district tax dollars have gone into implementing social and cultural programs for housing complex residents. Joining me in this segment David Burlington the chief of resident services for the Department of Public and assisted housing. Good to see you again David. Also with us is Carmen James Lane. Carmen is director of council projects for the DC community Humanities Council. Good to have you here. Thank you. David just going through the list that I was sent today of programs that are a system that are available for public housing residents I was well I could say pleasantly. Surprised but in a lot of ways shocked because when I looked extrapolated from your list and say Potomac gardens there are 17 city finance programs if you go through that whole list from all say all the way down to Uncle Sam and junior youth ministry that are available in Potomac gardens and we know those Potomac gardens as one of the most more troubled public housing projects in the city but I was surprised that the number of city

finance programs they are there on a lot of people must be saying if people are getting so much then what is the problem. Still to think they're not all of city funded or proud of funded too. And we don't refer to them in which I referred to them as projects. But their communities. But in terms of problems we know that every. And. Think that if you were to make an analysis plan between a mess a year ago and then every on every one of our communities where there was an influx of programs there is a change. And maybe you have to begin to see that change yet. Take one example at age will it. About a year ago we had no programs and now we have if you want a list maybe about 70 programs and then the drug problem is not as bad as it was a year ago. The drug problem of atomic garden is not as bad as it was even though we haven't had these programs on our properties and there's a coordination of these programs. The drug dealers the drug influx

begin to operate and we say that and this is why we begin to make these programs available on our properties because we know that and a greater number of programs that are indeed on our communities to be made to begin to take a whole begin to build up the self-esteem and we say maybe in another year the problem will be a Potomac guard as it was a year ago. Because when I looked at said Mary Frances has about eight programs you mentioned Edgewood has about eight programs. People run around saying that the reason that these kids are selling drugs the reason that they're involved in crime is because they have nothing else to do. And when I look at how much else is being provided either by the city or by private sources I can understand why some other people say these young people. By simply not taking advantage of what is already available you knew growing up in the Shaw neighborhood and you know that's where you're from. That if there was a recreation center around the corner that's where you spend your time. But it seems that some young people are still not attracted even when the programs are in place. Well it's because I guess internally a lot of times the direction of a lot of our programs people have to

have a sense of hope a sense of self-esteem about themselves and I know sometimes people have heard of words it's been there but there has to be something where a person feels that they have a future and Monday does not feel that they have a future and then they begin to worry about and concentrate on what they have now and the biggest thing that pays you a great big dollar man I guess is the drug feel the drug market. But when you're talking about changing your life for the future that's hard work. And sometimes when we have kids raising kids those kind of work ethics have not yes have been not permeated throughout our community. There's. Kind of thing that these programs on our property are disease designed to do one talk about education talking about suffixed England's a most important one the one that's not on here is a program that the mayor has sponsored which is about empowerment. And when people begin to feel a part of the decision making process that affect their lives then you begin to see a change in attitude as well and say we want to work gardens and the major one that we have there is the one that we deal with the mayor has

created the resident councils on each of our properties as well as a citywide advisory board that bashes the mayor in the band's new director about a problem which is Mr. Robert Jenkins. When you get people involved in the decision making process then they become a part of ownership to a certain extent. They begin to be involved in decision and yes sometimes that doesn't work well with us because we like to make the decision all the time thinking and quotes that we are the professionals. But it is same time we know the democratic process begins too. Infuse a certain sense of respect a source of pride and a certain sense of a hopeful future. And people who do not believe that they have a future then everything goes in disarray and people commonly wonder well what do the humanities have to do with all of this because when we think of services being provided in public housing communities we think of those words that David don't like those self esteem services we think of of drug abuse prevention services we think of recreational centers we don't often think of the humanities

So tell us how and what role do the humanities play in. Well through the city lights program the DC community tell us what city lights program hits the city lights program was developed just about four to five years ago and the purpose of the program. It was designed to work with public housing residents to engage them in educational and cultural programs. We found that through the programs that originally started as a movie program we would bring a local scholar and a movie that was perhaps on DC history and involve residents and looking at the film and recounting their memories and experiences and what we found was a lot of Washington history resided right in the residence right there. And the program has evolved over the last four years to be a program that really involves youth involves adults and also seniors and

programs that not just teach history or teach culture or teach values or deal with African-American culture history but also engage them in exploring these issues for themselves. For instance we have most recently I'll use Potomac gardens as the example since we've been discussing Potomac gardens over two and a half years ago we started a long term effort up Toma gardens where we worked with young people and brought in storytellers local historians other community people and worked with kids and not just telling stories but getting kids to tell their own stories exploring African folktales and their meaning. Stories that dealt with adversity. How do you. Get over obstacles in life and and really engage kids in this kind of discussion and also brought in seniors and adults in this kind of program

and that has it's been a long process but from there one of the ultimate goals of City Lights is not just to bring programming to public housing residents but also to to spark in them a desire for them to do their own project. And that's part of the Empowerment Process a program like city life in a tough financial time like this when the city has to be cutting programs. How do programs like city life survive because when people think of programs being cut they think that only those programs that serve the direct day to day living needs of residents are the ones that need to be retained How do you make an evaluation an assessment of the importance of a program like city lights like the alliance we have nothing to do with their budget. But as I indicated there are a number of these programs that on our properties that are in the right and I don't know which are private and then the ones that are crucial to them. Just a government like the popular recreation and maybe like the old name of the OSA program. Well that's a decision again that the thought of having a recreation

made but we do have resident councils is that the resident councils make the decision on whether these programs want to are given space or are given the work with all to work on our problems we don't make the decision. The programs that we have that come from the Department of that management and those type of thing but in terms of these activities you see on our properties these but I'm not funded by US per se they are funded by I can take for example the grade of watching boys and girls club it's a private rocket right we have one about five of our properties and then again we also have some of these programs that come from federal dollars through the HUD program to be on the call and no notice of funds available that we will get maybe private entities to come together and to develop a program that is meant to hurt and get funded. Take one example the CAD programs the community efforts against drugs that's a one point seven million not a program that's in public housing that is not funded directly from the city the district spans from federal money. So you have a myriad of programs like that but the fact of the resident councils are influential and whether programs like city lights go or stay here is a part of the

empowerment process I actually talk that's the decision making process that they make every pro going to see on this list Lizzie was a decision. The residence on each of these properties they have these programs on their property. Common I'm fascinated by one aspect of the city lights program and that its appeal or its potential for young people because even though it all sounds wonderful. I know that it's much more easy for either seniors or those adults in the complex to relate to what the history of Washington was because then of the part of it those young people who have only lived the very most recent part of Washington's history and when you mention movies earlier our young people seem to be attracted to movies that have a great deal of violence and some people would say a great deal of sex in them. How do you get young people in those communities to take a real interest in the kinds of movies that you're talking about that are of historical significance for them when they don't seem at least from where I sit to be that interested. Well I think the first thing that needs to be considered is. Our

young people are hungry for knowledge. They're hungry for knowledge of who they are. They're hungry for direction and part of the process for city lights to provide for our young people is number one to take a valid interest in them to show that we're committed and part of that is in continuity of programming. A lot of the programs that you see at least from my experience have come and gone and people as well as the children are highly perceptive. They know who's going to be there for the long run. And part of the process is coming back and bringing the knowledge and or bringing the information and involving them getting their input. City Lights is a very interactive program it's not just sitting a group of kids down in front of a television and having them watch a movie. It's very interactive we do a lot of hands on activities with young people as well as involving them in the process of telling their story.

Well in case you haven't guessed by now we know that you are used to hearing about what's wrong in our public housing communities. And tonight we thought we would tell you a little bit about what's right in our public housing communities. You have to take a short break right now but when we come back we will have an even more specific example of what's working. Stay with us. What.

Welcome back to even the exchange we've been discussing what social and cultural programs are available at the district public housing residents. With us in the segment this film Russell she is the president of the senior council of home gardens. She testified before a House Appropriations Committee on behalf of funding for the public humanities. Thank you for joining us. And also with us. Capital woman Cathy was a community activist and teacher academic and which for the record

school in the district still with us Carmen James Lane director of the council projects for the D.C. Humanities Council. Yeah could you please tell me that I give you the wrong item now because she's telling us a little bit about what it is that you to I were city light and direct the movie program at five public housing properties. But you're the one I said probably directed my question to you how do young people respond to these movements. Actually I was sitting downstairs saying you should ask me that and I thought you said you're asking. Actually I just showed a film about it's called Brother future it's about a young hustler in the community who gets hit by a car and he's knocked unconscious and when he comes to he is thrown back in time to 18 22 and he slayed and he has to go through that experience of humiliation all of the pain and torment of that experience and I'm sure there's a Sibley Plaza and it's the young people they ate it up. I mean they would

they have voted to see it again they want to see it again. And following that I showed them a movie about a young young girl who was part of the Segregated schools in Texas and so they say they want to know. They had no idea about what slavery was really like. They had seen Queen and they had seen roots but this once they could relate to it because he went back in time with his present day attitudes. No I would be no slave and all that you know when he woke up and the first white man he runs into you know they say well we're going to take you boy and he says Oh you've got to read me my rights and they cracked up. That's right I know you ain't got no right. You know and the kids could relate to that. I mean they looked at that movie and they sell so much history they want to talk about well why did they want to read or write. They because they want to keep it stupid and I mean and we talked about education and what school what should they what should their priorities be now in terms of school and so had a direct impact on their you know those of people who don't know that Kathy has a bit of movie

experience herself as a matter of fact we were this this week. The new film Sankofa about how to dream is going to be released here in Washington they're having a reception for it even as we speak. And you were in his last film as I recall actually the numbers with the name of Yahn. Yes Kathy flume played a role that some of it was it was shot in her part called let's see there's a phone in the movie. Project the report of the future on a policy analyst for the American Friends Service Committee. I see all of this to say that you bring a wealth of experience and cultural history into the city lights program and I suspect that's one of the reasons you are so enthusiastic about doing. Yes I mean I think that I think Carmen's point earlier about self-esteem and the young people being very hungry for it is really true. I had a 9 year old little boy at that site tell me that he did. He didn't have an injury and I was stunned. I said What do you mean he said there's nothing to do for an 8 9 to have that love the sense of them about life was striking to me.

And so what we try to do. Oh go ahead. Is to let them see movies let them see situations of adversity and show the strength that black people have always had is that we dare to dream in the worst of circumstances so that we can prompt them to think about OK what what can I be. What do I want to be I mean I can do this. Other people have been in worse situation than mine got through it and we just hugged because a lot of our young people today just to know that somebody will love thank you and Mr. Russell can't you talk about the worst of circumstances when you have to move in the Potomac gardens back in 1987 after coming from the south. You found a complex in which there was a lot of drawings and a lot of crime. And somehow or another you managed to find the city lights program ways to open doors with your neighbors and with the race to start a relationship with ships with young people. Tell us about when City Lights came. Approximately two years

ago we lived in the building and as I have said before we were neighbors but we didn't know anything about there was no communication. City Lights has brought communication between all of us and this program has been enriching to us because we have returned a lot about our culture. We found out that so many of us have endured some of the same problems coming from the south and it hasn't reached us that we are now able to take and be proud that we are black that we have this culture and this city lights program has been a very very good thing for us. It also will help us to help our youngsters because they need that help nowadays. All they see is climate. And if we can reach them thing for

them to realize that they can do we will be proud. Well you may be a senior but you look to me like a junior senior and say thank you. I'm wondering to what extent city lights help you to improve your relationship with your neighbors children. Because a lot of people feel that now our young people don't have as much respect for adults and soon as they let us know true. And I'm wondering the extent to which city life has been able to help you to come together. Well as I say with the program we will be able to teach the children. I have grandchildren and this will help me to teach my grandchildren to tell my children to teach to their children about their culture and about things to learn about. We haven't learned about about black history which sometimes you hear him say in February this is Black History Month. But really you don't take the time to study it. But this has taught us

to take really look into your history and find out about your ancestors and be able to relate this to other children and to your children. Were you surprised at any of a comment by the response of people say in Toma gardens to the city lights program and the way it has functioned to bring out people like Russell and to bring together. Well it's been in all fairness a process and it hasn't been necessarily an easy process but it's been a process that over a period of time we've worked with the residents in terms of providing programming and sharing ideas about things that they could do to further explore the history and culture that resides right within them. And Miss Russell's being very shy in talking about their project. But part of the process of City Lights was what I was trying to say earlier we encourage residents to come through our grant program by developing a project of their own

and city lights work with the seniors to do that and they developed a project called In Search of common ground which has recently won one of the highest honors for state humanities Council's swats award it was just awarded this past summer the split was modest Tell us about this. Let's be honest about that. Well we decided we had a down home week. We had residents from every state and we would talk to them ask them how they came here they have been here how did they get here. And about oral history we learned about some of their lives. The things that they had done some of the things they they had gone through and we put this all together I had it on videotape and we had shown it to the residents and everyone is just so that the gases that you know they are on tape and all of this is being shown. And when climbing told me yesterday and told us that we had won the award. I was

just astonished this has just gone so far and the residents of Potomac gods are so proud. Well you clearly deserve it Kathleen. To what extent the split dissipated and these activities inspire the creative juices of the people involved the young so they want to perform. I think they get it. They see themselves as able and I think the thing that we try to do is to give them a sense of that they are able and they will do so that they don't see themselves as passive that everything happens to them. And that's why we do interactive activities with them with the movie rather than just have them sit passive. I think that's a real key that we use they try to get their thinking writing talking tell their own story. And they they volunteer information I mean they just go on and on you know say OK well can we get back to you.

They're so enthusiastic. I don't think a lot of people stop to listen to them or to really have conversations with them. We make judgments about well every easy quick one would be tempted to say it's a Miss Russell to Carmen and the Cathy to well and good luck but as common points out there's a lot more than luck involved. It's a part of a process and a process into which clearly a lot of thought has gone Kathy through Ellen's appearance on the show continues the nom de tradition of making sure that every one of my neighbors eventually appears in an even exchange because most of them are involved in something very productive and Kathy is a newly arrived next door neighbor Welcome to our community and I know you bring with it some of the assets that you bring to the city lights. Thank you all for joining us we're going to take a short break we'll be right back. You know. A.

And

welcome back in case you are interested and you should be that award winning project by the senior residents Council of Potomac gardens called In Search of common ground is going to be on display at the Anacostia museum sometime pretty soon so please keep an eye out for it. That's our show for tonight. Thanks to all of our guests for appearing and most important to you for your participation in the evening exchange. The night. I am. Who I Am. I am.