Neighborhood at the Crossroads

But I do care about many a loser in life today that been afraid and I am afraid. Just last year we lost the 14 year old boy in an alley because of the drugs and I don't want to you might think it was easy because it wasn't easy it was hard. For the first third of our time. The only thing we could do was clean up tracking down heavy they are behind me now. Really. Neighborhood at the crossroads is made possible by. He said he sees it. Looking to build a better future. Indianapolis. The crossroads of America. This neighborhood is a good piece of what made it so you could get. From point A

to Point B in the United States. The Carpenters the farmers people built the buildings the building outposts they lived here. Here train switched and trolleys turned all the wagons and trolley cars down as far as the fountain and made water mules corralled at the back and tell everybody the neighborhood we were you dorky was put here out following World War 2 Appalachians arrived. It was late because the people between Lexington and Plaza they knew you from my child. Barbara Ferguson was a little girl with her Kentucky parents immigrated to Indianapolis for jobs. We had just a village Lessel we had because we were all related to one soon. Rhodes now travelled by all of America and its visitors rang up rapidly thank her.

During your life's journey we needed transportation. The road changes facilitated suburban flight ribbons of elevated interstate expressways whisk people away so they took a lot of business. And they cut a swath through lowered area raised area that's progress and the construction of I-65 crowded out homes schools and churches for a Shelby where all the houses was numbered and everything of the houses and they were going to pay for that. Let me know what I was going to go from in early times the public traveled through this thriving historic Indianapolis community. Now. The public travels over it and now thousands and thousands of trucks and cars they go through this neighborhood every day and they have no clue of what's here. Walled off by this kind of progress a sea of trouble gradually welled up in the old neighborhood like the main SLN Mantik ditto of the stone tools that

used to hold it. Yea I hope so. Or how and I don't know if you can let him hit you. The police came. They are lucky enough to pay you a ticket. Door the truck. And put it labeled a. Poet and sometime the night he come back that paralyzing poverty and hunger substance abuse illiteracy and even death merely try and there's a lot of people that don't want it. And there were only about him. Because he's really no future. So how did it happen. Against all odds that neighbors rose up to stand up to drug dealers to reclaim their schools clean up their streets and homes working together for a new to us and caring friend. It is an extraordinary story of making connections of transformation. The

story of a neighborhood at the crossroads. Ten years ago this was the place. Everybody. Said. But if you're going to. Do something. You're going to have to have. People. They have. They love what they've got. This South Side community is home for one of the most culturally. They were at the service. They were the people taking.

You to them. You had no service and what is a city without services of the 35000 people who live here 80 percent white 12 percent black 80 percent Hispanic. Most of the children live at or below the poverty line. Nearly all receive free or reduced school lunches. In 1995 more than half of them could not pass the state standardized exam. Most couldn't even walk to school without running a gauntlet of drug dealers plying their trade right on the sidewalks. Less than half were graduating from high school. The rest faced a dim future of underemployment and poverty. And in 1990. Infant mortality rates were the highest in the nation. But. Crime rates soared nearly everyone had been or knew a victim of crime. Neighborhood where Dennis kind of goes to work. You know work and I'm going to. Wear Pedro Sanchez waits for word. This is a good thing. And this is not the.

Worst case you do you walk your children to school so I had a rough life. I don't want to sound like his bill through anything like I was. Nothing like I. Was just trucks to drink. If I had the body I would I would change I would change this world. Change did grow but not because of money. It was more like an explosion because you know everything should. Be for that. Some say it starts. With a big bang. Last week's fire at Citizens Gas Coal Plant is raising some tough questions from neighbors. Ten years ago on an icy afternoon in the neighborhood the citizens gas storage tank blew up. Houses shook black smoke billowed. There was literally and pervasively a rude awakening. I don't feel that health issues have been addressed adequately. Have a fab right campaign whatever it is it eats up my right a medieval Rosicrucians we leave again.

Imagine something so destructive providing such a profound and galvanizing moment. Seen other gaskets and you have staff they bring you winders storm barrels. Now put on the house. Over 200 people some of whom had never attended a neighborhood gathering came to confer with gas company officials on United or oil station on Prospect and. Keystone was evacuated but none of our neighbors was exactly a vacuum waiting why one of the things that changed was the neighborhood expect. If you are in this neighborhood you are neighborhood person. You are neighborhood corporation. You are our neighborhood business. You do need to be a neighbor before as opposed to now we don't really have a direct connection with the neighborhood or we sit down actually meetings and open discussions with them. By evening's end neighbors and gas officials were talking earnestly. The gas company established a community alert network. And pledged more collaboration.

Neighbors including a determined little woman with a powerful voice. Had finally taken a stand. That little lady writer will tell you exactly how it is. She doesn't sugarcoat nothing. OK and Rachel and the Seiko organization as you know claimed to. Own houses fix them up. If we have the power now what we've got now was the fanciest that's why the House Rachel Cooper personifies the neighborhood. Gritty resourceful unwavering. I call myself. The reason he has somebody he's got to be the spokes. These races are boundaries she grew up in the neighborhood where I graduated I got married again you

know if I get away from it all way. Martin. Matter How Far Away she moved this part of the south side remain home if anything might indicate ignited a passion in her had demanded she return home to save face for the children and set a legacy for her daughter more so that you could walk down the alleys the trash was so bad by all that we had no parks. We had no green space. To take back the neighborhood to make sure your kids are raised on an education you gotta learn to do that. And to do that. It took community people to do it. Rachel Cooper helped start a small but influential neighborhood group known as secret Southeast Community Organization.

And you had to become street smart community smart. And that's at that time we didn't thank the city of Indianapolis. Did anything stop them once and for. Others from neighborhood groups were also picking up steam. Friday night swing dancing in duck pin bowling helped some merchants champion economic development. I think number one Fountain Square has more character as far as the buildings than anyplace else in the city. Winston Calvert bought the old fountain square building believing there might be value in historic architecture of his boyhood home. It looks like an old little town right here in the city of Indianapolis. But city officials claiming there were too many conflicting voices turned a deaf ear. They refused redevelopment support. Everybody was. You know. Their own little. Worlds of I don't mean to be derogatory but. That's just the way the neighborhood was structured. If you abandon something for 30 years a whole lot of trash can develop it

becomes OK for people from the outside to come in. And to dump in your neighborhood. Neighbors decided to see what they could do on their own. The first step up the trash for the first third of our time. We're working in this area. The only thing we could do is clean up trash. Or mice anything. Really. Annie E. Casey Foundation recently surveyed southeast neighbors It found that even today trash is their number one concern. The next alley over where you're going to turn into that alley and it would be so clogged with trash that you couldn't get down the alley. Sometimes homes were simply abandoned. Why can't Loretta Watkins elected to stay and even invest in homes others had left behind. If I can own property and keep it fixed up and all my rental property and he thinks that how come you can't do it. But these people don't want to do them this is where our problem comes in.

Watkins and neighbors such as Barbara Ferguson helped forge vital relationships with Health and Hospital and zoning inspectors who up until now had not consistently enforced codes. I always go over. And introduce myself to the neighbors. I'll go over. And tell them. Sometimes I waver and I said you need to clean up this place the man across street. What's wrong with you. At the house across the street from her right here people castrate sometimes one week they speak it to me. And the next week they're not because see the health department came over and they said No Barbara that. They have thing to do with it. Probably not. But lifestyles do clash. But despite the uncertainty neighbors know what poses problems. I think you still. Can't prove that there's a long enough come up to hug

to you. Well it really takes down the property values. You know when I think that house down there is for selfish Washington golf when I care enough about the neighborhood to try to tell you that the people at least keep up their property you know where you. Listen to Jeff Troxel is not who but others have. It's more or less like trance that they movie and they stay a while they tear the place up. Then they move out or they get evicted for nonpayment other rape it's not too much bored help can do when the people inside. When he comes back he'll claim that put it out there in the back leg they have give it to them and maybe not then what the hell comes and sometimes they have come with trucks and damn straight and move stuff and then yes they're charged but why do it have to come to all of us in

1991. Send the southeast Neighborhood Development Corporation began investing millions of dollars to renovate dilapidated and empty houses which remained affordable you know for. The short haul stuff. Even today the vast majority of the homes are still rentals according to the KC Foundation's making connections survey only 26 percent of Southeast residents own their own homes as compared to 61 percent in Marion County. All the plumbing and drains in change all the heat all the electricity you know very few outlets. The owner of this property lives in the suburbs. Absentee landlord to five rental homes on the street this morning. Before he was organized and got involved some landlords were cutting up single family homes turning them into illegally crowded multi housing units. Oh there it dispersed the morning.

Then in November of 1995 the inevitable happened and all of a sudden you harness like a force or when an explosion but it was like a bull and the whole top of that place just one of the crimes got blown out of a four year old Brett Smith 3 year old Timothy Jennings and six month old like Granny died huddled in a corner of one such apartment they could not find a way out. Nor could Barton find their way into say ignited by grief. Neighbors united to hold absentee landlords accountable in some cases court ordered landlords to pay huge fines for what they can is is a community's. Inability. To. Have a good vision of itself. The neighborhood had little money but the residents confidence grew with its successes both in the courts and around the board table of area businesses. And I don't want to I think it was easy because it wasn't easy it was hard it was pay. Hit the pavement go on to those companies that you didn't know how to talk to.

Getting in meetings been very disappointed at first because when you go into meetings you're thinking that everything's will be solved. It's not takes a long time takes a long time to play and it takes a long time for investment takes a long time for people to understand what this community is about what it you know what it means. Thank your sorry were blazing another fire this time at the pallet company reminded neighbors about other businesses that had exodus to the suburbs. I read on here is the cornerstone fart in the Star get bigger better. We're all staying here. We had to figure out what was going to be committed to the neighborhood. Employees at the pallet company were determined to rebuild the boat house in the snow snow coming on the phone on the house you know to keep it going keep it rolling. All our customers like this is just what we're doing here. You know this is what we do.

That's how we want our money from this residence better understood the importance of neighborhood business partnerships to forge lasting relationships with neighborhood companies such as broiling in Eli Lilly along the way. They reached out to help each other. And I worry about. Things. I. Cannot change. You know Forest People come to the forest stuff like that I can bring resources to people. Come along. I'm proud of myself. That I can see a. Single mom of four kids. And one like that. Sometimes I wonder Hello. At the same time Rachel Cooper was moving along with Stacy beam and seemed to be getting nowhere. I lived on Washington Street when summer was just a baby and then I moved out to my mom's. Then we moved to rural St.. Then I lived on Hamilton and I lived on Lexington road don't cross but it's on the backbone much in it.

As fate would have it the station's oldest daughter's summer going to see the neighborhood youth group. My self-esteem I had none. I stayed at home all the time. David did not allow me to. But yet he wouldn't pay the bills either so everything was on disconnect everything was going wrong is like. Ok baby. Ah paying it on the refrigerator when we get home ok. But their dad was so abusive it wasn't even funny. I'm talking in a fistfight and this man's bigger and bigger Mario. So it was pretty bad. Big stuff about a situation like this he made new friends and inspired by her daughter she took the next step to a better life. This summer was in the second grade and she's very good at school.

She always has been. But she got into that habit. Well I don't have to finish school you didn't. Ok bye. Not a problem. I would school with her every day for a whole year. I would even start program every day for a whole year even start was and continues to be a valuable program in this neighborhood offered right here within public school thirty nine Even Start is a facility for adults to earn over do high school diplomas. Well their children go to class across the whole. You want to control. He wanted everything his way or no way. We fist fought every day. And I will get there is heroism in survival supported by neighbors. Stacy persevered earned her GED and changed her life. If you want my child you know what I am now. She helped me feel good about myself. I walk down the street my head held high which is that my never done before. The second piece was the neighborhoods were working desperately to reduce the drug

the drug sales and violence in the community. They have pride. They love what they've got and you just will get out of here if you want to do something foolish of that nature in this neighborhood because they will still be a 1994 crime rates remained among the highest in the city. Drug dealers commanded the sidewalks and entice the children. When you're on the stuff you know you don't care about anybody else. Mike Best lost his childhood to drugs. I got mixed in with some friends. And stayed. You know. Doing. The right thing at the wrong. Prison like it's not a good thing. Neighbors knew they had to take action in order to save their children. This used to be a drug house here see how everything's cleaned up. It's amazing this used to be horrible. I mean it was horrible horrible guys. It's beautiful now compared a lot of years debate. Rachel Cooper was elected president of Saeco when she and other neighbors risked their lives for change. Beginning in 1994 neighbors stood together outside drug houses effectively

shutting down street drugs and we were buried. We're we're just residents in the neighborhood free. Was I scared. Probably a little bit. But down deep I knew if we didn't change would never change. I P.D. officers knowing the danger provided protection for the citizens. Tim Martin had just been named deputy chief. He'd grown up on a sound from his own father a motorcycle officer some of the particular houses we had made numerous arrest out of almost weekly protests there the people got. Really leery about continuing to deal drugs. Right here if that girl is out there at the bank I want it cooked up stairs. And his mother was eighty three years old his mother lives here too. Yes his mother. He lived with his mother and he cupped after he cooked up stairs that smell like cat urine. He called us every name there is but we had the officer with us. So when's he going to do it he can't do anything and now we know what big Welling is in prison and he got nine years.

Say it's a success when you drive the dealers off the street inside because it does lessen violence and that is a lot of what we have done. You know we don't have any open air dealing like some poaching drug houses don't look like drug houses. They are probably the most beautiful house on the street because they don't want they don't want zoning in on them they don't want help in the hospital on the say on the street is changed and the whole atmosphere of the neighborhood changes. Neighbors stage require drug marches and forge better stronger relations with. Before neighbors reached out many of them considered officers to be outsiders among the police ranks. That disconnect also caused apathy especially at night when crime is always at its worst. Live like. These are the hours

when public safety officers are the gatekeepers between tragedy and security. Are you gentlemen. Will. One day. Just one day. With my. Son. Now. What I believe is start a war and. The drug marches sent a passionate message to officers neighbors cared about and they were grateful. For their protection. We lost a hero last night. And I think you can expect our community to respond appropriately. That close relationship with police cause neighbors to grieve and grieve. In August of 2004 a heavily armed gunman killed his mother and opened fire on south district neighborhood police before the deranged gunman was killed.

Four officers were wounded and patrolmen claimed. He was well respected officer from that apartment. And I want to. And. He did. Serve the citizens. No greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for friends. They are the ones. That was not a police department. It's us. Mike Best is now earning his GED. He wants to build houses. And shake those trees to the fire you may get a. Better signal. Fountain Square can easily be seen from the city county building. But only when the drug marches occurred. Did anyone there take notice. The south side could be ignored no longer. The deputy prosecutor was assigned the neighborhood IPD built a new district headquarters and Mayor Steve Goldsmith promised financial

support. It Saeco would collaborate with other neighborhood groups. Fact Bates Hendrix and Fountain Square among them they agreed and sumo the southeast umbrella organization was born. The city paid a salary of a neighborhood coordinator. Groups now met regularly partnerships and communication got better with social and community agencies. There was even a resource center charged with writing grant applications. All these things kind of came together. People heard what we were doing on the south side like the Annie Casey Foundation who said hey we love what you guys are doing and that's what we're all about strength and family and stuff we want to give you some money. We want to be a part of your team. And what's the chances of that happening. The Southeast Side neighborhoods activities fit with the famous Casey foundation's mission to improve the lives of disadvantaged children. I think they were expecting kind of typical down and out neighborhoods and they got to this neighborhood the neighborhood is receptive. But the neighborhood said you know look we're already going somewhere. You know you're welcome to come along.

In 1997 through its making connections initiative the N.E. Casey Foundation began investing in Southeast Side neighborhoods. This is all what they want to do anyway. So for us it's like how do we partner with you to accomplish the results you wanted in these successful partnerships kept attracting new collaborators and the community partners who were making visible differences. Well that was Bill Brady's barber shop. And Hall in his retirement Bob Cruz went to work helping send clean up blighted homes. We hope to stimulate pride of ownership. And pride of humanity. In a by. Citizens Gas helped turned a blighted corner into a baseball field. What were once trashy lots were real trash dump. And turned it into a nice park were now green spaces. This was from the NE parts and bakers and Daniels and fact were just out there a

committeeman and actually they made a beautiful park. A lot of kids go him stead of being out on the sidewalk complain Champix go this park just like it was part of his life. You got the residents by and that's what you have they can get the news and I'm not saying we didn't get the residents by and I'm saying we know now we happen to run by you at the same time. An academic observer was about to make another major impact on to the community landscape throughout my career I've always taught out in the neighborhoods what classes got used where I wore coats because I never knew when we were going to go out for a walk. For years to Mayer a Ph.D. from the University of Ind. I was focused his work on race and class relations in Indianapolis. What he saw happening on the southeast side was unlike anything he'd ever observed. He decided to study this is one of the improvements being made by people that look good in our lives. The alternative to gentrification is incumbent upgrade where people live in the neighborhood. Fix it up clean it up make it a good place to live.

In this neighborhood. Thank Heaven upgrading has been able to mature and become a force that counter some of the effects of the case. So there are changes but they're not the typical changes that we see in urban neighborhoods where it's just low income people being pushed out by upper income people. He asked the university to fund a storefront classroom. I don't know where I get the money to do it so well you know it's time to try anyway. What may have gone beyond his dreams. Bill Taft too is director of southeast neighborhood development came to me about the carburetor factory building here is in really bad shape. Send plans call for five million dollars in renovations. Most of the space will be turned into apartments for poor and upcoming artists. But since needed an institutional anchor to lease the space unsuitable for housing. I thought. You know I really must be out of my mind you know brain. Top people from the university through this wreck of a building. That's saying this is my vision for what higher

education is going to be in the future. But my own thought I was nuts but they did agree to. The university becoming a partner in the project. Today the University of Illinois hopeless investment is hailed as a vision you're going far beyond the financing of a building. The university also committed staff to the community giving its professors such as Tim Mayer additional time for Community Studies and personal involvement. What I find teaching my classes in the neighborhood here is that the neighborhood has become the textbook and because the students are here they're experiencing it they're smelling it they're saying at their hearing it is a very effective text. Even when we're in the classroom because so many students have experienced you know the move afforded students themselves immediate immersion in their fields of study whether social work health care or the arts university was officially a community partner. And the wheel or arts building became a reality.

There are subsidized apartments for artists here. Offices university classrooms and galleries to. A block away from Wheeler artists began investing in other vacant buildings in homes and to have a real art center developing on the south side is a surprise to people. If you tell a Mass Ave in our district. It's gone or you are just there in the wind because the artist did not own the property when the property value went up. They got kicked out. But this is no me in our culture for I will number of years because of ownership by the artist is different in this community than any place else. While some buildings rose from the ashes and others succumb to. And along with it two little Hispanic children. Who might have been saved had firemen been able to understand pleas for help delivered in Spanish this is a tragedy just. Burns me up. Another tragedy

another test. For the neighborhood effectively worked to expand the boundaries of cultural tolerance. Poor wicks and months after it was really hard to drive down the street because you knew that your last two small children by the lack of communication. Neighbors worked with police and fire officials to find a solution for the future. Well that's when the neighborhood took charge and bam we started heaven the university didn't apples start teaching our fire department our police department Spanish all agreed at least one bi lingual police and fire dispatcher would always be on duty. It taught us in the neighborhood that there is diversity that we need to learn to work on the issues of diversity was the minimum. It's a sad moment when you hear the newest immigrants are mostly Hispanic about me. Again you kind of have their you know present and despite efforts to discourage it home for some is sometimes the street mistakes you see

as a kid I mean just that there was going to be better communication and accepting cultural differences are key to making things work even when things are going badly. One that's a damn how far can I go some time you want to wonder whether or not you're getting anywhere. Faster as a rust came to the neighborhood 30 years ago. You figure to be preaching mostly to an African-American congregation. Sure enough the solvency of his church left by his and whatever preferably thank you for this day we thank you for. Coming Together we think it's not just just 11 o'clock service and you go home and and then and it's over it's over. It's a like a pointer for a while when Russ discovered that his was a very racially diverse congregation. One of his biggest challenges would be bridging cultural gaps.

There was an empty lot and what would happen if he didn't have a park. Over Nissen an era for the little bit of fellows many live pretty troubled lives here. So he's only got 90 is less selfish when Clifford Thomas first came to the church. He didn't even have a place to stay you know it just takes a lot of time to get things really all day you know. We drive we try to work together right. My daughter races together this rather than always preggers. Yes your world is right in the election push and I think if what he has regressed is a warm presence on cold hard days in the neighborhood. I had no idea that a man if somebody was taken your moment of office out of you however were must see how he would get in the trunk of the car today. That's a lot of nerve in a day brought all day so we called them were called. Mrs. Barker first reports the crime to a central dispatcher and they told me that then I had to get my plate number. And.

Who on live on property got disabled and I at least tell you to go out and look at the license plate. Yeah your license plate number and who owned the property. You know why would I go out and get shot of something and you know do it kind of do the drought there but I do care about right and left today that been a very you know I am a very. A second call directly to south district police finally brings help the second time today came real quick you know I talk to when they're locked up to two years it was very nice to be safe gets a lot to report on things like you. Are like me get flooded right drawing drew something like you know pull their hair. Many months later the difference comes. Several have been arrested and convicted for crimes committed in this part of the neighborhood.

They are behind me really. Thank you very much. And that's the heavy part. Those accused of misdemeanor crimes in this neighborhood go to court in this neighborhood. That's because in 2001 prosecutor Scott Newman partnered with neighbors and opened the Indianapolis community court house in this old bank building. It's an innovative approach. The process is prompt. And punishments are meted out to protect the community where the crimes are committed. Today those sentenced to community service find themselves doing neighborhood cleanups. Others help deliver the southeast square newspaper to over a thousand homes. The paper established with the help of any case the dollars keeps residents informed about neighborhood issues. We live here. With. You Lou. Your city I live here with you. Some offenders as part of their plea agreements really connect with neighbors face to face during impact encounters sponsored by the prosecutor's office. You scare the hell outta me.

At first there's tension of a car and your drunk. You not only could kill yourself but you could kill me and my kids. Everyone loves you a lot of problems. How do you think it may have impacted the community I also wrote. From there. But toward the end of a meeting the tone changes you've made it clear that there are apologies to offenders from this panel even volunteer to serve on the other side of the table or grab one of these thick pants low impact allows real victims among the neighbors to speak up and more and more neighbors were setting aside cultural differences and coming together to solve problems. And I can see change that I'm very proud of. Chang far as wholes parts attitudes I think my heart and the attitudes of the residents of how they didn't see a future in this community before that they didn't see a future

with communicating before. Now everybody don't hesitate to call as you heard from some of the residents. We don't hesitate to call Crime rates in the neighborhood are among the lowest in the city. We are below the national average. And if you look at every place else in the city including downtown we're much lower in crime here than anywhere else in the city. Pretty amazing. Still there was one issue the neighborhood had not yet. The nurse here thinks this whole neighborhood was and yes the kids we began to see that our children were not graduating from high school they were having we were having terrible dropout rates and it was a terrible thing for a neighborhood after that. In 1994 two middle schools had high crime rates. In 1996 every school in the neighborhood was placed on probation for poor academic performance. Only 18 percent of the kids were graduating from high school.

I know you're 17 so you went to school when you graduate high school. Corey Carter home schooled really. Good. Schools around here get. Rid of him. Teachers don't want to teach. Kids really don't want to learn. And I'd say well why be here if you don't want to learn. Sadly Actually I dropped out about the same time neighbors began taking a stand. One result Indianapolis Public schools gave the neighborhood bold administrators who were not afraid to serve them and address the needs of the community. I know. They want the very best for their children. Honey pool packs a mighty punch. This Far Star. She is determined to keep neighborhood kids in school. So this is a poem their compassion for a human to human probably is the most genuine thing that gives us something to belong. Pool is a passionate hands on principle and one of the neighborhoods three public elementary schools was. OK when she arrived. Fewer than half

a third graders were passing by step classrooms were revolving doors for children who were falling behind because their families were moving from place to place. Pool and other neighborhood principals began cultivating relationships among parents and neighborhood businesses. Volunteers from Eli Lilly Baker Daniels citizens gas and other companies began coming weekly to tutor children. All the kids in the room their hands go up PICK ME PICK ME. And you want to take Molly in but you can't you know. So you take that one and that one student will step up and say either he or she is here for me. Children come with many needs. By the time they reach sixth grade half will be full or partial dental plates. For many the only square meal is served at school. We haven't eaten breakfast that morning. You don't really care. Plus four plus five years whatever. Oh if you hurt your mother in the significant other in her lives quarrelling because the rent is due for the week and you heard that argument this morning and you even through the eyes of a six year old understood there wasn't money

to pay it and not so inclined to be interested in reading or math or writing a fun story it was words and words that you can read even money does whatever it takes to keep kids and families in gage to school. Oh yeah that's a little over I have to drag out a bad memory or school of a morning where Mother can't get her off. She even makes house calls. Me. See this is why it's so hard to take the time away from the billing office when you're dealing with people who don't have followers. You never know where you're going. Catching up pools not alone it is door to door crusade. Other principals here agree it is effective and they do it too. But we know for a fact child doesn't have a permit because she has just taken a man. And. We've we've run out of beds right now food shelter clothing and medicine are usually a large part of the problem.

He had a little minor something or another first thing this morning you know I even promised to do cartwheels for him in the middle of the hallway and he didn't smile or laugh. Maybe he's got something going on want to you know he talked with a few days he said he doesn't feel well. Oh there's you know I just kind of like to talk with the doctor about it. If you wouldn't mind became a neighborhood. Educated people are often considered outsiders who must earn trust and begin to think. Consumers in. America have a more acute cme back at school. One parent has read the note left on her door in his already waiting to meet with Will. We're doing better now than they were. Turns out Tony Sr. has been sentenced to prison for a drug offense which you get somewhere where she can actually have a contact visit you know where she can talk to women. And hold her hands in his home and also when you go downtown you have to look at your TV monitor. That's not visiting and I talk to a writer letter

writer and she writes A What's trust is for educators are better able to persuade parents that brighter futures for their kids come with better attendance at school. You make it. You. Have to ask someone a lot bigger. Than. This human being sitting here that evening at school a special reading program features a storyteller and repeats more than 400 people are here from a neighborhood where literacy is only at fourth grade level. Mary Hicks says support from school helps her keep her life together. They know his situation they dealt with a lot of schools with already suspended him for some of the stuff he's rough house rowdy stuff like that they were reading him. Many parents credit community and show the people that you're there that you're out there in the church that you don't want your neighborhood to turn out like L.A. or whatever. Sometimes our community. I mean people like you know an

inner academe and when people take over and they were gonna let the drugs in the bounce take us over. The community is painfully aware of the vulnerability of its children. Just last year we lost a 14 year old boy in an alley because of the drugs. You know they space shoddy I mean cut in cold blood in an alley just. Six blocks from the school. And. It was I mean it was devastating to the community. It was New Year's Eve 2003 when 14 year old Anthony boy court was sent out to settle his brother's $50 drug debt. He had several gunshot wounds. We found some shell casings. The family high powered lawyer. Who's. He's a great guy he was making bad choices in general. I mean when you're not in school at 14 and your mom Anthony was 89 pounds he was he was famous for

tan and white £89 stilling disbelieve not know what to believe. To her. And the two older boys who were arrested. I don't understand whatever the whatever the disagreement was. And I've heard and read several different things it was over a drug debt OK we'll say. OK. For all I know it was I don't know. But you have to want it. Kid. 5 10 foot taller and wait in line. I just you know I'll never understand. I've tried to put my finger on things and like I say I have a sister that still has his neighbor got a lever and she's she's she didn't finish high school and she's made some some decisions but it's it's to the point now it's a cycle.

And She Don't Know How To she really don't know how to go about change. She's she sitting down here with a 14 chin a Buriat 14 year while Anthony family Greek neighborhood coalitions that have developed over the years were put in touch in the days following Anthony's death. Rival gangs threaten retaliation residents took a stand for peace in their community. Anthony's killers were caught tried and convicted. I struggled with this a lot. I mean it's hard to. Understand. I still don't understand. Greg Todd left the neighborhood started a successful business. Anthony's death has returned to Raleigh. You're in a school. Find you. Well I mean I want to help people out. That's very true. You know walking through the hall some of some of these kids knew of Anthony that the message they need to get from me in my opinion is. They need to be in school and that is very I'm going to leave it that we relay that message. Vast and growing improvements in the schools are evident.

I step scores have jumped by an average of 30 percent across the neighborhood at McKinley school 39 resources and programs are all located on the first floor. It's easy for families to find them. Many social services such as the Even Start program are here and families have access to community health nurses who come to examine children to check medicines occupational therapists and mental health care providers are also available to counsel with parents and children. And just down the hall there's a unique all day kindergarten program. They're preparing children for school. After school Stacy bean stops by to check in with her son's school mentor charm I hear that if you talk to me later he and other neighborhood children will head either to the neighborhood center or to the Boys and Girls Club or after school who would I want my kids to finish. I want my kids to be better than me. I want my kids to have a better life than I had. I want that for my kids more than anything.

When I became involved years ago as I said I see no one even in my neighborhood organization graduate from high school. And the last two years I've had to and. Graduate from high school. That that's a heartbreaker. Ten is not a lot. Everybody's looking at what we got to start someplace. Well the public schools make great strides. A new charter school is open here. Research compiled through a Casey program called the local Learning Partnership by neighbors like Becky Besser showed a neat one the projects we're working on now is to look into the acquisition of the second homes. Research helps neighbors become better planners and decision makers. Also some folks want to make sure that neighborhood people are buying the houses and that they have the opportunity to buy the houses. So we'll be able to see that and see where people are coming from that are coming into our neighborhood. The Southeast Community Building is a monument to neighborhood planning and collaboration with the center open.

It gave residents unprecedented access to social services and it means a lot of resources a lot of new health center for us which we do not have those facilities available here now will have both available from the community. Today the community building is a daily stop for many residents. Lunch is being served in the scene recently. The. Social workers take applications for food stamps and public assistance and rightly so. OK great. On the main floor health clinic gives neighbors better access to medical services. All this is key to reducing high rates of infant mortality asthma and diabetes here. Where once there was disorganization and even apathy. Now a rousing accord exists. When the city eliminated needed bus routes. Neighbors responded in a resoundingly unified voice My suggestion is that you make no cuts and tell you how a working alternative employees are your pay.

Every day brings new problems and new opportunities to the southeast side neighbor and the future of this community rests on the ability of residents to go on making connections cultivating lasting partnerships with businesses not for profit schools and government officials. Neighbors and community leaders are already taking the first steps toward economic development. Researchers are surveying employers such as Web casts. To determine their future needs and for the first time those researchers are working to learn what kinds of jobs neighbors want. The goal getting the pieces to work together by matching needs the community can do a better job attracting new businesses to the area and also sustain relationships with established companies. Sure I hear it's opening day for baseball in the neighborhood. Hundreds are here testament to the neighborhoods rising optimism. Rachel Cooper's passing out shirts and caps. Lock everybody. The little hick from Kentucky that's really really proud of urging.

You to read the rights. It's fun you know. So you look at either one of these bases and. You know give it all. You know. It's a good thing. They're the only ones that. You know that can help this place and the people who live here and if they don't do it nobody's going to rival coach Stacy even scopes out the competition. This is my third year of being a coach for this sicko and it's right across the street from the kids the school I'm in the perfect location to see the blue one with the red. Right next door. Once again Stacy was moved. We're starting all over starting. We don't want prosperity back home for the first time in her life. Stacy has moved into her own home. I think I cried the first not to cry myself to sleep because it was just mine I couldn't believe it. Thirty seven

years old never own nothing never bought nothing on time and I went out and bought a house. That's an overwhelming experience. You want to show him your playhouse. I thought so. There had to be staking out the window. It's a commonly held belief here that where a child lives can greatly influence his or her preacher. As you can see we got the best put together on the floor. Stacy Peters county and. Other folks here in the southeast neighborhood are counting on that as well. I'd like it to keep going where it's going now I mean it suddenly went up. Hopefully we can. You know decide about you know the kids that I eat at night. And you know the kids are out running around at night. And. You know just take care of everything around here you know make sure things are clean. You know keep

programs going like this you know just do whatever it takes. Never give up. The people of the south east side neighborhood are indeed Churchill's advice and taking their progress to greater heights. In the neighborhood because once. The sky. If we now know what works. You know for a hundred kids in Southeast. How do we figure out the financing strategies. The path and the policy to support doing that. All over and you know. I mean it's kind of like. Like you're sitting in Mayberry or something in the middle in the middle of a

large metropolitan area. We have this neighborhood war and we're going from where it goes. That's right. Bartlett saw what it took everybody working together. You can't change somebody. They have a change of self. You could tell them a list met. But. There are the one that has to make a choice. I mean it's peaceful it's quiet outside out here on a summer day and watch my kids ride their bikes at another story. We need more like. I'll be here until they take me out. You know they get old and infirm the sebum children have to go. Yeah. They're not willing to go. Neighborhood at the Crossroads was made possible by. And he says he. Just. Doesn't want to build better futures. Killed. And them.