Inner City "Representing," or the lack there of...

Marginalizing our people:

I recently read the article regarding the Dillon’s store on Huntoon and Lane. I shop there sometimes. This last Christmas there was caroling there to show community support. We all, Black, Hispanic and white showed up to show support.

The thing that I keep seeing is this though: In every incident I can remember the newspaper has seemed to choose as a representation of the minority communities the same faces over and over again, If at even talk to them at all.

On the evening the two officers were brutally shot and killed at the Dillions, I was on the corner talking to a neighborhood resident. A car stopped at the lights and two older black women, seeing all the emergency vehicles and lights asked what had happened. We explained that some officers had been shot and we believed at least one or both had died. Both the women expressed shock and horror at this and one of them even began to cry. I was surprised, but also moved.

There are many people who live in the area around the Dillions store. Many of course are African-American, Hispanic and more. My question to the news organizations is simply this: Do these people have a voice?

My experience in Topeka over the years has led me to believe that the poor, and minority population have been marginalized. We are not interested in their feelings, thoughts, lives or much else of what they do. One of the few places I’ve seen a diverse mix of people, (like what I’d been led to believe America was about as a child) has been the Democratic organizations around Topeka and the public schools. Other than that, my feeling is that minorities have become invisible.

And by the way, Yes the Dillions needs a make over and expansion in the worst way. They ignore the fact that improvement in the community could be the start of more profits for that store, a better day for the area in general and some real community pride. What better way to anchor the neighborhood development at 17^th and Washburn than with a renovated store at the other end!

Revitalizing the inner city is about reinvesting; you’ve heard that said by some, a few of our council members understand that. With out some pressure and some evidence to show the Kroger Corporation nothing will change. The flight to the “New City of Topeka,” being built between here and Auburn will continue and the inner city will die as shortsighted individuals and groups kill off the city for fun and profit…

I do believe this… media and other groups who might reach out and better represent a picture of a fair and free America are not doing their job. There are a lot of stories out there and a lot of really wonderful people. You might be standing next to one and not know it. Prove me wrong!


Link to video: Christmas Caroling @ Dillions (:30)
http://bit.ly/YVJ7XX