The Meaning of Home

Wikipedia defines public housing as a form of housing financial agreement in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Others who don’t know the legal definition define it as hosing for poor people. Anacostia is heavily surrounded with public homes and families who desperately need them. Wikipedia says that during the 1950s, in the new neighborhood, numerous public housing apartment complexes were constructed along the Anacostia River. Around the 1960s and 70s, segregation was increasingly encouraged amongst many Washington DC communities. It’s evidently clear that its there are similar but different issues today.

As seen in the black in white photo above, Anacostia “Projects,” as previous community members stated, each and every neighbor simply got along with each other and related with one another. Children played together without any problems, conflicts, or commotion while adults conversed and enjoyed each other’s company. They thought of themselves as one big family, everyone knew everyone else. Now everything is different if not the opposite. Though segregation was taking place, in the projects community, they didn’t experience such activities. That is, until the individuals ventured elsewhere.

in a photo of Anacostia's more recent “Projects,” or public housing communities, such as Barry Farms, people are brought together for the wrong reasons. Gangs and mobs have been formed merely for violent purposes. Not all of Barry Farms is like that, but majority of its children have their heads in the wrong activities. Instead of being able to play freely and enjoy their innocence, young children are dying due to someone else’s negligence. It’s a sad truth.

Not everyone in these communities has this type of mentality, but this behavior is what gives public housing its commonly used definition. Small communities such as the “Projects” of Anacostia, should come together in a positive way instead fighting against one another with harmful intention.

The Lion of Anacostia

Anacostia is a great place filled with culture, historical landmarks, and rich history. It is probably one of the most historical parts of D.C primarily inhabited African American.  Anacostia’s most notable historical figure is most likely Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass was known for his abolitionism and work to unite all.  So I sit here wondering how Mr. Frederick Douglass would feel about the rise of black on black crime in his hometown of Anacostia D.C.  I’m sure that Frederick Douglass wanted unity between all, and I’m absolutely sure he wanted his home to be apart of the union if not the face of it.  Frederick Douglass was known for saying "I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong." So why is it that it seems to be more unity between the citizens for crime than anything else?  Now don’t get me wrong many are doing much to help the town of Anacostia, but it seems that the wrong doers are getting all of the attention. I feel that we are not living up to the legacy that The Lion of Anacostia has left for us. If you go to the heart of the crime and educate them of their home history, because that what their mindset is, "by doing this I'm protecting the honor of my home." What they don't know is that they are destroying the honor of their home collectively.  Teach them and show them what they are doing and give them an alternative to their "habits" or "hobbies"

Ballou: Not All Bad..

Ballou Senior High School is a historical landmark for the Southeast/Anacostia community. Built in the early 1960's Ballou is a place of learning and growth for inner-city youth for decades. Some Incredible people have come out of Ballou including film director Michael Patrei, and theatre actor and singer Duane Moody. Ballou was named after Dr. Frank Washington Ballou, the superintendent of the DC public schools and has been know for having a excellent music program. The band traveled to Pasadena in 2009 to be in the Tournament of Roses Parade. Ballou has been featured in books and movies by former allumni. I picked Ballou as a topic because I have heard that they are a pretty good school with an amazing band program. I remember Wilson played Ballou one time in football and Ballou was looking pretty good even though they lost. Even though I don’t know many people who go to Ballou I have heard that it’s not all that bad. I think that people have given this school a really bad reputation just because it’s mostly African-Americans who go there and I think that’s unfair. In fact information off the school’s online profile show that the school’s reading and math proficiency levels have gone up by almost 20% in the last 2 year which proves a lot of people wrong.