philly

Lady and I headed over to the community meeting on violence over at Louis Kahn Memorial Park last night, but on our way, we noticed some signs that said the meeting had been moved to the Thomas Jefferson University Alumni Hall over on 10/Locust Sts. I was hoping it was due more to an increased interest and turnout rather than for cover from potential rain [it stopped raining well before the meeting and everything was dry in the park]. Above is a shot of the meeting inside the good sized auditorium. I'd say there were between 100 and 125 people there, much more people than I thought would show up.

It was an incredibly diverse crowd. Very much unlike the progressive/liberal political groups around town I've seen which are mostly if not all white and yes, that is a problem. It was roughly half black and half white. A good mix from college student aged to retired home owners. Gay and straight. People living in the area and people who work in the area or come to the area to hang out. Up front were a group of people who spoke at the podium for a few minutes each. I spotted my newly elected Ward Committeeperson Peggy Banaszek up there and she was one of the first to speak. First up was President of the Washington Square West Civic Association Judith Applebaum. We got there a few minutes late so we missed most of what she had to say other than announcing a Board of Directors meeting on September 12th which will most likely be held at 7p in room 139 of the TJU building; she urged everyone present to attend.

Banaszek stepped to the podium to talk about the town watch program in the neighborhood, something I didn't know existed. I never knew that this neighborhood had one. I've seen signs posted in areas around Delancy St west of Rittenhouse Square, but never in my neighborhood. A show of hands to see who was aware of the program revealed that I was in the minority [Lady knew about it]. She said that the program was effective and several city officials, including cops, backed that up. The mere presence of the town watch in their city-provided blue jackets and flashlights acts as a deterrent.

Chief Inspector James Tiano took the mic and introduced a bevy of officers present who serve in the 6th Police District which serves Washington Square West. He pointed out Captain Brian Corn, an officer who has been captain here for nine years now which was, to his recollection, a longer tenure than any other captain in the precinict. Tiano called Corn the best of the best within the entire force. Tiano pointed out that he reports directly to Commish Sylvester Johnson and that he used to be an officer in the 6th before becoming Chief Inspector so that he knows the streets here fairly well.

City Councilman Frank DiCicco was in attendance and spoke next and started off by saying he was there primarily to listen to what we had to say. He noted that his office had pledged $400K towards the installation of a new lighting plan in conjunction with TJU. Applebaum had mentioned something about this, but since we came in late, I missed it. Something about making the neighborhood better lit as to eliminate blind spots and dark alleyways where people could remain out of clear sight from the officers on patrol. He mentioned that since the new city curfew went into effect a few weeks ago, there's been a reduction in the amount of curfew violations and he saw that as a sign that the new curfew laws were working. He pointed specifically to the reduction of violations in the Point Breeze section. But the first speaker from the crowd during the open mic session disagreed with the councilman's assessment.

The uncle to Jamil Burton, the boy killed just outside of Louis Kahn Memorial Park last Friday, was first to speak. He quickly recounted the violent deaths of three of his close loved ones, including Jamil. And he was quick to point out the very recent and ongoing violence right in the middle of the Point Breeze neighborhood [see this DN article]. Curfews may be down, but violent crime is still there - everyday. He called for change to start at home and that we are all at fault for what goes on in our streets. He said that we fighting a war in a far off country right now, but that there's a war going on right in our streets everyday and that that had to be dealt with first before we looked abroad. He said that we had to act as if the violence in our streets were a terrorist bomb and go right at it and get at the problem and not constantly push it aside or simply live with it as we have. He called for us to look to God.

Queena Bass, who has had her battles with discrimination with TJ Hospital, spoke next from the row in front of me. She echoed the thoughts that terrorism is alive and kicking right here in our city.

A black man who looked to be in his thirties named Bruce from the 7th St area said in regards to looking to God and to faith-based programs that the churches in the area were completely unreceptive. That they were closing their doors on the youth in the community. That they sit with their tax exemption status while receiving funding from the City while not taking a more active role against violence in their communities.

Rev. Nick Taliaferro, a tall commanding black man quick to crack a joke, from the Mayor's office took that question. Working in the faith-based initiatives office, he knew a good deal on the subject. He admitted that since it's inception, the faith-based office in the Mayor's office had overlooked the downtown area churches as merely architectural landmarks instead of places where real communities congregate. He noted that the Mayor's office couldn't give a specific church, or churches, and force them to deal with a specific issue like opening their doors to the youth in regards to curbing violence on the streets. However, he did say that they could provide funding for programming which could lead to stronger community ties and education.

Next up was Steve, a gay black man around thirty from North Philly who frequently hangs out in the Gayborhood. He pointed out one reason that so many people were uncooperative with the police is the way that he and his friends have been treated through the years. He said that officers trying to rid the neighborhood of the "nuisances" lump together any gay black males along with the drug dealers and the prostitutes making no distinction until much later when the officers then turn around and ask the mistakenly corralled people for their help. He knew Jamil and cleared the air of any confusion in that he was a queen. He also said what was being reported in the papers, that it was an attempted robbery, was untrue in that Jamil did not have to steal from people because he had a loving extended family who could provide anything he needed materialistically. He brought up another homicide from several years ago of a close friend of his, Alfie; that case is still open and many people in the crowd shouted their encouragement and stated they knew of Alfie and the case well.

A white man in his fifties spoke next and said he thought that the neighborhood was devolving into two communities, one that exists during the daytime through almost midnight and another one from midnight through dawn. He asked the police presence what they thought of that assessment.

Capt. Corn fielded that question. He got up and noted first off that Jamil's death was the first and only shooting in the Washington Square West area to date this year while there have been shootings reported in the papers just about every day. He said that a new foot-patrolling program was underway in the neighborhood and had been in place since June. He said that Washington Square West was unique with it's smaller streets and tighter community conducive to such patrols. He said that officers on foot and on bike were essential to this particular community. He assessed the neighborhood as still safe.

Jamil's sister, Tiffany, ~25, spoke next. Seated in the middle of the auditorium, she stood up to introduce herself and all eyes were on her. She said that the cops had stereotyped the entire gay community in the Gayborhood area. She said that she and her friends flock to Center City to act freely and not be afraid to be who they are. She said, "Center City is our home from 12 - 5a" - they've adopted the area as a safe haven. Acknowledging that the police force are trying to do their job, but that they are not doing it as well as they should be not making important distinctions between those out having a good time [like the yuppie Old City crowd] and those dealing drugs or selling sex. She wanted the community to be safe just like those who live there, but to also be open to her and the GLBT community which has grown to call the neighborhood a home away from home.

A white woman in her forties spoke last. She wanted to make it clear that there were not two communities, one daytime and one nighttime, but one community and that we were all in this together. That she and her white, home owning, heterosexual husband had moved into the neighborhood because of the interaction that is only possible in this neighborhood. She said that she has a feeling of what it means to be black in the neighborhood through her best friend who is constantly approached by police right in front of her house, a house to which her friend, a gay black man, has a key to. Her call out to come together was a nice way to end the discussion just after 8p.

I was incredibly happy I went out to attend the meeting. It was relieving to see black and white; old and young; neighborhood living and neighborhood visiting; straight and gay all there at once and talking and listening. After living in the neighborhood for a year, it was good to finally get my ass to a community meeting like this to see the neighbors. The issues brought up were not new ones and it wasn't the first time they had been brought up in a setting like this. It's been an ongoing process, DiCicco noted. I hope it isn't a set of issues that are perpetually discussed and not acted upon enough. But I guess only time can tell. I left the meeting optimistic.

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