Sharp Leadenhall Community Meeting
At the meeting on tuesday evening the community brought up many issues. This first on the agenda was the youth center opening on July 8th. There were two representatives from the company opening the youth canter to answer any questions. The overall information discussed was that there are only 50 spaces form children ages 5-13. A major concern was that the packets to sign the children up was not available inside the community but because of the repeated concern Betty told me today that she picked up the packets herself and they will be available at Martini Lutheran Church as well as her home. What i found to be disturbing about this issue was the age restriction. Only kids 5 to 13 are allowed to join the activities. This excludes all of the Clean and Green members as well as all of the other teenagers in the community. The high school students are the ones with the most time after school and need something to do. I though possibly the could be leaders at the center but the representatives alluded that getting paid to work at the youth center would be a hard job to get. But still the high schoolers could volunteer to earn service hours.
The next item on the agenda was the Sharp Leadenhall Elementary school. This is the only school in the community and is primarily for kids with special needs. The vice principal was there to speak and ask the community to let him know basically anything that might be of concern. There was also a woman representing DIVA and organization helping homeless youth by putting on a fashion show production. I though these two guest speakers were very interesting because to the community they were more of outsiders but because of Betty's good deeds and organization were brought in to say a very words and network. I also found a parallel to the Wide angle youth because of the video they produced on homeless youth last year.
Finally, the elephant in the room, the mixed-development proposal...Natalie started off the topic by reading the first, and at the time most surest, Baltimore Sun article on the topic. That sparked the typical discussion. It also sparked some controversy when a member of the Leadenhall Baptist Church who's Pastor, Rev. Dr. Alvin Gywnn knew about the development in its initial planning stages and who also agreed to have a community center built on part of the church's parking lot. The woman form the church defended her pastor by saying the community center was a public space for the entire community but the other woman who is on the planning community for the community argued that what was wrong in is action was that he knew about the development plan and did not tell the community about it and kept everyone else in the dark. Ms. Betty Bland-Thomas did a wonderful job keeping the peace by regrouping and reminding everyone that there is still a lot more information to be found and simultaneously advocated for people with an interest to join the comity. While we were recording there was an overwhelming sense of distraught because of the ominous fear of displacement. Some omen sneered at signing up because the though of extra work was pointless if they were not even going to live int heir community. It seemed as though the community was taking an effort lead by Ms. Betty to take down this giant. To them it is as if Godzilla is on the horizon and they know they can cut a deal and move out or they can fight. But most seemed to tired from taking care of their kids and other's kids and working one or several jobs to take on the task of organizing and arguing non-stop with the developers.
The wrap-up of the meeting was nice. The asked all of the kids what their thoughts were. Most were to shy to speak out but the ones that did gave simple suggestions like having a writing group at the new rec center and more sports. There was also a raffle. One ticket cost a dollar and at the end there was a total pot of 33$. My general impression was that most were there to observe and would be active in other ways outside the meeting. The meeting was a place to voice simple and general concerns. In the beginning there was an entire row int he front empty and as people straggled in Ms. Betty would say to each, "I reserved a front row seat just for you!" But the usual response was, "I am a back row kind of guy." or and awkward agreement as they shuffled to other seats in the back. There was a larger turn out than i was expecting. it was full house and the pastor even hard to set up a few more folding chairs as people arrived late. I thought it was a great opening discussion to the crucial issue of the mixed-development plan and as Betty emphasized a start to the discussion of how to make this development work toward the benefit of the community.