By Ralph E. Moore Jr.,
Special to the AFRO
Building homes and building wealth for working folk
The Nehemiah Project, started 40 years ago in East Brooklyn, N.Y., is named for the Old Testament prophet who rebuilt the ancient city of Jericho after the walls “came tumbling down.” A collection of churches, working with an organizing network, the Industrial Areas Foundation, took a large vacant, rotting landfill property (a dump) and turned it into middle-class homes priced to be bought and owned by working class families.
Nehemiah has been duplicated in various places nationwide, including Baltimore City. Around the U.S., 6,500 houses have been built or renovated and a staggering $1.5 billion of value has been created for first time Black and Brown homeowners.
Carol Reckling, a former president of Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development (BUILD) and the first executive director of its Child First Authority, recalled the BUILD organization modeling its Sandtown-Winchester Nehemiah Project after the one in New York.
Former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke and other elected officials went with BUILD several times to tour the Nehemiah Project in Brooklyn. Eventually, there was a Nehemiah Project in the West Baltimore neighborhood of Sandtown-Winchester and in the Oliver community of East Baltimore. Reckling said that churches in the city are preparing projects to use some of the $30,000,000 Mayor Scott had set aside for affordable housing.
King Charles and his troubles
According to several sources, the newly crowned King of England, Charles III, is the least popular member of the “royal” family. Last I heard, he rated 11 percent in favorability. Now I must confess I do not follow the royals as others in my household do –neither does our granddaughter.
Perhaps the prince-turned-king never recovered from the messy divorce with “the people’s princess,” Diana, Princess of Wales– or her awful death at an early age in an automobile accident on Aug. 31, 1997.
Charles was a man-in-waiting for decades while his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, looked as if she’d live forever–and she did, or at least until the age of 96 in 2022.
Who raised the question about Harry and Meghan’s expectant baby’s skin color? Why did Brits say they’d prefer that William, the son of Charles, succeed to the throne bypassing his dad in public polls? King Charles will have to work very hard to overcome the media and the public’s low opinion of him. Will he overcome the lack of regard by so many? That remains to be seen—for those who follow the royal family.
The bean turns 16 (yes, that rhymes)
For her sweet 16 birthday, our granddaughter chose to have her party at Go Kart Track in White Marsh. She had a nice group of her schoolmates there who rode go carts and played miniature golf until it was time for the pizza and birthday cake. It was a very nice party organized by Sylena’s mom, Nia. Her baby brother wore us all out –especially Grandma Dana and PopPop– with his energy and enthusiasm. But everyone had a great time! Thanks, LenaBean.
9/11 after 21 years
I was in two meetings at the Center for Poverty Solutions, once the Maryland Food Committee, when those assembled got word that a plane had just crashed into the World Trade Center in New York. The late, great Betty Robinson informed us that her daughter had just called with the terrible news. We were all surprised, curious and in agreement to end our meetings.
I made my way upstairs to my office. At the time, I was vice president of the statewide organization, only to find a crowd of staff huddled around a five inch, black and white television that I kept in my office. Seated on chairs and some standing nearby, I approached the television enthralled crowd as a second plane hit the twin skyscrapers. Everyone in the room jumped back at the sight. I will never forget the reaction in that room.
But there, away from the small gathering, seated at my desk was Mary Bakel, a native of Long Island, N.Y., feverishly dialing and crying as she tried to reach friends and relatives in New York. She later learned a cousin of hers died in the unforgettable 9/11 disaster.
I dismissed the staff immediately after urging them to call to find out the whereabouts of their children. Then, I announced that I was going to go to the Red Cross to donate blood and asked if anyone wanted to go along. Mary volunteered and everyone else went home to be with their families.
Dana Petersen, not yet my wife, could not be reached by phone, the service collapsed over over-demanded use. She left the courthouse in Washington, D.C. after the presiding judge in the trial announced what had happened and dismissed everyone. This is what 21 years ago feels like. And so it goes…
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