Member-only story
The Hood Calls To Me
It’s where I live and belong in my pursuit of justice and nonviolence
I recently purchased a t-shirt with a pair of praying hands wrapped in a Rosary with the words “half hood, half holy, that means pray with me don’t play with me.” I’m sure it’s a cringe shirt to a lot of people, but the shirt was totally me, and nobody has been surprised to see me wearing it.
In the past I have gotten quite frustrated with people who insist that I need to move to a “better” neighborhood. I know exactly what they mean by that, but I normally feign ignorance and ask them what they are talking about. It forces them to put it into words, and in doing so, having to acknowledge their privilege and prejudice.
The way I see it, I’m not better than anyone else who lives in this hood, and so I don’t need a better place to live. Yes, I live in a low-income neighborhood, and in this space I am in the minority. My apartment is adequate, not fancy and with no extras, but it’s decent. I don’t live in a complex, I live in a neighborhood where there are duplexes, apartments, and townhouses.
I have my own driveway with a miniscule yard where grass grows. My lawn is not manicured, and I have a container rose garden in the driveway. The apartment is less than twenty years old and there are two bathrooms, three bedrooms…
