Poets Show Lighter Side of Trenton

TRENTON-- The week before last, I had a great opportunity to visit an open mic poetry event at First Baptist Church in Trenton, New Jersey. The event was hosted by Neikel Butler, the director of a poetry program at the Boys and Girls Club.

During this event, poets, young and old, recited their work. One in particular, Raul 'Polo' Cortes, took the stage and provided the audience with words of wisdom by saying that we need to renew the mind and keep the candle lit, metaphorically speaking. Another poet did a piece on 'pride' and recognizing the importance of practicing humility. Another poet said that it was important to be who you are, reminiscent of Shakespeare when he said, 'to thine own self be true'.

Another bard went on to chime in with a refrain, "I'm going to the bank, the bank, to invest in MY PEOPLE", something that is needed in a community like Trenton where people that 'make it' financially leave or flee instead of giving back.

All in all, it was a great Friday night that inspired me to keep fighting. Alas, living in a place like Trenton, I recognize that the city has seen better days and needs more events like this one that show its lighter side. All too many times, when people think of a Friday night in the state's capitol, they automatically think 'its gon' be some trouble'. And to be honest, who can blame them, when we hear stories from the Trentonian that report that there were eight (count them) eight people shot during Memorial Day weekend alone, it seems as though people's fears may be justified. Yet, I say that's only one side of Trenton.

There's a lot of positive things going on in Trenton. From Union Baptist Church's Quick and Clean Car Wash today to the Comedy Show they are having at the War Memorial, the people here in the city are moving and making things happen. I, for one, want to build upon that momentum and see more positive things happening. I am presently working on a Book Fest that is scheduled for sometime in July.

I think there is a real need to encourage people to read and imbibe in the written word, especially in the city of Trenton where the literacy rate is dismal according to the Times of Trenton. So I will keep you posted on this special event in July as new developments arise, so stay tuned...

Please see videos below:

Anwar's Reflections And Others Convene In Trenton To Talk MLK And Going Forward

 TRENTON-- Tuesday and Wednesday evening, Anwar's Reflections-- a Trentonian affiliate--sat down with a variety of individuals from the community to have a real discussion about where we as a community are headed in light of the many social problems inner cities like Trenton face. Issues like violence (24 homicides in 2012), poverty (i.e., an 11.6 unemployment rate), and education issues (48% high school graduation rate in 2011).

These discussions came the day after the nation took a moment to nationally recognize slain civil rights leader, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
During his lifetime, Dr. King raised the fundamental question: Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? Indeed, this became the central focus of our discussions Tuesday and Wednesday night.

During the events, one individual, Raul Polo Cortes, a well-known poet, said that we need to come together and get involved.

While Ms. Simms, a concerned Trenton resident said that she had her pen and paper ready to take down any viable solutions members of the community forum had about going forward.
On the following night, Willingboro resident and military veteran Rance Robeson said that we need to work with others to improve the community and honor the life and legacy of Dr. King.
New Black Panther Party Spokesperson Divine Allah said that he is going to continue to do what he is doing in the community and stick to his principles.

Community activist Kieanna Childs Alexander said that we need to make sure we understand our history so that we never forget where we came from.

Writer Will Deshair Foskey said that we need to be fearless as we try to improve our communities.

All of the panelists said that we need to do more than just repeat the marches, rallies, and demonstrations that took place during the Civil Rights Movement to galvanize or energize the public.
The panelists went on to say that we need to take other steps to improve the community. Playwright

Rashad Walker said that we need to set up a concrete action plan to deal with community issues.

Others said that we need to work with and speak to our lawmakers and city council members to address social ills.

I , as the moderator, went on to say that we need to capitlize on our unique skill sets and get involved in whatever ways those skill sets can be utilized. For instance, if you have knack for tutoring, why not be a tutor? If you have a gift for mentoring, then why not mentor, and so on.

Overall, the discussions shed light on future directions but still need to be more specific in terms of addressing current issues like education, public safety, and quality of life problems.

Neikel Butler from the Boys and Girls Club brought poets from her poetry program and they recited their work.

The discussions or community forums will continue. Stay tuned...

For access to video coverage of these community forums, click below:

As Trenton Weathers Storm, Now Is The Time For Service

TRENTON-- With the mayor being indicted Thursday, three shootings just this past week, and a 48% graduation rate, is it any wonder that residents and onlookers alike are saying, "Mercy Mercy Me, Ohhh, Things Aint What They Used to be" as Marvin Gaye once said.

Indeed, Trenton was once a booming town. According to Trenton Mill Hill, this city thrived in the early 20th century due to its manufacturing economy. However, the state's capital now finds itself in quite a quagmire.

News reports from The Trentonian indicate that the city now has 23 homicides on record. And to add insult to injury, the city's only downtown hotel, the Marriott, is talking seriously about having its name changed because it has been struggling to post a profit since opening 10 years ago.

Along with these developments, Trenton small businesses like Cafe International and Can Do Errands have both decided to close their doors, while the owner of another small business, the Baldassari nightclub, has not decided to close his establishment, but has voiced serious concern over the city's violent crime.

Indeed, blind eyes can see that there's something rotten in the city of Trenton. But what's more important to know now is: where do we go from here? City council members and concerned residents alike are speaking out. On the one hand, we have Councilwoman Phyllis Holly Ward saying that "Silence and inaction is no longer an option". She went on to admonish members of the community by saying that we need to "clean up, stand up, and speak up".

Then we have South Ward Councilman George Muschal saying that he was in support of creating a curfew that would require teenagers to be inside by 10 pm. However, Trenton Police Director, Ralph Rivera, said that he would not go along with such a curfew. Rather, he plans to saturate "those areas where violence has been occurring to decrease the level of violence we've been experiencing".

Lastly, we have community activist Duncan Harrison recommending that we hire part-time police officers as a way to help a police force that was reduced by a third due to recent budget cuts. The mayor has even appealed to the Governor's office through a formal letter requesting more funding to address the crime issue, but there has been no response as of yet.

I personally think a curfew is going overboard and will not actually solve the problem, it unfairly punishes everyone when the problem wasn't caused by everyone. I think 'fair is only fair'. As far as saturating high crime areas is concerned, this idea has promise, but at the same time, it may just influence the city's criminals to migrate to those other areas of the city, still leaving us with a problem. At the end of the day, I think the best thing we can do is what Mayor Mack spoke about earlier this week, he said, "The Trenton Police Department can no longer be expected to carry the burden of crime reduction on its own. Parents and guardians need to step up and take control of their homes and children. For those that need help, speak up and speak out. Our administration will continue to do its part by reaching out to state officials to secure additional public safety dollars".

Indeed, I think we (myself included) need to stop complaining and start helping out and be of service to our community. I don't know about you, but it hurts to see my community crumbling before my eyes. It hurts so much that I have decided to volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club. Basically, I read to children once a week for two hours. And from speaking to the program's director, it sounds as though they need all the help they can get. And I'm pretty sure that other groups and organizations are in need of volunteer help as well.

Why not reach out to them and offer your services? If you just so happen to have a gift for mentoring, then why not be a mentor? If you have a knack for working with the youth or the elderly, then what's holding you back? Or maybe just maybe, you have about a hour a week, where you can start a neighborhood clean up on your block. Indeed, we can all be of service in our own way, we don't have to wait on public safety dollars from the State to get things done in our community. Sure, the funds can help and I do believe the government has a role to play in this, but at the same time, I say let's take the initiative as everyday people and start changing within for the better. What do you say?

For those interested in hearing an audio version of this blog recited by Anwar Salandy, click below:

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