By Sylvester Brown, Jr.
I’m a simple guy.
In my mind, most challenges require fundamental, basic solutions: End racism by
thoroughly addressing race-based stupidity. End poverty, crime, and violence by
increasing opportunities for marginalized people. Elect politicians with the
heart, mindset, and determination to do something different, radical even.
See, simple.
I supported mayoral
candidate, Tishaura Jones because I believe she will listen and react to basic,
simple plans that address the multitude of problems plaguing St. Louis’
long-denied and long-ignored black communities. I know this because she sat
down and listened to me and others I know.
My desire is that
the black community recognizes and utilizes the magic of this moment. Make no
mistake about it; Jones is not our savior. I do see her, however, as a listener
and possible do-er. If a plan make sense, if they impact the lives of the marginalized,
I believe she will not only listen but offer some form of meaningful direction
and leadership.
This is important. The almost 300-year history of this city has been dominated by white men who listened and responded to the wishes of powerful white leaders. Black leadership, however, shouldn’t start with Jones. It should begin in black communities. The people must bring her something practical, powerful, and attainable. Jones must see a cadre of individuals in economically hard-hit neighborhoods doing the heavy lifting and then seeking her help and whatever resources she can muster.
Black leadership, however, shouldn’t start with Jones. It should begin in black communities. The people must bring her something practical, powerful, and attainable.
Let me give you a basic, simple vision and a way Jones could help accelerate it:
There are several nonprofits in the city with the intent to build homes, grow food, start businesses, and rebuild neighborhoods. These nonprofits need to come together and develop a collective plan for North St. Louis.
There are experienced African American developers like, Kevin Bryant, of Kingsway Development who, like white developers, know how to put together proposals that include tax breaks, government subsidies and other perks. They should work with the community, develop the plan, put a price tag on it and go forth with assured determination.
President Joe Biden received the lion’s share of black votes. We must hold him accountable for promises made to black voters. Substance outweighs symbolism almost every time. But, in this case, Jones could be the symbolic impetus needed to galvanize an across-the-board movement of community ownership. If she is presented a viable plan, I believe she will listen and act accordingly.
Substance outweighs symbolism almost every time. But, in this case, Jones could be the symbolic impetus needed to galvanize an across-the-board movement of community ownership.
Jones could rally her Washington DC and other powerful connections and officially announce that St. Louis is implementing the first “reclaim and rebuild” movement in modern history. By 2024, Biden could use St. Louis as a national template of re-investment and redevelopment in urban neighborhoods.
The young people terrorizing the streets of North St. Louis need direction and inspiration. “Black ownership” needs to be a cool, communal moniker. We need talented poets, rappers, artists, writers, and activists to make words, songs, images, slogans, banners, and memes that encapsulate a 21st Century urban movement.
But symbolism must be complimented with substance.
The young people terrorizing the streets of North St. Louis need direction and inspiration. “Black ownership” needs to be a cool, communal moniker.
During her interview with Martin, Jones said she will use her bully pulpit to work with civic groups, businesses and schools to find solutions, instigate “really hard conversations about the role race plays in our government” and move forward.
Jones defined St. Louis as the Midwest’s “best kept secret’ regarding its influx of agriculture, biotech, technology industries and the upcoming National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. She said she wants to make sure that students from our region’s institutions of higher learning, such as Harris Stowe State College and Washington University, graduate with a degree and a job offer from industries in St. Louis.
This is good news, but we should not, must not, rest our hopes and dreams on white corporations saving black communities. Black folk have to step up to the table and illustrate the untapped economic and societal power already existing but never fully utilized within long ignored black communities
Imagine a plan to resurrect a couple of abandoned public schools as urban entrepreneurial educational centers. Imagine black kids from K-12 being taught the ABC’s of owning land and property, making and marketing products, growing, selling, and manufacturing fresh food and food-based products. Teaching young people these skills will not only make them viable entrepreneurs, it will also position them to be viable players in the burgeoning industries Jones mentioned.
Imagine a plan to resurrect a couple of abandoned public schools as urban entrepreneurial educational centers.
Right now, many of our kids live in environments where they instinctively learn the supply-and-demand methods of the illegal drug trade. If they’re taught the economics of urban life-how we live, dress, spend our money and entertain ourselves (the things whites have perfected)-young people would not only be prepared to draft their own destinies, but they will also be unstoppable in the new frontier of urban economics.
Our youth must immediately see the connection between education and entrepreneurism among their own people and within their own neighborhoods. They should graduate from entrepreneurial elementary and high schools with paid scholarships to institutions like Forest Park Community College, Rankin Technical School or Harris Stowe State College which already offers urban agricultural degree courses. They should be specifically primed to excel in areas targeted for redevelopment. Graduating students should be gifted a vacant lot and the resources to grow food. Meanwhile, nonprofits can build farmer’s markets, burgeoning business strips and perhaps a food manufacturing plant to employ new graduates.
Students trained to start and operate businesses should be awarded a stipend to open businesses in targeted areas, perhaps a diverse University City Loop-like destination along Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Those who graduate (or not) should be trained to build and rehab homes and businesses in resuscitated neighborhoods. Stipends should be given to young, first time homeowners to stabilize neighborhoods and provide reliable customer bases. Theoretically, Jones can be in the background convincing congress, local and state legislators, banks, and government entities to fund this massive, do-for-self reinvestment effort.
I recently met a young man, Alex L. Hodges, who owns his own security firm. Certain, more wealthier neighborhoods hire private security firms who work with the police department to patrol neighborhoods and properties. A black-owned private security firm with employees from inner city neighborhoods could be an asset in addressing crime (both street crime and police abuses) in areas targeted for redevelopment.
Of course, there’s nothing “simple” about this vision. However, it revolves around fundamental, basic, common sense ideas. The biggest hurdle in this endeavor will be overcoming our shared defeatist mindset. Black St. Louisans have been beat down, betrayed, belittled, and ignored for decades. Political division, greed, nepotism, and incompetence has run rampant in the city’s darker-skinned wards for decades.
Symbolism is needed to convince people that power does not lie in the hands of politicians alone. Substance will encourage and assure them that they can lead and accomplish this yeoman’s task with or without politicians. In fact, a new mindset will threaten any politician that’s usurping or sabotaging this collective effort.
As a black, progressive, female mayor, Jones has the juice, connections, art of persuasion and potential to pull off such a radical effort. Am I confident that she will rise to this simple, common-sense challenge? No. I am confident, however, that she will listen and act on a practical, people-oriented plan that outlines self-determined benefits for long-denied communities.
This alone is a simple yet powerful start.
Sylvester Brown Jr. is long-time St. Louis
journalist and writer and author of “When We Listen: Recognizing the Potential
of Urban Youth.”
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