A Leap of Faith

I like you a lot…
you like me a little
I like you a little…
you like me a lot.

When do we meet half way?
Is there such place?
Or do we need to take a simple leap of faith?

Faith: I like you a little but I am willing to explore the possibilities because maybe, maybe, we can be happy together.

Wait… don’t call; let him be the man.
Wait… don’t call; let her think you are not impressed

When do we stop playing the game?

Date others, so he knows you are busy and desired
Don’t make plans ahead, so she will not know that you are hungry for her.

Can we just be ourselves?

I am sick of the game… I am sick of the waiting… I am sick of dating.

He is probably busy… what does he do?
She is probably with her girlfriends… how many she has?

You have not call in three days,
I want to call but I am afraid.
I am afraid to be rejected again.

You are not perfect,
I am not perfect.
Can we forgive each other for that?
Enjoy the gift of life?

Tell me the true, don’t lie, don’t pretend…
I feel it, I know it, it's over…
Sweet, sweet, sweet seven days of hope

Secure relationships, unsecure, obscure, dark, sad, tears on my cheeks.

The laughter while the other men are calling me,
My plan “B.”
My other commitments,
“B” stands for busyness,
A pretend busyness that never ends.

But I want you… imperfect, dangerous, exciting you.
At the other corner the other ones are asking…
Why not me?
Why not take a leap of faith for me.

I love you just the way you are, stubborn, unfashionable, and messy
I want the one that does not want me.

And the circle continues,
I want you,
You want someone else,
I want you,
But you don’t want me.

I will be rejected by you
You will be rejected by her.

There is no faith, no risk involved, no dreaming together.

Good night,
Alone in bed,
With my thoughts,
With tears on my cheeks
With dreams of what I though it could be
but it never will.

Booker T. Washington a Motivator for Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow's Society

There are so many nights I go to bed crying with disappointment because of my belief that I will not be able to make it next day. I am constantly tired from work, school, and home. But at the end of the night, during the early hours of the morning, I get my every day miracle: the sun comes up, my girls are ready for school, and I am alive and well and ready to start again.

Motivation is a constant struggle. You must want something so intensely that sleepless nights, hard work, and discipline is a small price to pay to obtain your goals. Jim Rohn is one of my favorite business philosophers of this time, he said “when you know what you want, and want it bad enough, you will find a way to get it.” This was the case of Booker T. Washington. “There was never a time in my youth, no matter how dark and discouraging the day might be, when one resolve did not continually remain with me, and that was a determination to secure an education at any cost” (Booker T. Washington 585). His book: Up From Slavery is the most inspiring book I have ever read.

There is not one single human being who can be constantly motivated. As humans we need to feed from positive energy that we can emulate ourself or absorb from others. This energy might come from people who are close to us, from inspirational books that we read, or learning about the lives of other successful people. The ability to see negative situations with optimism is a gift that is clearly seen throughout Up From Slavery. When Washington called the institution of slavery “the school of American slavery,” (577) he took an inhumane situation and positioned it as an opportunity to become better.

The motivation philosophers I have studied share a common thread and that is the ability to focus on the final goal or destination thoughout their journey. Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle were seekers of knowledge, Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu researched most of his life the outside forces that inspire humans, Napoleon Hill studied the capacity to create success. Washington spent all his energy in acquiring an education and later sharing his tools for success with others. These analogies position Washington as a motivator, a philosopher, and a professor for life.

Leadership can be learned but also be part of the fabric of the individual, and at a very small age, Washington set his first goal, “if I ever got free, the height of my ambition would be reached if I could get to the point where I could secure and eat ginger-cakes in the way I saw those ladies doing” (575). This goal includes all the main components of writing personal goals and objectives. The goal is specific, the reward is attainable and the most important element of setting goals is that he included a time line to achieve it.

Although I believe that slavery is one of the most shameful legacies we share in history, I can try to understand how Washington looked at slavery as an opportunity to give and take between the white and black communities. “The black man got nearly as much out of slavery as the white man did” (578). This philosophy shows how great Washington was. He did not condemn the white people for the creation of slavery but rather chose to spend his time in looking at a terrible situation as a learning opportunity and a way to increment knowledge with the every day live situations.

Washington was very focused on his goal to get an education and he saw every obstacle as simple barriers that needed to be conquered or removed. His book describes the situation that while he was working in the salt-furnace, a small school opened close to his community. His stepfather mentioned to him that he could not go to the school because his income was necessary for the survival of the family; Washington was very disappointed with this directive but instead of giving up his dream he describes in his book the following: “I determined that I would learn something, anyway. I applied myself with greater earnestness than ever to the mastering of what was in the ‘blue back’ speller” (583). He knew what he wanted the most and he was determined in succeeding this dream no matter the situation or challenges.

As a born leader he also demonstrated appreciation for the community that supported him in achieving his goals:

“Perhaps the thing that touched and please me most in connection with my starting for Hampton was the interest that many of the older coloured people took in the matter. They had spent the best days of their lives in slavery and hardly expected to live to see the time when they would see a member of their race leave home to attend a boarding school. Some of these older people would give me a nickel, others a quarter, or a handkerchief” (588).

Appreciation is an important lesson for anyone because we tend to believe that we have succeeded thanks to our own efforts, and although “our own efforts” are necessary, not one person can succeed alone.

He also understood at an early age that black people needed to do a much better job than the whites to demonstrate their ability to succeed “when a white boy undertakes a task it is taken for granted that he will succeed. On the other hand. people are usually surprised if the Negro boy does not fail. In other words, the Negro youth starts out with the presumption against him” (584). This philosophy stills applies today at school as well as at the work place. Our society expects people of color to fail in school by dropping out and therefore ending up in the judicial system or in the business community; the Anglo businessman gives a handout project to a minority-owned business as a point of negotiation for a large project from the government.

Washington was also proud of who he was “from any point of view, I had rather be what I am, a member of the Negro race, than be able to claim membership with the most favored of any other race” (586). To be proud of who we are is an important lesson at any age.

He also sacrificed himself for the better of others. While he was at Hampton, he slept many nights outside the dorms in tents to provide space to the younger students at the school. “The winter that we spent in those tents was an intensely cold one, and we suffered severely” (592). Giving back to the community is a key role and expectation for leaders.

But perhaps the biggest characteristic of a strong motivator was the demonstration of Washington’s capacity to evaluate and to measure his successes against himself and no others. “I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed” (586).

Washington was admired and criticized in his time, but his lessons are still intact: motivate others to do better, appreciate other people’s gift, share your own gifts, focus on your goals, and always measure your success against your own past successes. These are values that were true in the late 1800’s and these are values that are still valid today. To me, the most important lesson from Up From Slavery, is that motivation is something that needs to be fed every day but if we are really ready there is no obstacle that can be in between our desire to succeed and the success itself.

Works Cited

"Jim Rohn Quotes." Think Exist.com. 2006. ThinkExist.com. 26 Feb. 2009 <http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/jim_rohn/>.

Washington, Booker T. “Up From Slavery.” The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. Eds. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Nellie Y. McKay. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2004. 572-94.

Obama: Rhetoric or True Hope?

“Change” is a powerful word that can mean different things to different people. Culturally and philosophically, we all have a unique understanding of the word; however, the word “change” can unify a community because we all have some basic similar understanding from each other. Change can be an exciting time or a stressful time; it can be an opportunity, a challenge, or a way to motivate. Most importantly, at such difficult times in our nation, change means hope for everyone. Obama’s key campaign message for change touched emotions and feelings of individuals, the nation, and the entire world.

To craft a good message it’s important to take into consideration the audience, the speaker, the tone, and the current historic environment that is affecting the public. Obama with his strong presence, diction, and excellent delivery captivated everyone. His ability to choose words that people can personally relate to is very impressive. “We meet at a moment of great uncertainty for America,” said Obama as an introduction to many of his speeches. These particular words set the tone for what was coming next on his speech; it also made the audience perceive Obama as a part of the community and believe that he could also feel the pressure of the economic challenges that the United States faced.

Obama not only took his message across the nation traveling from town to town, utilizing the media, and attending town hall meetings, but he did something that no one else has done before: he took his message to the social media networks and the heart of the households of the disenfranchised communities. From technology to the lowest level of grassroots community outreach, he touched everyone, and with that he became the buzz of the world and the conversation at the dinner table of American families.

Like Martin Luther King, Jr. before him, Obama delivers his message following the sermonic tradition, which includes a disclaimer at the introduction, exaggeration of some of the facts, body language to emphasize certain words, a challenge to the audience to take action, a connection with God either by quoting or interpreting Scripture, a specific path or direction for hope or a better end, incorporation of past actions and ancestors’ past goals, and an open-ended statement that finalizes the speech with an accentuation on certain words to create consciousness of the message.

At his inaugural speech at the White House, he started with the disclaimer, “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.” His hyperbolic style is clearly seen in the exaggerations when he makes points about the economy and the state of the financial crisis in America, such as the following sentence: “Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many.”

His body language matches the tone of his words by standing upward, switching between looking at the audience and making eye contact with individuals, gesturing emphasis on words, and using facial expressions that create deep connections with the crowd. During his speech he also challenges everyone to be part of the change and become hopeful of a great end: “For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.” He constantly mentions God as part of the movement, making connections to faith and sacrifices for a better future: “This is the source of our confidence – the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.”

Following the sermonic tradition he also makes associations with the ancestors and the past but also make remarks about looking ahead: “We the People have remained faithful to the ideas of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.” And finally, he ends his inaugural speech with an open-ended statement:

“This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.”

But he also achieved the goal of creating excitement, energizing the community, maintaining the commitments made during his campaign, and setting the tone for realistic expectations: “The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year, or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.”

On a micro level he uses figurative language such as images and personification: “The words have been spoken during tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace,” symbolism and color such as “the snow was stained with blood,” the use of similes like “They sow America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions,” and metaphors such as “what the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them.” His speech creates a poetic rhythm cadence of strong messages and soft comparisons of the reality, kept in time by diction that stirs deep feelings in the audience.

Every communication sent by the Obama campaign focused on the message of hope, change, and a “we can do it together” attitude. Messages were delivered at speaking engagements, major media networks, the Internet, and at the grassroots level. In Austin in particular, the community was pleased to have Obama at a town hall meeting where regular people such as attorneys, secretaries, housewives, single men, etc. could sit very close and ask him questions. This strategy allowed the people who were still undecided to have a closer encounter with the candidate and decide whether to support Obama. In other words, he took his campaign to the level of the masses and to the level of the individuals.

Internet and social media are relatively new communications strategies. Social media started with the concept of a network of “friends” where advertising and publicity communications were not acceptable a few years back. Now, these communication avenues have become a necessary part of any campaign, though they are still very new and risky.

This is where the genius of the Obama campaign team came together under his leadership: Internet and social media became one of his key communication channels to send his message and get connected to everyone that uses a computer anywhere in the world. One of his Facebook sites, http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/barackobama?ref=ts includes pictures, videos, comments from supporters, and a network of over 5 million people, but interestingly enough, his Facebook site targeting the Latino community http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Latinos-for-Obama/22203686533?ref=ts only has a little over 15,000 supporters.

This key sample shows that even though United States still has a large gap in technology between the minority and non-minority populations, Obama decided to maintain a site specifically for the relatively few Hispanics who are connected through the Internet and expanded his campaign to the grassroots level for this specific target market.

The “Proyecto Latino Para el Cambio” was the guiding document to target the Hispanic/Latino community. This document laid out the plans, strategies, and needs of the Hispanic/Latino community with clear, perfect Spanish and simplicity that everyone at just about any education level could understand.

Communication cannot be analyzed as a flat piece of information because it has many layers that make it complex. Visually, Obama picked a logo that was pleasant to the eye, easy to attach to the key message, and marketable enough to add on a series of products such as bumper stickers, t-shirts, baseball caps, purses, etc. The logo was strong enough that it could stand by itself and people could recognize it as the central graphic for all the communication efforts performed by either Obama or his team.

Delivery is another strong talent that Obama presented on every occasion. With a strong stage presence and an easy and calm way to speak in public and under pressure, he made his audience feel that he was the ideal person to represent the nation in domestic and international matters.

During the different debates with his opponent John McCain, Obama demonstrated a presidential air, authority, active listening, openness, and firmness that surely increased the popularity of his campaign and message and the backing of the voters.
Critics might say that Obama only uses rhetoric with lack of substance, or they might say that it was all a political campaign; the fact is that he does have a track record and so far his campaign and first one hundred days as President have sent a strong message to the opposition, to his supporters, and to the world that the United States will prevail and we will become a nation respected by all once again.

Works Cited

Primary Sources:
Hudson, Julie. "Literary Terms." Huston-Tillotson University, Austin. 21 Jan. 2009.

Hudson, Julie. "Sermonic Tradition." Huston-Tillotson University, Austin. 21 Jan. 2009.

"Gospel." The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. Eds. Henry L. Gates, Jr. and Nellie Y. McKay. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2004. 19-20.

Obama, Barack. Words that Inspired a Nation. New York: Fall River Publisher, 2009.

Secondary Sources:
"Barack Obama Speeches: In His Own Words." Organizing for America BarackObama.com. 01 May 2009 <http://www.barackobama.com/speeches/index.php>.

Mendell, David. Obama from Promise to Power. New York: HarperCollins Publisher, 2008.

Proyecto Latino Para El Cambio. 01 May 2009 <http://obama.3cdn.net/f3fe74c297f597139d_e4m6i2awh.pdf>.

Cities I have visited

• Create your own travel map or travel blog


• Find Cheap Flights at TripAdvisor

A kiss, a promise, a lie

Dating for me is hard work. I take it like a project. I must have a focal point (the guy), a timeline (date, kiss, sex), and goals (finance, marriage, travel, etc.).

It is very hard for me to connect with someone, but when I do… I am ready for the race, dates at least once per week, sex after 4 months, meeting my children at 6 months, and meeting my pastor at 8 months.

With such tight deadlines and expectations needless is to say that I don’t date often enough, but I have dated enough to realize a practice that is way too common among my prospects; after a very nice first date, toward the end, after walking me to my car, he kisses me, he says he enjoyed the date, and if it will be OK to go out again. So let’s rewind the situation again… the guy kisses me, he tells me he enjoyed the company, and he makes a reservation for the next date.

So I leave the situation pretty content and hopeful that maybe we will give it a try to get to know each other and to see what happens next; and then the count down begins. Day one, he probably does not want to look too forward; day two, well maybe he does not want to look too needy; day three, he probably is too busy; day 4, maybe he lost my mobile number, and so the days passed and passed and the call never happens. I am a strong and secure woman so typically I called, and he does not answer, I e-mailed and he writes back that he is very very very (as if one adverb is not enough) busy. After that busyness respond, I never hear back from him.

Why can’t a guy be mature enough and settle for a friendship or no relationship at all right there at the moment? I am a grown up woman, I can handle the truth. In fact the truth is better than the wait and the possibility of something happening. Is the kiss, the promise, the lie necessary? Are guys marking their territory so they can think about it while we women wait?

I just got this situation repeated itself just a couple of weeks ago, and of course he has not called back. So now that I have figured out the code, I know what I will say next time that a guy kisses me, tells me how much he enjoyed the date, and asks me if we could go out together again. This is what I will answer him, “yes of course I would love to go out again, but please, next time come prepared to have sex, to get the most amazing blow job ever, and to cum at least three times that evening.” I warranty you that he will call and try to get the date going pretty quickly, except that when he calls, I am just going to answer him by saying “I am currently very very very (yes three adverts) busy,” and never to call him back again.

Gentrification or Cooperation: What Is Your Choice?

I walked into a house located at 1000 East Cesar Chavez Street; inside it was dark, dirty, and full of closed doors and hallways. My real estate agent and friend, John Hernandez, came with me. We walked upstairs and found more closed doors. I forced one door open facing west and a raccoon ran out of the room. We both jumped and laughed at the same time. The room was full of dirty clothes, old newspapers, smelly trash, and an old broken bed. It was very hard to breathe inside. I looked at one window that was about 20 feet tall and I pulled the old curtains down and the bright sun poured in, and I saw Downtown Austin. Without hesitation I said, “I’ll take it.” The year was 1995. The house was a 105-year-old Victorian mansion with 3800 square feet of space, and the price was $95,000. That was the beginning of an interesting journey, a love affair with the east side, and a commitment to fight gentrification.

East Austin history is as rich as all of Austin but with a different twist. In the 1940’s East Austin started to become the home of primarily poor Hispanics and African Americans. Small businesses owned by people of color that served the minority populations prospered, including newspapers, restaurants, barber shops, accountants, doctors, and attorneys. The houses were small bungalows with Victorian mansions in between them. For the longest time East Austin was a haven for these families and their businesses. Here, segregation was very vivid but the comfort of the surroundings, friends, and families made the neighborhood feel safe. For many years, East Austin was neglected, forgotten, and underserved by elected officials and city leaders.

The year I bought my property, East Austin was considered a very dangerous area. If you had no business being there, which was the case of most of the population in Austin, you simply did not go. In fact, most of the Austin population was not even familiar with the east side of Interstate Highway 35, but they knew that poor “Mexicans and Blacks” lived there.

Throughout the years there were rumors that wealthy people were buying properties and leasing them back to those families. The east community was concerned but still could not understand what was going on since the people that sold their properties did not provide any information. In 1999 the Travis Central Appraisal District raised everyone’s property taxes by at least 30%. People were concerned about losing their homes because they could not afford to pay their taxes. At that moment, East Austin the community knew something was definitely happening. The Austin City Council under the leadership of Mayor Kirk Watson appointed a group of East Austin community leaders to head a planning process with the charge of creating a plan for the future of East Austin. The request for the plan came a little too late. By that time the exchange of ownership of properties was moving at a rapid pace.

The dictionary defines gentrification as “the restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property by middle-class or affluent people, often resulting in displacement of lower-income people.” In other words, gentrification displaces long residing poor families from their neighborhoods to create new living spaces for the wealthy. A lot of these families are not aware of their property’s value and sell their homes at a lower price, and because the income of the sale is not enough to purchase another property, they either have to rent or buy a house outside the city limit. It is important to point out that gentrification not only displaces families, but it also destroys the character and history of a specific community creating a new urban character and sense of community.

The average value of a house in the year 2000 with 1200 square footage in the 78702 zip code was approximate $57,000. Today the average value of a home with the same square footage is $270,000. Currently, http://www.ziprealty.com/ is advertising five houses in the market for over $500,000. The highest one is advertised with a value of over $750,000. The same site is advertising over 20 condominiums with the highest price being $299,000 and the lowest $229,000. Small houses are now sitting right next to either an urban upscale house with all the luxuries or a condominium complex of 3 to 5 floors.

These changes are not only challenging for the community, but also for the city. Because of the new structures and the new high density in the area, the city now needs to provide new roads, improved utilities, state of the art technology, and urban transportation to decrease traffic. New businesses are making East Austin their home and killing the old small mom & pop shops. Affluent residences are the new neighborhood leadership while the old school residences are trying to survive and maintain their voice. Henry McGee W. Jr., explains the following on his essay called "Seattle's Central District, 1990-2006: integration or displacement?”

“Harlem in New York City, Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, to name but a few, have all seen once-shunned "Negro" areas populated by the children of the "white-flyers," who themselves crave the proximity, the convenience, and the "hip-Hess" of living close to downtowns where they work and play. Ironically, this process commenced around the time of the Civil Rights Movement, or as it "wound down," but it is increasingly a reality of twenty-first century urban America. Traditionally the most marginalized of all of the nation's marginalized, more and more African Americans are moving out of the urban cores and into the inner suburbs.”

In a short period of time, East Austin has changed and it will never be the same. We do not have the same character; we are losing the culture; the small businesses are closing; and the old families are moving out. Elizabeth Kirkland explains in her essay called “What's race got to do with it? Looking for the racial dimensions of gentrification”

“Displacement is the most notable consequence of gentrification, and is generally understood as the process "whereby current residents are forced to move because they can no longer afford to reside in the gentrifying neighborhoods" (Freeman, 2005, p. 463), or, as alternatively defined, "when pressures on the housing market from affluent groups create inflated rents and prices which can push out the low paid or unpaid over time" (Atkinson, 2000a, p. 307). Gentrification, as distinguished from urban renewal, occurs relatively gradually, effecting a slow reconfiguration of the residential and consumptive aspects of a neighborhood, and displacing residents who cannot afford rising rents, rising property taxes, and higher costs of more upscale businesses, or who get evicted by landlords acting on the increasing exchange value (Perez, 2004).”

Gentrification is not stoppable, but it can be controlled. After the 2000 Gentrification Study took place, the City Council created several ordinances to protect the residents in East Austin, including new zoning change procedures, limitations of the use of land, and a series of incentives for the developers to create affordable housing. The city also created a program for residences to obtain loans, grants, and other financial assistance for regular maintenance of their properties. The Travis Appraisal District also created a series of workshops for the business and residential property owners to educate them about current property values, sales trends, and property rights. Most importantly, the community, businesses, and non-profits are working together to maintain the fabric of the neighborhood and to create an environment to communicate with the developers to look for win-win strategies before the design and construction phase of new structures.

Gentrification is not all negative. Thanks to the new developments, we now enjoy a greater diversity of services and businesses and the ensuing new job opportunities for the residents. At the end of this month, East Austin will be one of the few Austin areas with two rail stops. Crime in East Austin has come down. The city has also made investments on the area such, as new street signage and better street lighting. This has changed the flow of some of the major streets to increase mobility. East 11th and East 7th streets can apply for grants to renovate the façade of the properties; 7th street is one of the official corridors to the international airport, creating traffic and visibility for the East Austin businesses, and a new commission (Austin Revitalization Authority) was created by neighbors to watch and provide comments to any development, site plans, or zoning changes on the east 11th and 12th streets corridor.

Although the City has taken some steps, the city officials, the residents, the developers, and other affected parties are still struggling to find a balance between gentrification and a sustainable community. The new ordinances, the ARA board, and the city incentives are all good examples of initial steps. However, none of these activities are correcting years of gentrification and neglect to the old residents in the East Austin neighborhoods, since those activities are useful primarily for the business community. How can we make this area a striving community and maintain the diversity of the residents, architecture and businesses? This objective might seem difficult, but it is doable.

First and most importantly, we need to open talks between the city officials, the residents, and the developers. We also need to communicate with the leaders of the environmental, historic, and business communities. Everyone has a stake in the process; therefore, it is important to hear everyone’s concerns and possible solutions. I believe that a Design Workshop meeting is the first step to brainstorm solutions. A Design Workshop is a one-day meeting with the objective to create a plan for desirable urban growth. During this meeting, the community is divided into groups, and everyone is given an opportunity to design and designate areas as green spaces, high- and low-density developments, common areas, multi-modal transportation corridors, low income housing, transportation patterns, etc. During this meeting we can explore several scenarios and study the environmental, social, economic, and financial effects of the proposed solutions.

Secondly, we need to look for creative funds within the private and public sector. Some examples of funding that can be immediately implemented include:

1. At the city level, for every zoning change a fee can be charged specifically for a special community fund budget to create common areas for the residents, such as parks, playgrounds, and community gardens. This fund will be used to purchase the land and develop and maintain the areas.

2. East Austin can be designated as a Historic District. Creating such a district will benefit the current owners of houses and structures with a historic value. Benefits such as property tax discounts, loans and grants to renovate and maintain the structures, increments in heritage tourism, additional income for the local businesses, and increase of the property values, are just a few examples of the advantages of the Historic District designation. Overall, these actions will impact the entire local economy by multiplying the number of jobs available in our city, diversifying the business community, and increasing the sales tax revenues by visitors coming to our city.

3. East Austin can also be designated as an Arts District due to its history and the continued development of new industries related to creativity, arts, and music. Creating the Arts District will provide a mechanism for the city to designate a portion of the collection of taxes into arts-related activities, such as construction and remodeling of structures for museum and theater spaces, coordination of special events, and special funding for training for the arts community that conducts business in the East side.

4. Finally, the East Austin community should also be designated as a hub for small business. Small businesses have unique challenges and needs. Several non-profits that serve the small, minority- and women-owned businesses are already located in East Austin. By creating a business resource center in the east side as well as a business incubator, more small business owners will have an incentive to move to this area and contribute with their taxes and job opportunities. Moreover, having a support system that assists in the areas of training, loans, and office spaces would provide some of the most needed resources for the success of small business.

These strategies can be implemented fairly quickly. Creating the Arts, Small Business, and Historic Districts will not add an additional line item to our current city budget and the city will get benefits from the federal and state government including “Federal Stimulus Dollars” available through CBG block grants. The zoning overlays and construction standards will provide a clear direction to the developer community about the new growth that the east community is seeking. The additional fees for zoning changes will also come from the permits processed at the city for new construction on the east side. We are getting ready to elect a new mayor and several city council seats are open for election too. This is a golden opportunity to unify the East Austin community and select the new city representatives that will support the ideas explained above. East Austin represents a very diverse community; we need to stop the uncontrolled gentrification of this area because it will disintegrate a very important fabric of Austin. We need to work together to avoid the continued displacement of the residents of East Austin. This area is a very important part of what makes Austin unique. We should not let East Austin become condo haven, because that will destroy the historic architectural structures and displace the current residents of the area.

Some of the solutions might have consequences that community members feel negatively about. For example, declaring East Austin a Historic District will bring a new set of restrictions to any renovations done to the historical properties, but the property tax savings, the increase of property value, and the opportunity to apply for grants can still make the Historic District very desirable and advantageous for the residents. The creation of the Arts District might also have some opposition due to the additional tax burden, but the taxes would come from the hotel tourism taxes, so it would not affect the local residents at all. Besides, an active Arts District increases tourism, benefiting just about any business that serves this market and increasing the tax revenues for our city. And finally, some business community leaders might feel that we have provided enough funding for the small, minority- and women-owned businesses, but by creating a good description of the small business classification, this district could benefit everyone who has a small business or is thinking of opening one.

Creating strategies that control the gentrification of East Austin not only benefits the current residents, but also enhances the entire quality of life in the Austin community. The investment is minimal compared to the gains that everyone will enjoy. East Austin can become a hub for small businesses, the arts, and the current neighbors. We need to unify our voices, create an action plan, communicate with others, and express our opinions and needs. We are at the perfect time to do so. The economic downfall is a great opportunity to create new businesses and solutions. The election of the mayor and city council gives us the chance to choose our new representatives, and the need to maintain our history will bring new federal funds to keep up with deteriorating structures.

Are you ready to take action?

Works Cited

City of Austin. Gentrification Committee Report. 14 June 2001. 1 Mar 2009 <http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/housing/downloads/gentrification.pdf>

Kirkland, Elizabeth. "What's race got to do with it? Looking for the racial dimensions of gentrification." The Western Journal of Black Studies 32.2: 18.13.

McGee, Henry W., Jr. "Seattle's Central District, 1990-2006: integration or displacement?." The Urban Lawyer 39.2: 167.90.

Travis County Appraisal District. Travis County Property Information. 2008. Travis.1 Mar. 2009 <http://www.traviscad.org/tcad_search.php?mode=situs&kind=real>

Alain Locke’s Vision for the Future

Throughout the centuries we have defined and redefined the names to call someone with a dark skin color. Even today, I can see the stress of the speaker when he or she needs to make a reference to a group of “Blacks” or “African Americans.” In the past, controversy happened when someone in a public position called someone Negro, but I have also heard people complaining because they were called African American. We have the same issue with the Hispanic or Latino or Mexican American or Chicano or Spanish Speaker or Mexican or Afro-Hispanic. Who are we? The name is just a name, but does that matter? The name shows the exterior but who are we deep inside? Who do we connect with?

Alain Locke’s essay, The New Negro, is fascinating because it not only describes the Black community from the exterior point of view, but most importantly from the interior point of view. He looks deep inside and presents a different perspective of what this community really is and what it’s capable of doing. “By shedding the old chrysalis of the Negro problem we are achieving something like a spiritual emancipation.” (985) Self-worth and self-determination are the keys to this new class of black citizens. The New Negro was written in 1925 but after close to 85 years, are today’s African Americans a good representation of this new Negro class? Or do we still have some of the old Negro still alive in the 21st century? Has society provided the right tools to allow the old Negro to become the new Negro?

“The thinking Negro even has been induced to share this same general attitude, to focus his attention on controversial issues, to see himself in the distorted perspective of a social problem.” (Alain Locke, 985)

Slavery has ended, but we still see the poverty, the lack of opportunity, the low quality education and health care offered to the minority populations. Is the black community free? Legally they are, but mentally not all are. Austin’s black population has been dropping every year. In 2006, the City of Austin’s Council decided to research the reasons for this reduction. The name of the initiative was: The African American Quality of Life, Addressing Community Needs Together. Areas such as arts, housing, health care, education, employment and economic opportunity were some of the topics at these community forums. The results demonstrated that African Americans have a lower standard of living compared to the other citizens in Austin. “The African American community informed City leaders that they were experiencing a different standard of living than other Austinites. After listening the concerns, the City Demographer conducted a study that confirmed African Americans trailed other ethnic groups in many socioeconomic areas.”

Locke must have thought while writing his essay that by now the black community would be competing on an equal level playing field, that the black community would be enjoying wealth, knowledge, political power, etc. And although we now have our first African American president we still have a long way to go to create that equality in some of the most important areas as it is referenced within the City of Austin’s African American Quality of Life Initiative.

So who is to blame that Locke’s new Negro is not a universal concept? I believe that it’s a combination of the community, the government, and society. “The thinking Negro even has been induced to share this same general attitude, to focus his attention on controversial issues, to see himself in the distorted perspective of a social problem.” (985) The government has been very slow to support the advancement of the black community: the social services are provided in a setting that promotes poverty, the education level at areas where the majority of the population are minorities are not compatible with areas of affluent neighborhoods, the urban communities lack side walks, clean streets, reliable Internet services, etc. The society has decided to support light agendas with apparent support to the black community, but which don’t really make a difference in their lives, services such as the “soup kitchen” at the corner of San Marcos and Cesar Chavez, which provides a needed service to feed the poor but no education classes, no job opportunities, and no housing. But I think most detrimental is the lack of mental readiness of some members of this community, the lack of ambition, dream, and support among its own people.

“Recall how suddenly the Negro spirits revealed themselves; suppressed for generations under the stereotypes of Wesleyan hymn harmony, secretive, half-ashamed, until the courage of being natural brought them out – and behold, there was folk music. Similarly the mind of the Negro seems suddenly to have slipped from under the tyranny of social intimidation and to be shaking off the psychology of imitation and implied inferiority.” (985)

In 2008, my company landed a new client, a non-profit organization located in the East side of Austin. “The organization in an incubator of artistic expression representing the African Diaspora and is dedicated to the production of transformational and accessible works for the enrichment of the community.” During the summer of 2008 the organization created a festival showcasing black artists in the areas of dance and performance. Several organizations were called to assist in promoting the one-of-a-kind event in Austin. Organizations such as KAZI, Nokoa, and Huston Tillotson University among others were asked to help. HTU was one of the few that did not support the promotional efforts. Does this action promote the new Negro agenda?

Locke’s idea of the future new Negro environment was probably like Harlem in New York back in the earlier part of the 20th century. The community was diverse, creative, and supported by its members. Perhaps he thought of many communities across America with the same characteristics: “In Harlem, Negro life is seizing upon its first chances for group expression and self determination.” East 11th and 12th street areas of Austin were that kind of niche in the 1960’s. The jazz and blues scene was booming with great musicians playing frequently at the Victory Grill and other places alike. “From the late 1920s to the late 1960s, Austin’s East 11th and 12th Streets boasted a Chitlin Circuit scene showcasing local blues and jazz talent as well as touring acts like in the 1920s such as the great Satchmo Louis Armstrong to R&B artists in the 1950s like Ike & Tina Turner and the 60s the greatest of B.B. King and Bobby Blue Bland.” But now East 11th and 12th have become a different kind of community with new buildings taking over the historic structures and property taxes rising forcing the African American community move out due to the gentrification process.

Two years ago a group of community leaders organized the only Black festival in Austin called the Urban Festival. The festival brings musicians and singers from the national and local scene. The organization was spotless, the publicity was abundant, and the cost was very affordable ($15.00 per ticket). The event is an all day festival for the entire family. Last year I went to the Urban Festival with great anticipation and excitement, the occasion was a high class event, but the community did not support the activity. Very few people went.

I think that the new Negro is still sheltered in the old Negro. I believe that many of today’s African Americans are still living in slavery, but a slavery that is deeper than the chains, because is in their hearts and conscious. “Lacking self-understanding, we have been almost as much of a problem to ourselves as we still are to others.” (985) Success, education, and opportunities have not reached the majority of the black population. Only a few, “the talented tenth,” enjoys wealth, arts, and economic status and only a few have the chance to live well and enjoy a satisfactory career. But that few should take charge and leadership to change the norm and assist others to do well by providing the health services that are necessary to live well, a high class education to lower drop out rates, and business opportunities so more businesses are created.

The African American community continues to challenge itself in creating opportunities to others, but they can not do it alone; first the people who need the most help need to have a winning attitude, the government needs to do a better job providing the services that the community needs, and the society needs to learn that when you reference a black or African American you are actually making a reference to a person and, therefore, the label is not necessary.

Works Cited

"African American Quality of Life." Apr 2008. City of Austin. 2 Apr 2009. http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/aaql/downloads/AAQL_final_report_2008.pdf

"About ProArts." ProArts Collective. Apr 2008. ProArts Collective. 3 Apr 2009. http://www.proartsaustin.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=5&Itemid=53

"The Historic Victory Grill." 3 Apr 2009. http://www.historicvictorygrill.org/history.htm

Locke, Alain “The New Negro.” The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. Eds. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Nellie Y. McKay. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2004. 983-93.