Improvising my community 🗽💜🫂

How would you improve your community?

It takes one person to lead the way. Once people notice that you can do something, they start to shun you for it, and sometimes it’s because they’re not a part of or in the position to do the things that you are doing. Changing a community doesn’t always mean those in the community have to want that. We grew up accustomed to certain things, and that’s what keeps us pushing. Yet, there can still be things done to positively change the community for the better of the generations to come. What you do is, lead by example. Do everything they said you couldn’t, and then some.

I’ve marched in the Fourth of July parade with the youth, and for the youth, I’ve given helping hands in and outside of my church. Just because you “belong,” to one church doesn’t mean the lord’s work isn’t finished somewhere else. Coming from the person I used to be, the lifestyle and mindset I used to have, I’ve made a huge impact on myself. When I’m doing things with and for my community, I always make sure to leave a message because “People look at you strange saying you’ve changed, like you worked that hard to stay the same.” People don’t realize that they don’t have to be a follower all the time. Once they see someone else living with the same conditions or similar, yet coming out of those conditions, it gives motivation to move forward and that’s where your legacy lives on. Knowing that you did one thing to change yourself which inpowered others. That’s how you lead, for example, I met a homeless person a while ago in a different city I lived in, and he would always ask for different things. I read through him, and I saw that he was a good person, but who wants to sit and constantly beg for what is needed? I took him for pizza and a haircut. He then turned around and ended up getting himself together. Due to the many faces I see each day, and my memory, I hadn’t noticed him when he approached me months later with a name tag on. He had a job, and sincerely just wanted to say thank you, we all know that no one minds their business, so of course everyone was watching. I promise you it was the most heartwarming moment because people look at you and judge you without knowing the real you.

That is another thing I would like to change in my community in general. Just because I look like this doesn’t mean I act like that. Normalize understanding of people and their backgrounds. Normalize understanding where someone came from to notice where they are going, and if you can help in the mix of that, do so. “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” doesn’t always mean you have to give someone money. Sometimes a simple conversation can make a change, but everyone is so used to survival mode, and the fact that the cost of living has gone up, and so has the selfishness. Remember, everything always comes back around.

– Literaturebyjessc ( Jessica Hunter )