Point Breeze Community Appreciation Day!

I felt compelled to go to this event yesterday. Over 25 years ago, I was a City Year corps member. My team leader was Kenyatta Johnson. Our team was stationed in the Point Breeze section of Philadelphia. We were in schools (St. Thomas Aquinas) mentoring kids, we ran afterschool programs at The Dixon House. We led neighborhood block clean up initiatives and much more. I remember my time there vividly. I specifically recall Kenyatta stating (with his chest) that he was going to be in politics and that he would make a difference for his community - and that is exactly what he sought out to do - that is exactly what he does. It is super-inspiring to see the stage of a person’s life where they are at the beginning of the journey and even more inspiring when they get where they’ve strived and fought to be.

Point Breeze was a whole vibe. The music, the back-to-school giveaways, the food… and the people!! You know it’s always the people for me. I love to stand and observe. I watch the mamas with their little ones - the dads cradling their babies. The seniors chilling and sharing stories from how it was back in the day and how so much has changed. The dance battles with Jazzy the Clown and crew. This wasn’t the neighborhood that I grew up in, but they sure did make me feel welcomed. Here are a few images from the day.