This past week one of my best friends, Laura & I went to the Los Angeles area to visit our friend Jill. On Saturday we participated in a Compton cleanup event.Compton, CA has been rated the most dangerous city in the U.S. The school district has received a rating of 1 out of 10.(1 being the worst) The crime index is 100% higher than the county average.
You can read more about Compton here
Yet, something beautiful happened in Compton on Saturday.Over 900 volunteers, businesses, churches and residents of the community worked together to "clean up Compton." People cleaned up the city by painting homes, removing garbage, planting trees, fixing fences, etc. Block by block people from the city and surrounding areas worked together making the area a brighter place to be.
I was helping paint a house on one of the main streets and had the opportunity to talk with two women Adrian & Nancy. They have lived in Compton most of their lives. I loved getting to know these two women, and hearing their stories.
This event happens 5 times a year, and they only expect it to get bigger.
It's an amazing thing when people begin to take pride in their city, and see beyond the "urban jungle." Gardens have started to grow in Compton, and the parks have been restored. We can only hope for change...
The earth is what we all have in common.
Wendell Berry
1 comment:
That's awesome!
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