Block Club Meeting

Joanna Perdomo 

On Thursday night, David, Ben, and I had the privilege of attending the 71^st & Ingleside Block Club Meeting. We had initially heard about the meeting on our neighborhood tour with Mr. Sam Binion, and we knew that going to the meeting would be a great way to learn more about the goings-on of the neighborhood right behind GCYC, as well as provide us with a chance to see if the neighbors were interested in partnering with us for some of our projects.

The block club meeting was held at 7:00pm in a conference room at the Youth Center. We entered the room to find three ladies seated around the head of a large rectangular table: Valerie, the secretary, Gladys, the president, and Millicent, an active club member. The meeting began with an opening prayer in which we all held hands—a gesture that demonstrated the solidarity of the block club and made me feel welcomed into their fold. Then, Gladys called the meeting to order. I was enamored by the formality of the meeting. Even though there were just four members (Joyce showed up late) in attendance, Robert’s Rules were in full force, and these ladies took the matters at hand extremely seriously. From discussing recent crimes in the neighborhood, to combating the pesky opossum that was terrorizing the block, to planning out the scrumptious menu for their back-to-school picnic, every issue was thoroughly discussed and resolved before moving onto the next one. It was readily apparent and extremely inspiring to see how much these women invested in and cared about their community. Through their combination of business-like seriousness and friendly humor, they actively make their neighborhood a better place for all of its residents. 

We had the opportunity to hear from the women at the meeting about their neighborhood health concerns: the need for a nearby clinic for quick check-ups, desires for a nutritional education program, and a wish that there would be more programming to combat stress. We also were able to share our ideas for a senior walking program and documentary to bridge the gaps between the neighborhood and GCYC with them, and both ideas were met with enthusiasm. 

It was wonderful to begin establishing partnerships for our projects, but what I gained most from attending the block club meeting was a palpable sense of the incredible power, strength, and impact that a small group of committed community members can possess. Their dedicated work and positive spirits have made their block club the most active in the area. Even though their meeting attendance was small in number and their area of impact was just one square block, it was not the quantitative outcomes that mattered. This club provided them a solid platform to be empowered and in control to effect change in their neighborhood. I am honored to have been able to learn from and share an evening with these incredible community activists, and with warm goodbyes and hopes of sharing banana bread and fried chicken in the future, I know that our relationship with the 71^st and Ingleside Block Club is only beginning.