Black Ink Archives

Dedication of Martin Luther King Highway in Prince George’s County, Maryland

Dedication of Martin Luther King Highway, Prince George's County, Maryland

Community Networking: X2REP, Inc.

X2REP, Inc., a community-based youth group, comes to Annapolis

I’m a very big fan of being responsible to your community in a positive way. I think we, as a people, sometimes take for granted the institutions and professions that help maintain our quality of life. Most of us want to reside in a clean, safe, and peaceful environment. Such a place gives us time to raise a family, be a part of a larger group of families, and contribute to our the world family. In my former job as museum director of a historic house museum, the students of X2REP, Inc., supported us our efforts to get a state grant for restoration of the historic roof at Poplar Hill. The students spent the entire day with us in Annapolis, going from one budget hearing to the next and spoke on our behalf. We also took the time to tour the historic area, making a special visit to Kunte Kinte Memorial site. It was one of those times when you feel present in the moment, pleased at being involved in civic activities, while remembering how far we have come as Americans. It was a wonderful day.

District V Coffee Club: Communities that Work Together

District V Coffee Club: Communities that work together

(originally written for a local news article)

Over the past several years, as museum director of Poplar Hill, I have both enjoyed and learned a lot from the District V Coffee Club. I attended the weekly meetings to keep the community informed about our activities. In fact, even though the museum is closed (temporarily) and I no longer work there, I still attend. I write occasional stories about the issues and events important to the communities that make up the southern tier of the county. It is a pleasure and I find a hard time denying myself of the opportunity to be an engaged citizen. Being an “engaged citizen” is not an easy thing to do. Depending on where you are in life, residents often see things differently. Each week, reprentatives of communities as far south of the county as Aquasco, on up to Upper Marlboro, meet at 9 am. sharp in the community Safeway and they “make it work.” (Yea, I’m kinda using the Tim Gunn phrase…)

Wednesday meeting of the District V Coffee Club

The residents discuss a host of issues from snow removal (the recent big blizzard), to planned road systems and housing developments, education, the impact of the economy on the local population. The group does this without being political. Politicians are welcome to attend, but taking care of community business is not a Democratic or Republican issue – it’s all about the neighborhoods.

Why a Safewawy grocery store? Well, people walk in for their milk, juice, or whatever grocery items they need. They’ll see their neighbors discussing issues relevant to their lives, and they are both welcome and invited to sit in on the discussion. What’s even better is that District V police officers attend and give reports on what ever safety issues citizens should be informed of. It is a give-and-take process – each entity being responsible to the other. And by the way, kudos to Safeway management for facilitating such a great group as a service to the community.

The experience is like watching America at its best. For approximately, one hour and 30 minutes (often more), residents can sit in on a process and work out differences, challenge themselves to come up with solutions, and share in making positive changes where they live.

Nikki Giovanni wrote in one of her poems, (a favorite of mine) – “One ounce of truth benefits like a ripple on a pond. When things change, remember I smiled.”

A Coffee Club meeting can be lively. It reminds me of that line from Nikki’s poem. It’s a “ripple on a pond,” albeit a big one. When the meeting is over, it will certainly give you a reason to smile. You definitely get the sense that things will change – for the better – because of the work they do.

Coffee Club Meeting
District V Coffee Club Meeting
Prince George’s County, Maryland