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Former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke was an ardent supporter of Historic West Baltimore, including Sandtown-Winchester. During his tenure, Baltimore received loads of money from the Clinton Administration. Such monies afforded communities like Sandtown-Winchester to grow and develop in an unprecedented manner.

By Doni Morton Glover, www.bmorenews.com

Dedicated to the Memory of Rev. Dr. Doug M. Stanton  

(BALTIMORE – March 20, 2009) – The year was 1996. On December 13^th of that year, The Avenue Market reopened. After a huge overhaul inside and out, including a beautiful Afrocentric paint job, the market was once open for business.

Slowly but surely, businesses came and businesses left. That’s why it so astounding to still see Community Produce and The Gospel Corner still there. So many businesses had to leave. Whether it was the possible high rent inside the market or whether it was bad business plans or just a lack of basic hustle, several businesses – black and Asian-owned, seemingly left as fast as they came.

Around that time, people like Tessa Hill-Aston and George Gilliam made it their business to do some promotions for the market. Consequently, we had LIVE! jazz every Friday evening. Those were the good ol’ days. There was a new vitality afloat as old timers came back to the community, back to ‘the Avenue.’

It was nothing, for instance, to see Ray Haysbert, Sr. come through to check things out. Nor was it impossible to bump into people one had not seen for years. Then, some way, some how – it stopped. Whether it was the cost of putting on the event every Friday, or whether it was lack of support from market officials – I don’t know. What I do know is that it ended, and with it went the revitalized energy surrounding the market – inside and out.

Slowly but surely, businesses came and businesses left. That’s why it so astounding to still see Community Produce and The Gospel Corner still there. So many businesses had to leave. Whether it was the possible high rent inside the market or whether it was bad business plans or just a lack of basic hustle, several businesses – black and Asian-owned, seemingly left as fast as they came.

Similarly, Sandtown-Winchester was undergoing a lot of changes as well. Around 2000, monies began to dry up and programs that were once ubiquitously present became more and more scarce. The umbrella organization for Sandtown-Winchester was Community Building in Partnership, Inc. (CBP). That’s where I had the sacred opportunity to edit the Sandtown-Winchester ViewPoint Newspaper each month for about a decade.

Also, one should know that the Avenue Market and Pennsylvania Avenue symbolized and represented the economic development engine/commercial corridor that was repeatedly touted in grant applications and annual reports for Sandtown-Winchester and other communities. Hence, the success of 'the Avenue' was indeed tied to the success of its surrounding communities ... like Sandtown-Wincehster. Put differently, in addition to building up houses and gainfully employed persons in the community, we knew we had to also build up the commercial outlets so as to provide some decent products and services for the community's benefit.  

The goal of CBP was to ultimately erect a community-led transformation process. What ensued, however, in my best estimation, was a merry-go-round of one non-profit poverty pimp after another coming in to the community, doing their dog and pony show, gaining some incredible grant monies to help the poor, undereducated and impoverished people in the ‘hood and pay what I think were exorbitant salaries – only to leave at the end of the day taking monies to other communities.

True, some people genuinely cared about Sandtow-Winchester and selflessly gave of their time, skills, and energy. Names like Margaret Ruffin, Ella White, Tina Thompson, Loretta Smith, Doug Stanton, Elijah Etheridge, Norman Yancey and Marvin Hayes come to mind. There was also Marsha Bannerman, Jerry Cross and Craig Jernigan. On so many occasions, I witnessed first-hand as these people nurtured others in the community.

The challenge in Sandtown-Winchester, however, was really simple. Unless the people in the community are guiding the transformation process, then nothing will ever change.

Time after time, the experts came and the experts left. And every time one left, so did a little piece of hope for the community. Mind you, I am not saying that one has to live in the community in order to help make a difference. What I am saying is that if people from the outside only come in and dictate the future course of a community without ever listening to the community’s wishes nor asking the community’s input – again, nothing will change.

However, the concept of poverty pimping just kept getting worse and worse. I heard the story a thousand times as these “outsiders” would tell funders how they intended on using the grant money. Lies! All lies!

At the end of the day, the money went to bank accounts in other jurisdictions around the state – and at times – out of state. Sure, the community got a bone here and a bone there. But at the very end, progress came to a halt. Jobs went to people from other communities who found themselves employed in Sandtown, taking jobs from the community. Nepotism and favoritism replaced slots for the community. Further, what was most insulting was the permeating notion that people in the community did not have the aptitude or capacity to actually serve as Executive Director of Community Building in Partnership, Instead, we heard excuse after excuse by leadership who only really cared about paying their mortgage and car note.

On a positive side, probably the most successful and worthy entity to ever develop in Sandtown never even came out of CBP. In all truthfulness, I would have to say that Sandtown Habitat for Humanity has been the best thing since sliced bread. They build affordable homes for people in the community. They utilize volunteers from around the region. And they have expanded to the level of also providing a school in the neighborhood, a health clinic at one point, and a job placement service. LaVerne Stokes, along with Alan and Susan Tibbels – I would say – have to be held in the highest esteem.

To CBP’s credit, a number of folk came through its doors and left to do even greater things. And, for all intents and purposes, CBP did see a lot of lives transform into incredible success stories such as my son’s godfather, Antoine Bennett.

Today, there are so many questions that remain as it relates to the transformation of a community. And 8 years of a George Bush administration certainly lent no assistance.

And so, at ground zero once again – there are still a few brave souls who have kept their eye on the prize. Richard Burton, my dear friend, is one of them. Darius Hall is another.

Yes, there are still those – like Rev. Dr. A. C. D. Vaughn of Sharon Baptist – who refuse to do anything else but continue the work. And so, the saga continues.      

Tags: black community, community development