https://www.westofninth.com/blog daily 0.75 2021-09-30 https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2021/9/30/lb20rirzg4wvvnik9cc88t9uovv3ha monthly 0.5 2021-09-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1632963936834-T6VO7P2C3AL5ZK7PLFPC/Becky+%26+Tessa-+Portland.jpg Stories - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2021/9/16/ej0ksaxjp29bnv5t1zic8f2bmcyytc monthly 0.5 2021-09-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1631829070147-XMQBU96ETPR7W1NCM52T/IMG_0588.JPG Stories - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2021/9/7/jx77cj35a1tg1kgoffodh35gou29y3 monthly 0.5 2021-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1631050938882-3Q7K5I98D3YID8JH6E6L/Matthew%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2020/9/15/osjrfcuic6bk528lufqrxq7ft6qdgd monthly 0.5 2020-09-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1600207008334-4XYUN1B8RQTGWGO1WLCE/JP%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2020/9/9/d9jwgf9n9gt09u4323buoyzy1gm39p monthly 0.5 2020-09-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1599697251913-LGPL9KD5SKP418D57IR5/Juan%2C+Algonquin.jpg Stories Juan, Algonquin https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2020/9/7/1h8ptnum2sml60sgkjh67ih4tjr3pb monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1599524810775-V63SFGLIS2ZX3WSABMQ7/Traniece+%26+Preston%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories Traniece w/ her granddaughter Preston in Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2020/9/1/e4bmizpeam4yppsxckd6v079y283lf monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1599795021799-VWSHNI12BLYMTXEBRGX2/Terry%2C+Russell+4.jpg Stories Terry, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2020/6/1/vcuw70j8pwuitl9u3u17u1pxxzz07s monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1591047401300-BPNTM6VMXYHBN4EQDYLG/Sahura+Bast+Nefer+Ka%2C+Parkland+.jpg Stories Sahura Bast Nefer Ka, Parkland side of 26th & Broadway https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2020/5/21/john-x-portland monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1590100624007-A0XZXCOYLUGMFYWTB42X/John%2C+Portland.jpg Stories John X Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2020/5/7/b1iw41ep3tq8c6zdxmdslgrrrhoa66 monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1588893938127-E0OJN2YPW0I1YU2AOSBU/Dre%2C+Portland.jpg Stories Dre, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2020/5/7/rq5dnjyfvpkbrnr1ehasma5xp9q12z monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1588893411736-GE16C90XAD8LTWA8K41R/Family%2C+Russell.jpg Stories Family, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2020/4/13/yykv1b216q4q71fpdgpqlllo0w6hyr monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1586821106338-WZA5FEBO5HNSLWKA16QE/China%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories China X Parkland’s Laundry Connection https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2020/4/13/ngtxggs685l7gcy6xtod6m0djuoddq monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1586820948584-D9YDB27QMPL0IOSDL31D/Nell+and+Walt%2C+Russell.jpg Stories Walt & Nell X Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2020/2/27/xbu14sz5qjg2neqfp5pynel563fw03 monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1582829843932-RG48IVRS5OF8H8V6DJ8L/Domo%2C+Russell.jpg Stories Domo, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2020/1/15/2ewiaum01qd1vmocl0r6w1ovtzfp8m monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1579140747487-YEBWM1A97VFCCJ2XAO04/Precious%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories Precious with her son, Prince in Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/12/12/rk02boogr7slbjhd1f2ms7oxsvx6vm monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1576194796919-GKY2REXHDUVEKN4E469U/Dr.+Williams%2C+Russell.jpg Stories Dr. Phillip Williams of West End Family Dental, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/11/21/9spxgurt7022viw8tju4m4eperwlrj monthly 0.5 2020-09-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1574384856994-VX3X7SB3PPVZ7TU7SNNZ/Linda%2C+Park+DuValle.jpg Stories https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/11/13/s6ag32pckwbrvhym4f3kxzgru78zla monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1573695211912-4WHYX3VLPXED1TZ0NIX2/Often+Seen+Rarely+Spoken%2C+Russell.jpg Stories Often Seen Rarely Spoken, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/10/16/17b2dp71tal7400raug617jr49igg3 monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1571259058256-RF4F9TDH2S33UWJ8NTEO/DSC_1091.jpg Stories Herb, Owner of Kentucky Sol & Competitors Edge located in Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/9/19/aqa07xgb9k7idz6pvqwhvlkeym2vyl monthly 0.5 2019-09-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1568935729829-VHMQKJOKJXOT65DWHB8Z/DSC_1200.jpg Stories “I have basically been here all my life. I lived in the East End once but we came back here. My mama loves the West End. It was pretty cool, growing up. It’s not about where you live but how you live. My mama didn’t let us run the streets. What people say they see, I don’t really see. It’s about how you run your environment. With my kids, I don’t let them run the streets. It’s pretty cool to me. If you don’t bother anybody, they won’t bother us. We need more people to come together. We need a place for the kids to be active. We got the Boys & Girls’ Club but it ain’t how it used to be. I would like to see the West End more healthy. We need more healthy food spots because they keep giving us all this bad stuff. I’m the go-to healthy person. I like to promote good health and that’s physical, mental and financial health. I’m all about bringing black people in the West End to be more in tune with their spiritual health. We need healthy relationships within families. We just need to be healthy. I’m more passionate about physical health. I work out every day and I would love to see people out here working out, too. I walk around the West End every morning and I would love to see more people doing it. People look at mental health and automatically think that someone is crazy. Everybody can see a counselor. Black people can see a therapist! We need somebody to talk to, as well. We all need to be able to vent without talking to someone that will judge them because a lot of people feel like the people they’re around will judge them. They’ll just keep a lot of stuff in and that can make a person go crazy. I’m more spiritual than religious. I don’t want to put God and religion together because I feel like everyone has their own outlook. Everybody needs a connection with God, outside of religion. Even if you pray every day, that helps - that mentally helps. I’m not going to put everything on the church. I understand that some people do need the church to go to because if they didn’t have the church, they wouldn’t do what they do. They need a sanctuary but everybody doesn’t need one. Some people can be in the comfort of their own homes and still have a relationship with God. I just don’t feel like you have to be this religious person that goes to church every Sunday and pay your tithes. You don’t have to do that to be in-tune with God. I got three kids and they are who I do it for. I want them to do everything I did better. I even want them to eat right and have better eating habits than me. I want them to have better spiritual and mental habits. Growing up, I wasn’t always the best kid. I lost my kids because my son was taking after me and his daddy. I was doing things, of course, because I was around his daddy. So, it wasn’t like I was a bad person. I just met a guy and we’re being kids but my son took after us. He was coming up and doing things and at one point I lost focus and I gave him a whooping because he did something really bad. I got my kids taken away and I had to overcome that because I was just out here and I didn’t have any other reason to be out here without my kids. I had to get them back and I did everything I was supposed to do. I overcame it and got them back and they’re not going anywhere else. In that process, I had to take care of my mental health. I had to get more in-tune with myself. I started seeing a counselor and I realized that it wasn’t as bad as everyone thought it was. It was what I needed. Everything that I been through got me where I am today and I feel like I’m on a good and healthy path. My motto is, “Either you’re gonna build or bullshit?”. Are you gonna do better or stay in the same position that you’re in? Are you working to be a better person? Every day you get a chance to be better than before. If everybody did their part, it would be better. So, are you gonna build or bullshit?” - Antwanette, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/9/4/3nzf9oq2qsvf8eipvez8y4dby9g91t monthly 0.5 2019-09-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1567626738274-39M1DGSZD2UIYA15LHE8/DSC_1176.jpg Stories “I’ve been in the West End since 2006 and I haven’t had any problems. I’ve been down here a while and I like it. I’m a suburb kid from out Westport Road. I was a little naive, growing up out there. I didn’t know much about the buses and stuff back then. I didn’t learn about that stuff until I was in high school. Then I started coming out and running with my friends. I like it. It’s been good for me. There’s a lot of shit that goes on but if you think about it, it goes on everywhere. When you put it in context, they make it sound bad when it comes from down here. I’m right across the street from the park and I’m in a good spot. There’s also not enough for kids to do out here. If you don’t catch these kids early, they’re int he streets and once they’re in the streets, they’re gone. It’s hard to turn them back around once they’re out there. I think the idea is to teach them before they get out there. The West End School for Boys is good because they need it more than anybody. They need one for girls, too. They also need to put some things back in the schools. Like, what happened to home ec? Why can’t these kids make a meal? You can’t feed your kids noodles or microwave meals for life. These kids can’t cook or clean. That’s all the things that I learned in school, that some can learn at home but they aren’t. I have breast cancer. In 2013, I found a knot and I’ve been going back and forth ever since. I’m just trying to be here as long as I can for my kids and grandkids. I just had surgery on the 7th of August and I’m supposed to be having my final surgery on the 19th of this month. I’ve been through it these last five or six years. I’m here and I’m fighting to be here. I have five grandbabies and I want to be here for them. I figured that the name of the game is survival and that’s with anywhere you go. I lost my son, my only son, in 2015, to rectal cancer. He was only twenty-one years old. I don’t think I broke until after my son left. You know, there just wasn’t anything that I could do to help him. I couldn’t let him see me break. I couldn’t let my daughters see me break. When he passed, it affected the community. My son was a good friend. He took care of the people he loved. So many of his friends, their parents, teachers, and other people just showed up for him. When you got it like that, it’s a community. We don’t have a community like we used to. Back then, you could keep an eye on the kids in your neighborhood. You could call out down the street, “Ay, is Johnny there? Tell him I said to come home!” You can’t do that anymore. People aren’t on each other's side. You can’t protect somebody’s kids from running to the streets because they’ll cuss your ass out. It goes back to the momma and grandmomma not being there. Back in the day, if momma wasn’t there, granny was - no problem. Look at me, I’m a grandmother and I’m not that old. The dynamics have changed. If you ain’t out there, trying to learn how to do it, you just won’t know it. You’re just picking up as you go along and that ain’t cool because you’re having kids before you know how to do it. My advice to the world is to be open to everybody’s ideas. You can’t always cut people off. Sometimes, we cut people off for the wrong reasons. You know, you may not like the way they look or sound. Sit down and listen to somebody sometimes. You’ll learn things that you didn’t even know. If we can pick up the kids, things will be better for the people.” - Vicki, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/8/15/k0tkqj0i4d9jefarqh2l04n51f5z8f monthly 0.5 2019-08-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1565902674046-5FM3SAS3P4ZSVRUB5S2T/Nick+%26+Shinica%2C+California.jpg Stories “We’ve been together for about a year and a half. It started with me getting a job at Lowe’s. When you go to Lowe’s, they give you this tour of the building. When we went back to receiving, which is where she was working, I saw her. I don’t know what it was but she caught my eye. She’s beautiful. I thought to myself to try it out. I went in and told her my name and she told me hers and after that it was goodbyes. Three weeks after that, I chased her. We met up with each other and then from that point on we went to Chic-Fil-A every morning and that’s when I knew that I was going to make this woman my wife. No female out here has done for me what she’s done. We got to eat breakfast together every morning and get to know each other, instead of jumping into other things. That’s what most men do out here, is just jumping into things. If you can, get a woman that understands you and gets to know you like the back of her hand. I’m not afraid to say it because that’s what love is. It’s getting to know each other. I’m not gonna lie, but I took off work to spend time with her. We don’t get to spend that much quality time together. We work Monday through Friday and we work with contractors on the weekends. The feeling I get when I’m around is a sense of security. I feel protected, knowing that I have a woman who is on my level. That’s a lovely thing and that’s a team you’re not going to stop. We just have a bond and I love it.” - Nick, California “I saw him and I was thinking that he was a very cute guy. I swear he was stalking me! I watched him follow me to receiving and that’s when we got to know each other. I just thought that he was so cute. We worked two different shifts - he worked first and I worked third. He would catch the first bus out there just to see me before I got off. He did that for three weeks. I knew that the next time that I would see him, that I would have to give him my phone number. That’s what happened and we’ve been inseparable ever since. We didn’t and won’t give up on each other.” - Shinica, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/7/30/63k5t8d80e5t5mggvp2azdvcqivnc9 monthly 0.5 2019-07-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1564532875552-YNHKG0UW0A2DUDTU165X/Corriah%2C+Park+DuValle.jpg Stories “I’ve been living in the West End for six years. I came from Valley Station. It’s been hard; the violence gets to you. My brother just got killed two months ago, changing his tire. The community is very hard to bring together. The case is still unsolved and the dudes are walking around doing the same thing. His birthday was just two days ago. He had a baby and he was only 7-months at the time. It’s just hard. He was a good person. He really wanted us to get out. He reached out to groups to help him get out of the lifestyle he was in. It was just too late. I’m eighteen and I wanna accomplish everything. I’m going for everything in this life. I got so much more to get out of it. That’s why I’m sitting right, walking my son to the doctor without anyone in my corner. I have myself and I want so much more out of life and that’s what I’m going to get. Next month, I’m going to nail tech school. I’m starting a little business. Other than that, I’m just trying to make it. I wanna help other people. I wanted to do something, this summer, about this violence. It’s just hard to do that when people aren’t on the same page and won’t come together and be positive. My grandmother is the most influential person in my life. I should’ve ran with everything that she told me. You’re supposed to listen to your elders cause they’re not going to tell you wrong. If I would’ve listened to my grandmother, I wouldn’t be in the position that I’m in now. I would be so much further in life. I would have been more focused and not falling into the statistics and waiting for public assistance. I would have been working harder and my brother would’ve never got killed. He used to talk about us getting out of here and doing better. I blame myself for where I’m at right now. When my brother was murdered, we didn’t have anybody. He didn’t have any life insurance. We had to come up with the money and wait three weeks. He didn’t get the proper burial. He’s at Green Meadows and we’re trying to put the money together for his headstone. We just went to go see him and really don’t know where he’s really located. There’s so many bodies that they’re laying close together because there are so many murders. My son and my nephew keep me going. It keeps me going all the way. I wanted to give up plenty of times but I can’t because I have them looking up to me. That’s the only thing that keeps me going every single day. Don’t rush anything. Don’t force anything. Go with life and don’t let anything stop you. Never give up and keep on going. Don’t think that you have too much on you because there’s always another person who is dealing with more. Keep on going.” - Corriah w/ her son Jordan, Park DuValle https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/7/23/8d44ua4xs8pbf996mlzpw3brp58e3k monthly 0.5 2019-07-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1563918761870-RU2UQSG0TWF89GL137FM/Polo%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “My first experience with the Dirt Bowl was with “Get Buckets”, like five or six years ago. Then I went to “Stamped Up”, then I went to “4100” for a couple of years. I went to “Redemption” and now, I’m at “Park Hill”. I’m from Park Hill. I could’ve played with “Redemption” this year but Park Hill’s my heart and soul. That’s where I grew up and I can’t tell them no. The Dirt Bowl keeps me out the way. I look forward to playing my games. I look forward to Cornell and Ravon talk shit. It’s actually a good outlet to let out stress. I don’t do drugs or anything like that, I love to play basketball. I love seeing my friends, that I grew up with, out here. It’s more than gun violence and stuff out here. This is a beautiful thing. The police have been on it and people feel safe. They’re even walking people to their car if they need it. I just hope that they keep it going and it won’t be any foolishness. I’m kinda mad that I wasn’t born fifty years ago, when it first started. I know it was dope. I’m a sucka for finding out what was before me and I respect what was before me. Like, I see the highlights from back in the day and I’m wishing that I was in that era. I got an old soul. I’m sure the competition is weaker now than it was back then. I’d love to continue the legacy. When my son gets older, I want him to play in the Dirt Bowl. Even if he gets offers from division one schools, I still want him to experience the Dirt Bowl. You can have so many local supporters and you gotta get your city behind you before everybody else. This is a nice way to get your city behind you and get your name out there. It’s not just for the hood but the whole city. Wherever I go, everybody knows Polo and I support everybody. I’m a fan of basketball and these are my friends. We hoop every day together.” - Polo, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/7/15/apejvim4zxtmg44lcm3k3yfe4dtl8g monthly 0.5 2019-07-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1563241380666-G422UNKLKYG783KDBEL3/Brandon%2C+Portland.jpg Stories “I’ve been here since I was two, so I’ve been here all my life. When I was young, coming up, it was cool. We used to come outside and play. Everything was smooth. Nowadays, you gotta watch where you’re walking. You can be at the wrong place at the wrong time and not even know it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not bashing my neighborhood, I love my community. We still got good folks around here and it’s just hard. I just hope that we can do something to make it better. I grew up doing reckless shit. I was fortunate because I had my mother and my father but my father was in the military, so he wasn’t around much. I got into the streets, you know, I was breaking into cars and doing all the mischievous shit that youngins do. I could say that it was hard but it was all up to me on how I wanted my life to go. I chose to do what everyone else was doing. I wanted to follow the crowd. I followed and got into gang shit. That’s just not where it’s at. A life-changing moment for me is when I met my girlfriend and her family. I came up in the church but I veered off from it. So, when I got with her, I got back into church. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a saint but I go to church every Sunday and I pray and I’m in the word. Now, I have a daughter and she’s four years old. If it weren't’ for her and my girl and her kids, I couldn’t see myself being the man that I am now. I’m proud of the man I am, especially coming where I come from. I grew up around OGs and I was always taught that the knowledge that’s passed down to you, you have teach it to the younger ones. I want to go out here and help some of the young guys that are going through what I’ve been through. I wanna help them. Just being involved in someone else’s life helps them. It’ll help if a person has someone to talk to about what they’re going through. The problem is that a lot of us don’t have anyone to talk to. If we had someone to have a heart to heart with, I’m pretty sure that a lot of people would be straight. I just wanna help the young people that are thinking about giving up.” - Brandon, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/7/10/tpksywsvv179yxd459f96kl7kg5277 monthly 0.5 2019-07-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1562805189358-6LDTGOY2FW0VI0O9LPQ0/Benjamin%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories “I was born in 1945, right there on Cedar Street. The house is torn down, now. It was right there on the corner. It used to be Club Morraco and all the houses in the area, on that corner. I gotta whole lotta steps on that street - a whole lot of steps. Sam Cooke and all the singers came to Club Morraco back in the fifties. It wasn’t like it is now, you know, with all the killings and stuff. We had our little spats but they were fists fights and you would go on about your merrily way. We didn’t have any gangs. We had our own little crew that we ran around with. As far as fighting and shooting, that wasn’t going on with the younger people. The older people were the ones doing all the shooting. You didn’t play with them older people. I was born and raised in the Russell area. We moved from Cedar Street to 19th, between Walnut and Madison Street. Our address was 513, where that empty lot is, where Jay’s Restaurant used to be. There used to be a house right there on that corner. I had a good time, growing up. I didn’t have nothing to squawk about. I come from a good family with five boys and two girls. It was kinda rough. Some people had food on the table and some people didn’t. We were fortunate. My father was a minister and he had his own church. We ate well but back in the forties and fifties, it was rough but we made it. That’s the main thing - we made it. I graduated from Central High School in ‘63 and went in the Navy and never looked back. I left in ‘63 and came back in ‘67. I stayed in the navy for four years, oversees. I stayed near the French Riviera. After being over there, I moved to New York and stayed for a while but I decided to come back home. When I came home, I had a good time here. I went to school and worked. I worked at Olin Mathieson, the powder plant. I left there and went to the P. Lorillard Tobacco Factory that was on 30th and Muhammad Ali. I spent 34 years down there. I started working there in ‘72 and retired in ‘06. I was a mechanic and worked on machinery. When I moved back, I moved out in the county, off Manslick Rd. I met this young lady and we got married and eventually separated. I left there and moved to St. Matthews, out in Oxmoor, then I came back to the West End. I love the West End. I came back to West End about 20 years ago. I like to sit out. My friend comes around and tells me that I’m always meddlin’. I’m not meddlin’, I just like to know what’s around me. I like to meet new people. I know everybody up and down this block. We don’t have any problems in this area. I’m out here every day. I won’t sit out in the sun when it’s too warm out. I gotta shade tree that I’ll sit right under. I’ll get a breeze every now and then but as long as this bad boy don’t fall, I’m cool. I sometimes leave here and will walk down to the church, down the block, but I belong to Bethel Baptist Church on 35th and Garland. I’m here because I like being here. I live by myself because me and my girlfriend couldn’t get along. We separated. I had another girlfriend and we couldn’t get along either and we separated, too. I don’t have no ill feelings about the West End. I’ll never talk bad about the West End. I hear people do that all the time. I always say that the West End is the best end! There’s crime everywhere; you can’t get around it. Time changes and nothing stays the same. Like I tell people, “Seasons change, so you know time’s gonna change.” Nothing stays the same. Hold on and don’t take no wooden nickels. Seasons change. Nothing is perfect, so hold on and it’ll get away from you. Don’t give up!” - Benjamin, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/7/8/xr2btz6ximv2lwj0q54mky8s25pkpc monthly 0.5 2019-07-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1562632163518-94SH622ZS7JLRZXXSDFI/Lamonique%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “I’ve been coming to the Dirt Bowl for about six or seven years, now. It’s like when you turn off Broadway, into the park, it’s always great vibes and great feelings. When you get in here, you see everyone having a good time and just out here living. There’s food and kids everywhere. The police and vendors are here, too. It’s just a good time and it’s exciting to see everybody together and getting along. My father is actually one of the Dirt Bowl legends - his name is Gerald Gray. I came down here to see the East End play. I have friends that I graduated from high school with that are playing now. So, the Dirt Bowl is literally everywhere, it’s all around me. If you wanna have a good time, watch some basketball and listen to some good music and have a good time, come to the Dirt Bowl. Your stomach will hurt after all of the laughing, too.” - Lamonique, 2019 Dirt Bowl at Shawnee Park https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/7/3/32hwce6nub11j79ynsxo0pwjm8uaoj monthly 0.5 2019-07-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1562187186567-V7U6OLDP6BMRLRLP37IV/Teresa%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “It’s nice here. I’ve been here, in Russell, for about two years now. I live next door to that church over there. I don’t attend it but I do get the word because he puts that big box (speaker) out there for everyone to hear. It’s pretty nice and laid back, I like it. I don’t like that I don’t have a washer and dryer but other than that, it’s been nice. I’ve been in the West End all my life. I use to live in the California neighborhood, on Prentice. That’s where I was born and raised. Coming up was good, you know that old school stuff. It wasn’t like it is now - it’s crazy now. There’s no hopscotch, hide n’ seek, or jump rope. That was good stuff. Maybe, we just need to do it with the kids. Sometimes, we’re not taking the time out to do it with them. I had it good, growing up. I guess I’m old-timey. Living here has been positive. Growing up in the West End, I learned how to respect people. We got along with each other and because of that, it’s made me a good person. Now, it seems like people can be so hateful towards one another. We just need to love one another. It always seems like we don’t like each other. We just kill each other and it’s grimy. When I lost my mama, it made me grow up. That impacted my life in a big way. I was always with her. She was living with me. People thought that I couldn’t make it on my own but I could. I took care of her but we took care of each other but I had to get out on my own. I had to learn how to really be by myself. That was life changing for me. I had to grow up and be a woman. She died in March 2011. That was life-changing. It’s a blessing to still have your mom because you’ll miss them every day when they’re gone.” - Teresa, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/7/2/i7qe81e33pseovu2efdvk998t2ran8 monthly 0.5 2019-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1561954905206-CNK8SRM4TJ2CVAET5FH8/Brandyn+%26+Camryn%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “We met through one of her friends. It was like one of her friends was talkin’ to one of my friends and that’s how it happened. You feel me, I made my move and she made her move. It’s been close to a month. Some people are more open than other people. I feel like if you’re going to mess with somebody, it’s gonna have to be with someone that you know. It’s gotta be someone that you’ll put your all into. If you can’t do that then, for real, you don’t need to be with them. You know how that goes, everybody got their ways and you can’t mess with people’s flaws. I make music, a lot of music. I got music on Apple and Spotify. I make music every day, nonstop. If it ain’t my music then I don’t know what it’s gonna be. I’ll have a back-up plan but I ain’t got to that yet. Right now, it’s about my music. Money keeps me motivated. Man, I live in the West End and it’s hard getting a job out here. There’s nothing out here for us. People gotta make that money somehow and some way. Everybody ain’t doin’ the right thing. As long you’re gettin’ money and stayin’ out the way, you’re smooth. That’s all you can do is get money til you get out. If you can’t get out, I don’t know what to tell you. I’ma get out. I’ma get out the West End to get where I’m supposed to be, to come back and do what I’m supposed to do. Right now, I’m not where I could do that for the West End, so I got to get out. I gotta put my talents somewhere else to get where I’m supposed to be. I wanna make enough funds to do what I wanna do for the West End and then come back down here and do that. It’s a process but I’m not in no rush to do it.” - Brandyn (pictured with Camryn), Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/7/1/o0xp5gytyk0yeh1jp7p3riuru9ns29 monthly 0.5 2019-07-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1561954739976-CP6LJ2SNKQH5DYFBUGVI/Ti-Ti%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “Being back here, I see that a lot has changed. There’s a lot of people trying to change the West End. There’s a lot of people that are marching up and down the streets, passing out flyers, trying to stop the violence. I think there’s doing good; they are really trying. It just takes the neighborhood to help them. If I could change anything about myself, it would be me not having an education. I would’ve stayed in high school. I could’ve had me a better job - my education. Being in the foster care that I was in played a huge part in me not finishing. The foster care I was in was racist. The school I was in didn’t care about me. I got into a lot of fights and got kicked out. I ended up going to Paducah because that’s where they sent me. It was difficult, it still is difficult. Being the age that I am now, I still have a lot of problems with what happened back then. I’m still trying to solve those problems. Other than that, I think I turned out okay. I won’t say that I have regrets; I have wishes. I definitely want to get my education but most of all I want to make sure that my daughter is aware of how the world is. I’m trying to prepare her for the world. She keeps me motivated. If it weren’t for her, I’d probably be in jail or prison. I want her to get her education, go for her goals, and to not let anybody tell her that she can’t. In my mind, there’s no such word as ‘can’t’. I don’t say that I can’t. Instead, I’ll say that I’ll try and that’s what I want to teach my daughter. Man, stay in school and put the guns down. These streets are not what it’s all cracked up to be. Popularity is not where it is. All this social media, tv and all that got people thinking that they’ll be famous but they’re not. It does nothing but put a label on you.” - Ti-Ti, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/6/17/0v1tm5j4ed980qvnemu8nsgw379kxo monthly 0.5 2019-06-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1560818065929-0DSDUMX0U9EVI7EPRQSM/Kelvonnie%2C+Portland.jpg Stories “I’ve been down here for a few years. I lived in the east end, I grew up in Sheppard Square. My family lives down here. It can be cool but rough at times. Some people don’t have a choice when it comes to being in the streets. That’s just what it has to be because that’s all they got. Like I said, one day can be cool and the next day can be all fucked up. How do I deal with my struggle? I keep everything to myself. I don’t talk to anybody. When I got shit going on, I stay to myself. I just sit in the house and think about what I need to to do to make it another day. Shit don’t always work out how you want it to. Ya dig? I just hope for the best at all times. If I’m in a bad situation, I really don’t down myself because it’s going to make it even worse than what it is. I always try to keep my head high, no matter what. My little brothers and sisters keep me motivated. My momma and granny are my world and they keep me motivated too. I just got out a few months ago; I did seven months in juvenile. I remember being on the phone with my little brothers and sisters, missing birthdays and all that. That made me want more for myself. Doing that time opened my eyes to all the stupid shit I was doing. I was running the streets. I had to change. I realize what’s important and what’s not. I know what’s reality and what ain’t. I learned how to handle my business in a better way, instead of all that silly shit I was doing to get locked up. That was uncalled for because I chose to do some hothead stuff. I want to own my business. Hopefully, that goes right when I get back in school. I have to go take my GED next week. I just passed my pre-test and I plan on going to to this junior college in Chicago. If I pass my test, I’ll be able to play football for them. School starts in August, so I’ll be out of here. I can get prepared and get everything on track. Don’t give up and I don’t care what anyone tells you. You can do whatever you want as long as you put your mind to that shit. Oh, and don’t let anyone influence you into doing some shit that you don’t wanna do. Live your life the way you want to and the best way that you can live it. It’s only right. Take it from somebody that’s been locked up and been from pillar to post. I ran the streets and all that. That’s not where it’s at, man. Stay in school and that’s for all the young cats. I got little brothers and sisters, so don’t think that because I’m out here, that I don’t have a heart. I love mine to death. I tell them every day to keep their head on a swivel. I used to get suspended all the time; that ain’t it. Don’t do it.” - Kelvonnie, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/6/16/e1qk49d1c7cey6ouafukuu09jjsory monthly 0.5 2019-06-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1560729767069-97QFJ5XAX71GKPYTEVOD/Silk+%26+Sayvon%2C+Park+DuValle.jpg Stories “The joy of being a father is being able to see yourself in them. The joy that they have and the smile on their face when you got ‘em a home and food on the table is real. That’s setting a really good example for the kids. It just brings joy to me and it puts a smile on my face when I see them smile. The other side of it comes with the discipline. They get mad at me, of course, because I won’t let them do this or that at one or two o’clock in the morning. For the most part, I’m happy to be here to see this. If you’re a parent and you have an opportunity to be in your child’s life, do that because they may not say anything about it, but it’s instilled in their head that their parent is in their life. That’s something that they’ll never forget it. They’ll never forget that you’ve been to one of their games or at their graduations. The challenge to fatherhood is to try not to let my kids feel my pain. As a father, that doesn’t mean that we get a get out of jail free card. We got bills that have to be paid and loss of work because of an illness or something. That’s heavy on a father’s mind when he’s head of household. “How are we gonna get this done? How are we gonna get that done?”. I’ve been through it and I ain’t gonna say that I haven’t. The challenge of that is to never let your kids see you break because they’re looking to you as strength. So, if you can hold that without snappin’ on them and keep being a role model, you’ll be a good parent. That’s what gets me through. I don’t ever put no negative activity in their face. I party, have guests over and stuff but they don’t see any of that. That’s what I do, I’m grown.” - Silk, pictured with his Son, Sayvon in Park DuValle https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/5/29/35nmx54381e1idde3qxfm72s26y1sc monthly 0.5 2019-05-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1559160061953-U12OK20BOC4377X8U2WL/Shania%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories “It’s very family oriented and you see a lot of love shown down here. What makes it home to me? I can walk down the street and know somebody. I can walk around the corner and somebody would be ready to help me with anything. It’s lots of help and love but at the same time, there’s a lot of lost souls. We need more love for the youth because we’re the future. We need more people to set examples and give us guidance. You see liquor stores on every corner. Where are the bookstores? I wanna see stuff that’ll help us and allow us to come together. I would like to see a difference. I wanna see unity, love, support, and happiness. I’m tired of seeing gun violence and drugs. We need more black-owned businesses and fewer liquor stores! The kids need a place to go to after school and adults need places where they can just hang out. We just don’t have anything like that. My biggest influence is my mother. As a single parent of three, she did an awesome job with us. She instilled wisdom and knowledge by showing me that you always need to know where you’re going and where you come from. She taught me that I can’t stay in one place too long - I have to keep going. My mother keeps me going. We just went to go look at colleges and I’m feeling good about that. I was lost at first but after visiting colleges, I’m feeling really good about myself. I know what I want to do. I plan on going to Sullivan. They have a lot of stuff for me. I want to own my own business, so I’m going to be taking up marketing and business management. I want to own a hair salon. I feel that Sullivan will help me with my career. They are directing people to make their own paths. I learned about the guy that owns Super Chefs. He went to Sullivan and graduated from there. I learned that he didn’t have any money and was homeless. I found that it was amazing that he took a chance on himself and created a successful business. That’s role model goals! I sometimes battle depression but there are people around me who help and show me that there are better ways to go about things and that I don’t always have to be down. I put God first, too. Like, when I’m not in the best of moods, I got my mom and family that help me. Even when I’m in the West End and I’m walking down the street, there’s always somebody saying, “Smile, young lady!” At the end of the day, life is something to be happy about. Every day that you wake up is a blessing. There’s a purpose for everyone’s life. In order to fulfill your purpose, you have to live.” - Shania, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/5/21/35hsp8kuqg8g36njl48uvlzj8j55mx monthly 0.5 2019-05-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1558487826029-T67W2XL8WIOZVYZUVWDE/Linda%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “I had three kids in ‘72, ‘75, and ‘76. I had to raise them first before I went out and did anything else. When I became a mother, I knew I had to do my best to make sure they were well taken care of. They never had to look for somewhere to stay, I gave them a nice home. Having my kids and God allowing me to have them was the happiest moment of my life. I never went anywhere and done too much. Times got hard when my husband and I got divorced. My kids were young and I had to work hard everyday to make sure they were straight. Every day, I had to get on the bus to take them to school and pick them up. I made sure they had their meals and all the homework was done. They had what all the other kids in the neighborhood had. As a single mother, I made sure that my children never lacked for anything.” - Linda, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/5/9/gw1azo9iykdzg3ijau9tzjf6l9klen monthly 0.5 2019-05-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1557450741945-RWW6QDCDYRS0PJEQXL39/Natasha%2C+Portland.jpg Stories “Last year, on Mother’s Day, I almost died. I was headed to Cincinnati and my truck font tire blew and I lost control of the car. It knocked me unconscious and I was thrown through the window. I was on I-71. From there I had to be airlifted. I remember bits and pieces. I had six broken ribs, two fractured vertebrae, a broken finger, a broken toe, lacerations everywhere, and a head injury. For a while, I thought that I would never cook again. That was my main thing. It’s what I love. So every day and every week, I would do something different to push myself. When I came home from the hospital, everybody came and brought food to the house and I thought that I had to cook. I was still hobbling around and trying to cook and people would have to tell me to sit down. I still cooked. I made myself do it and people would call and ask me when I was going to get back to it. I started out doing it two to three times a week. I was trying to push myself to try to get back into the groove of things. Seven months later, I was given the opportunity to open a restaurant here. So far, the three weeks that we’ve been here has been awesome. The support that we’ve been getting has been amazing. I’ve built such a great clientele. People come by just to see the progress of me. You know, they’ll say that I don’t look like I’ve been thrown through a window. It’s been pretty awesome. My children work here in the afternoons. I want to teach them how to be their own boss, especially living down here in the West End. There’s so much opportunity down here and you have to get it yourself. So, I have a fourteen-year-old and she’s my cashier in the afternoon. I have a twelve-year-old son that cleans tables and takes the garbage out and I have another child who cleans around the area. That’s their jobs. They know that they can strive to be like me and make this work. We need love put in our food. You can go to any commercial restaurant but the food is not prepared with love. We have so much processed and packaged food. Everything is freshly cooked here. There may be a wait because we’re preparing it, which is why it’s best to call ahead. I make sure that everything looks appealing. I’m not going to give you something that I’m not going to eat. It’s a wonderful experience. We have a lot of people down here that are homeless or on drugs and during the evening, I give out food. There’s no point in holding onto food that we have at the end of the day. It’s pretty interesting meeting different people. It’s pretty dope. Being down here in the West End is awesome because there are more people like me. It gives you the opportunity to just see yourself in someone else and be able to talk to people because everyone has a story. My ultimate goal for “That’s a Wrap” is to have multiple locations. I would like to have a building that, not only caters to food but has different outsources as well. I don’t want to just focus on me. I want to help other people.” - Natasha, owner of That’s a Wrap in Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/5/1/lfdbiwyrpd7m9ox03u3f08tlwwepou monthly 0.5 2019-05-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1556762014670-BWQ0W89P2X0MLRB4QTDG/Marra%2C+Park+DuValle.jpg Stories “Growing up, there was always a big group of kids from the neighborhood, from every block, that would get together. None of us knew each other, except for a few of us, but we were all thrown outside by our parents. They would make us go play and get to know each other. We all became best friends. We call each other brother and sister, til this day. We’ve been hanging out since we were eight years old. We used to go around the neighborhood and play games like manhunt or tag. As we got older, we stayed connected. Even though we went to different universities, we still come back home and plan days to be with each other. Sometimes, we might just meet up as a few of us because some of us are still in Louisville. We just stay connected and have fun since we’re young. Right now, I’m going to Jefferson Community & Technical College. I’m actually getting ready to transfer to Indiana University Southeast. The other kids around here go to Louisville. A couple of them go to Bellarmine. The other ones are at Purdue, Ohio, and Kentucky. We’re everywhere. I just switched my major to business administration, marketing and sales. I plan to be a project construction manager and get into real estate. Since I was younger, I always loved to build and create stuff with my hands. My mom graduated from college and owns her own business and seeing her doing that got me interested. I always loved real estate. My parents were in it before and they’re trying to get back into and start a family business. I really just want to build a name for my family. We’re not poor but we’re not rich either. My dad used to always tell me, “If you don’t come from a rich family, make a rich family come from you.” It’s more like a family thing is it’s more personal to me. I just want to start something new with my family. I want to change some things and not just for my family but for the image of a black woman or a black person. I want people to see what I’m doing and know that it’s possible. Stay focused and be confident in yourself. Once I became confident, I accomplished a lot more. I feel like I can do anything. Some things might be harder for me, than others, obviously. Just having confidence and trust in myself has taken me a lot further.” - Marra, Park DuValle https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/4/26/od44c4qihjenuurm3b1myhg4uij08l monthly 0.5 2019-04-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1556321922478-FOV1IK395OBLUCJR7H2D/Jaylen%2C+Park+DuValle.jpg Stories “I’ve been here for fourteen years. I was four and I’m eighteen now. The River City Drum Corp. has made me a totally different person than what I would have been. I’m more responsible and better at getting stuff done. I know that real life has consequences and there are rewards to good things that you do. It taught me how to be an adult. The biggest lesson that I take from RCDC is that if I don’t get my stuff done, I won’t be able to have fun. It’s all about responsibility. Drumming is my passion, it’s what I do. If I was to drop everything and forced to choose one thing, it would be drumming. I’m just naturally good at it and it’s what I love to do. I get to reach others through it. I get to teach all the kids and the older kids and make people smile. I wanna make people smile and dance. We’re just doing good stuff over here, especially with the drums. What’s next? I’m going to college. I want to go to Tennessee State University. Hopefully, I’ll get to play there. I’m waiting to hear back about scholarship stuff. I’m going to get my degree in aeronautical and industrial technology. It has to do with aviation and airplanes. As far as drumming, I won’t do it professionally but I will definitely come back to Drum Corp. to help teach the younger kids coming up and make them better. I want all of them to be better than me and they can come back and teach and keep it going. That’s what somebody did with me. Alumni came back and taught me so much stuff that I didn’t even know. I plan on going to TSU and learn new stuff and will come back and help make the kids better, so they can make somebody else better. Whatever you want to do, if you really want to do it, don’t give up. It doesn’t matter how long it takes or how hard it is, you have to keep going. If you really want to do it, just keep trying. If you want to do it, you’ll it. Don’t say you can’t do it. Tell yourself that you can and practice at it. Remember that it takes time to accomplish stuff, so don’t give up.” - Jaylen, Louisville River City Drum Corp in Park DuValle https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/4/26/4anub9uaztkllpj4bdsvu0njfjbq6j monthly 0.5 2019-04-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1556321710152-N472EXL64FDPRM52FDUK/William+%26+Duke%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “Everybody looks at me weird because I’m a black man, in the hood, with a pig. I done had every animal before. This was just the next step. They’re just like dogs. You can potty train and teach them tricks. It’s something different. I’ve been having pigs for about three years. Most people think that they’re real hard-headed and stubborn and they do at times. They’re pretty smart. I got a friend whose pig rings a bell when it wants to go outside. He does it all. He’s potty trained and goes in the litter box just like a dog or a cat. They’re very intelligent. They’re not dirty like everyone thinks they are. Everybody thinks that they’re just filthy and they’re not. They like to get dirty from time to time but they’re pretty clean. They’re good. It’s just a different experience. Read up on them and check it out. You might end up liking it. Make sure you do your research. Some people are out here selling real live hog pigs, the big ones. Make sure you get a pot belly or a small one. I’m about to get my license, so I can start breeding them. Most of us don’t know much about or how to get them, so that’s a business that I’m thinking about starting. People can learn about pigs and eventually will want to raise one.” - Wiliam (pictured with his pig, Duke), Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/4/9/gt0jord3vxprvtf4u1nd5o9fl79g7q monthly 0.5 2019-04-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1554857354767-GWPZ7N9I19JVNUYQLLCV/Babinta+Kiota+%26+Mohamed%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I’ve been here since 1998. It’s been twenty-one years. When I came here, I was the only business here. It was just me, Chevron and Kroger. I remember when I first opened up my business, the police used to be worried about me. At that time, there was a lot of crime over here. If I had a problem with the building and needed repairs, people would ask for my address and I would tell them 2015 West Broadway and they would tell me that they didn’t come this far. That was just twenty years ago, not even a long time ago. People were scared to come to the West End. Now, people are coming back to live here and the crime is lower. People are wanting to spend money and support black businesses. I think that if they do that, it’ll help us and the community. We live here and we’ll spend money here. It’s a lot of changes. When I first came here, it was rough and there was a lot of crime and lot of stuff. Things have changed. None of these buildings were here. It was a lot of empty lots. So, it’s a lot of changes. I think with the new developments, they could do more. Even with the little things that they do, it would make some big changes. For example, they were supposed to put Walmart over here and people fought. Walmart would have been good. It could have brought a lot of people from a ten mile radius. With Passport, I don’t know. I hope they hire people from the West End. They said that they were gong to hire five hundred people. I hope it’s not going to be a bunch of people, from outside, that will just come to work and go home. We’re not going to benefit from it. The YMCA will be good for the neighborhood. The director said that he’s going to make sure that every kid knows how to swim, so that’s good. That’ll be a positive thing for the neighborhood. I think the West End is headed in a good direction, if they let us do more. We have to come together and do more instead of complaining. For example, they complained about Walmart. Now, Walmart’s gone and what do we get? We get nothing. Walmart being here, would have kept people from going so far. It would have been competition for Kroger and they would have to drop their prices. But they didn’t look at it that way. Also, they were going to hire two to three hundred people in the neighborhood. Also, people wouldn’t have to travel to ten miles. The closest one is where? Cane Run? Indiana? Instead people complained about a parking lot. Would you rather park five hundred feet or drive ten miles? It just doesn't make any sense. We gotta stop the complaining.” - Babinta Kiota, owner of Broadway Fashion & Decor , pictured with Mohamed, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/3/27/f932deqjsn0mj5v4e2htp0eckjhcrs monthly 0.5 2019-03-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1553733034726-E5AVA2S8W1PMPCZ1O8LH/Jeff%2C+California.jpg Stories “I’m just trying to promote bikes. If you get on one of these things, it’s hard to get off. You ain’t finna get in no trouble. I’m not looking for no BS. Basically, I just want to see more people in my neighborhood rides dirt bikes and hopefully, get us a trail over here, one day. I don’t wanna keep riding on the streets and worrying about the police. Once you get on one of these, you’re not getting off. This is definitely my passion. It started when I was six years old, when my grandma got me one of those small dirt bikes. When I saw the older kids with their bigger dirt bikes, I always wanted one. The older I got, I would spend my money and buy a bigger bike. I just bought this bike. I just lost a bike, last year, and broke my leg. My leg was broken and I bought another bike and I rode with a broken leg. This is my passion. Regardless, I’m going to ride a bike. I’m not doing nothing else. It’s not like I’m out here, doing anything bad. The police look at us like we’re doing something bad but I’m not bothering nobody. You got cars with mufflers and all extra types of exhaust modifiers and stuff. I don’t come out late at night or very early in the morning; the afternoon is good for me. I don’t bother nobody, man. I want everyone, around me, to ride because it’s boring doing it by yourself. I want to start my own garage and work on them. Once you get everybody on it, I’ll get you running for free but after that, throw me a little something and I’ll work on your bike. I want to get me a little garage. We don’t have nothing down here that will fix this. I gotta work on this by myself. There’s no where, around here, that I can take this bike to. There’s not one professional place for it. I gotta do it myself. Find you a passion. If you find a passion, you’ll stay out of harm's way. If you find a passion, you’re gonna wanna do it all the time; it’s like an addiction. You’re not worried about nothing else going on around you. When I’m flying through these streets, I’m having fun. I’m not even looking at what’s going on around me. All I know is me on this bike, on this road.” - Jeff, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/3/20/bx5umdombx3rkxr7nwshj54bk1sw84 monthly 0.5 2019-03-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1553129180926-DPUOEXHFICWOVN50JLDP/Ivory%2C+Erriona%2C+%26+Gucci%2C+California.jpg Stories “I feel like everybody should familiarize themselves with mental health awareness. Often times, it’s looked at as a stigma. People want to put mental illness in this box but it affects more people than you know. I’ve had it happen to me. I didn’t know anything about it and then it was like, “Boom!” and then I had to play catch-up. I think it’s something that everyone should learn about because you never know when you’re forced to deal with it. It could be you, a sibling, family member, or anybody. It’s always good to have the knowledge instead of always trusting everything the doctor is telling you. Sometimes, doctors will tell you that your kids have this and need to be put on that. That’s not necessarily the case but when you’re more informed, you can listen to the doctor, knowing your child, and acknowledging that your child may suffer with mental illness or not. It’s better to be informed than to be ignorant. I think that’s how we get ourselves in a bind and caught up in the system because we’re unaware and not informed. We should get familiar with it. A lot of times, it’s hereditary. If we’re out here having babies, you don’t know each other’s history and it can be genetic. If we don’t know the first thing about it, we’re not going to be thinking about genes and where mental illness comes from. We won’t worry about it until it’s too late. I think it’s important because if you do have a family member or somebody does have a mental illness, you want to be able to help them. You don’t want them to be out of sight, out of mind because that’s not fair and they can’t help it. When you’re informed, you can help people that may be challenged with mental illness. You can share that information.” - Ivory, (Right) California “I feel like everyone should pay attention to mental health because there’s more cases than you know. I think that it gets overlooked. It’s just important to keep up with your mental health. It’s important for the black community to take it serious. I have bipolar depression and I had let it get out of hand. If I let it get out of hand, it’s hard to get control of. I feel like if the community, or anyone, is aware of their mental health, it’ll save them in the long run. It can be scary if you don’t get ahold of it. It’s kind of overwhelming once you get to the state of mania and trying to come back to normal. It’s just hard when it gets out of control. Being aware is very important.” - Erriona, (Left) California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/3/12/p8213367rrcw1e77km7vlrvcituler monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1552438541170-H1HIHY14KVYFO2J7YW5U/Haven%2C+Russell.jpg Stories Haven, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/2/26/z81kd98g1122lrsq9ra42v0es8ggo8 monthly 0.5 2019-02-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1551228495208-4QT9MK4FEVXO3A9SYZ4T/Terrance%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories “I’ve been in the West End my whole life. I was born and raised here. We lived in California Square. When I was six or seven, we moved to 42nd. Yeah, I’ve been here my whole life. Growing up in the West really ain’t as bad as people think it is. It depends on the people that you involve yourself around and the people in your household. It’s a lot deeper than just the streets. The streets don’t turn people into monsters, people turn people into monsters. It’s who they go look to find leadership in and who they feel like is giving them the most love at the time. It’s deeper than just your surroundings and where you live at. I feel like it’s the stuff on tv, the social media, the stuff that people are portraying is what’s the best. It’s making the youth turn into what they are. I feel like it’s a lot of different outlets that people could use if they really care. People say that they care about a person but don’t really feel the way that they say that they feel. They care more about what they could get out of the relationship instead of really helping a young person. Ain’t nothing wrong with the streets of the West. I don’t feel like there’s anything wrong. I’ve lived here my whole life. My mom loves the West End. She’s been a respiratory therapist for twenty-something years. She’s retired now and doing really well and she still lives in the West. She enjoys being around the people that she’s around, not the streets. I feel like they’re changing the streets but they’re not changing the streets. Just cause they’re putting down new pavement and putting up a YMCA, it’s not really going to be for the youth of the West End, you know, the people that they make look bad on the news. I feel like the government is putting everybody, that they feel like is a problem, in a certain situation anyway. If a person needs help, they’re going to put them around a lot of people, who also need help, which makes a lot of bad shit happen. Even with the projects, they put people who needs assistance in a certain area. That’s going to create problems in that area because everybody needs help. Everybody is trying to come up on something. Everybody’s trying to come up on some money. Everybody’s trying to figure out how they’re going to feed their kids. A lot of negative stuff happens when you put anyone’s back against the wall. That’s how I feel. It’s more than just gentrification that’s happening. It’s not just happening in West Louisville, but around the world. It’s happening on a high level. They raise the prices, around here, on everything. They do that on purpose to make who’s down stay down. It’s not just black people in the West End now. You can ride down the street and see just as many white people as you do black people. They need help and when they go to the government for assistance, they’ll just put them down here. They’re hurting us and they’re doing it on purpose. The majority of Section 8 houses is in the West End of Louisville. There’s a small percentage of Section 8 houses in different areas of this city beside maybe Newburg. Nobody who is upper class is out in these areas, where the majority is black people. Hell yeah, gentrification is going on. I don’t use that as a crutch nor do I think that anyone else should use it as a crutch, either. Like I said, when your back is against the wall, you’re gonna do whatever you gotta do to make your situation the best you can. So, even when the odds are against you, you can’t use that as a crutch or feel like you could have a bad life and just blame it on gentrification. Nah, you gotta change you. You gotta change what’s going on around you. A lot of people aren’t as mentally strong as others but a lot of people are out here in these streets and those are the people who really need help, whether they fall victim to heroin, which is not only an epidemic. They’re giving people heroin. They give out heroin when someone breaks their leg and they have to take Perc-10’s. They’re giving them heroin when they break a leg and tell the people to take Lortab 5’s. Then once these people like how these narcotics like how they make them feel, they wonder if it gets better. Then you got young teenagers out here, looking up to the wrong people and rap videos and dude that’s on the corner with the big rims on his car, that doesn’t work a job and hasn’t his whole life. They see that dude is getting his money real quick. That’s when them H players come into play and serve them a pill and put them back in the West End. One of them lil kids will serve him. Lock him up and he’ll tell on one of them. It’s a cycle. They keep that shit going. It’s deep. The people that they continue to place in the West End will continue with the cycle. I really feel like it’ll continue because people with weak minds do weak things. It’s going to keep going down until they take the West End back. They’ll eventually take it back because of the location and that’s what they’re working on doing now by changing the streets. That’s why I said that they are changing the streets but not the streets. If they wanted to change the streets, they would have added a Boys & Girls Club or put $100,000 in renovation in this Boys & Girls Club around the corner. They could have the local rap musicians come to these places and show these kids that, “Just because I rap, it doesn’t make me a bad guy. Just because I say I do this, it doesn’t mean I’m out here really doing this, G.” A lot of people don’t know that the Migos went to college. Them dudes ain’t no trappers. They really not out here in these streets but yet that’s the type of music that they really want our kids to listen to because if they hear it, they’ll do it. They know that. I feel like the West End would be doing so much better if the people came together. The only time we come together is when the police is beating up on us and that’s because we’re sick of that shit. That shit’s been going on forever and we’re sick of that shit. Other than that, they not coming together saying that nobody is down here in the Boys & Girls Club, reading books to the kids. Ain’t nobody down here, standing on corners, making sure that people got food in their house. When it’s freezing outside, they ain’t opening up a building, talking about anybody can come down here if they need a place to stay. They’re not doing any of that but they’re changing streets.” - Terrance, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/2/7/lqq6dpsthn0p7afc72h07rtrg70j69 monthly 0.5 2019-02-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1549589705826-B1W0TFFKW7M7BZU71C5R/Elisabeth%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I’ve been in Beecher since 2012. My experience has been up and down. I almost lost my place about four or five times. Utilities have been cut off and I haven’t had food sometimes. I’ve been stressed and depressed. I had to get over those humps. I lost my kids in 2008. I’ve been trying to get them back and getting everything in order to get them back. I’m just trying to do what I need to do to succeed and get them back. This was supposed to get me up and it’s here. Everything is coming about. The only thing that I can say is that it was a tragedy at first, but now it’s triumph. I’m glad to be where I’m at and to be able to move. I’m glad to show people that even though I got my kids taken, I can still make a turnabout. I don’t have to worry about what I’m going to do because God’s got it. In 2008, I ended up losing my kids because of a guy, who I thought really loved me and he didn’t. I turned around and messed up. He started abusing me. I thought it was love and it wasn’t. I ended up having to get myself over that. It took me about two or three years but I got over it. I lost my apartment. I was in New Direction housing and ended up losing my apartment. I ended up being in the streets for about three or four years and then I got here in 2012. I’ve been here and have been holding it down. It’s been rocky because of the different bills that they say we have to pay extra for. We still get the help that we gotta get but sometimes it’s hard, it really is. Not only that, I’m on disability and I don’t want to be on it anymore. My master’s degree is getting ready to make me money. It’s a blessing. With that, God’s been doing everything for me by opening up so many doors. I got into hair school and I’m getting ready to graduate. I’m getting ready to move and it triumph and I got my foot in the door. It’s time to shine and show and prove that I’m still here and I still got this. I’m here and I made it. I didn’t fall. What kept me motivated? Sometimes, I talked to my kids. I really did. I found out my son graduated and he’s going to the navy. My daughter, she sings for the St. Stephens. My other daughter sings in her elementary choir. My sister works for corrections and helps and supports me. That’s all I can say. I am a champion and that’s all that matter. I think the new development in Beecher Terrace is going to be okay. As long as they’re going to be here and help us by showing us new opportunities and showing people that don’t know what’s going on. They’ve been showing us a lot. They just told us that we can get home ownership through the Urban League, so that’s what I plan on doing. I plan on going with the Urban League, so I can get a house. I plan on holding down my place. Not only that, I want to open up my own salon and come back and give back to my community. I wanna give back to the same community who helped and supported me by telling me that they weren’t going to let me fall and that they were going to be here with me. Ms. Ebony, Ms. Kathy and Ms. Wendy helped and supported me. They did everything they needed to do for me. They helped keep me from losing my place. Sometimes, I didn’t have money because I had to spend it on food, I had to go over there and tell them that I didn’t have it. They helped me, no matter what, to prove that they weren’t gong to let anybody fall. That’s what kept me going and happy and excited for the opportunities that’s coming. Don’t give up on hope, faith and God. When you think that you need to throw in the towel, you don’t need to. There’s still another door that’s right there and will open, even when you see everything closed. There’s still a door that’s like, “I’m here and I got you. I’m going to make sure that you’re going to survive and succeed.” That’s motivation!” - Elizabeth, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/1/29/gxdnwosjfnptwlhkvc85yqrc352ua7 monthly 0.5 2019-01-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1548809985716-44ZRWN6FDK3SLFR7PXK4/Anthony%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories “I moved to Virginia Beach when I was five. Then I was about nine years old and all of a sudden, I had to move back to Louisville, when my mother got sentenced. My sister was in Virginia Beach, too, but she decided to stay with her boyfriend, so I had to come here and stay with my grandmother. I didn't know anyone else and I was brought to the West End. I just had to start making my way, but then I went back to Virginia and we came back here when I was thirteen. It was like I was on my own because my grandma had five kids in her house to take care of. Even though we had discipline in our household, I still found myself in the streets. When I was in 12th grade, there were times I would come out and would see my mother outside, stumbling down the street, from doing drugs. There were a few times when I would take her to rehab before school. I was so frustrated and depressed and I started drinking during my senior year in high school. Seeing my mother like that, took a toll on me. I was drinking a lot at eighteen. So I didn't go right off to college and didn't graduate high school. I did end up going back and got my high school diploma. As a kid, I was always very smart and made straight a's. I have always been intelligent, but the trauma with my mother and not having a father, had me depressed. I ended up going to some college and but I had a record. I quit college because I was like, " Why am I going to college? I can't get a job. I'm gonna have to make my own way.” From the age of twenty-five, I decided to make it on my own. My turning point came when I was living in Nashville. I bumped into a lady at the gas station and she told that something brought her to me and she prayed for me. I never seen anything like that happen to anyone. We were at a gas station and it made a difference. I moved back to Louisville and started to wake up and started reading a lot and opening my mind to different things. The shift started. I started learning about myself and loving myself. I was lost and hurt and then it just started clicking. I was getting back to who I was before I moved back to Louisville, after losing my mother to the penitentiary. I was getting back to me. My mother got clean and has remained clean since. Her strength to overcome her addiction really inspired and taught me so much about overcoming adversity. I would not be the man that I am today, if it were not for her. She’s solid and she never gave up on me. We will always have each other’s back and for that I am grateful. I owned two businesses and it came to a point, where I felt successful but it was all about the money. It was a money chase. I thought money would change my life and help me but I wanted purpose. I thought that the money would make me happy but I needed to find my purpose in life. After losing a lot of friends to the penitentiary, death and bad health, I was seeing a lot of what could happen when living in a poor community. It’s a lot of violence and everything. It’s deadly and not livable. It’s not cool to feel comfortable in poverty because it’s not really that comfortable. I realized that it’s a mentality that leads to the physical environment. Poverty kills; it’s not cool. No one should have to rest in poverty. You shouldn’t feel comfortable in a poverty state. I decided to do something with that and I was always into art and my cousin was into designing clothes. We came together and created Poverty Kills and we’re pushing this message. We’ve worked with different programs throughout the city, like Deeply Rooted. We made it so that a percentage of every purchase went to their program. We’ve also taken some clothes to the homeless and others in need. I even had the chance to go to Jamaica and speak to children at a school about entrepreneurship and poverty and building wealth from creativity. I would love to wake up as many people as I can. I want them to realize that they can be more than their environment. You can change your mind, your environment and you can overcome your circumstances, no matter where you’re at. I would like to wake up a lot of dudes that go through the streets and poverty and let them know that it was never them. Like, you was never a street dude, but it was just your environment and your mind. That was never you. I want people to be their higher self, while they’re here, instead of living a lower life. You have a chance to really be whatever and your circumstances are mental and causing you to take to the streets. Through your mind, anything is possible. At anytime, you can change your life and accomplish anything with willpower, patience and staying focused. You can really direct yourself and create the life that you want. You don't have to live it another way, you can really do it your way and you don't have to feel bad for being yourself. I dealt with tons of regrets from taking the wrong route. Knowing that I was intelligent, I could have been a doctor or a lawyer. I had tons of regrets from skipping college but now, I’m at a place where I no longer have any regrets because I love who I am and I’m happy with that.” - Anthony, Co-Founder of Poverty Kills Clothing, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/1/21/4l512fh7fgp2l8ftx6xbkrp2bwyajn monthly 0.5 2019-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1548119519383-ZR3OKWZ9NAKV9G1Z6285/Dereck+%26+Martin%2C+Carlifornia.jpg Stories “Dr. King in his "Drum Major Instinct” speech spoke on being a servant. The type of service that he did, he wasn’t well paid as a lot of the activists are today. He was looking for his reward in heaven. I really think that’s what inspired me the most, is the serve. The greatest amongst you should be your servant. That’s what he said in his “Drum Major Instinct” speech and I agree. I would give advice to the black community, specifically. I’m not versed on every issue in the world. I do know that Dr. Martin Luther King fought for negroes’ rights and I think that we have split, to some extent, between family breakdowns and addictions within the community. There’s a whole lot of different things that separate us and the unity we had, under his one voice, is what I hope we go back to. Right now, we’re celebrating Martin Luther King Day and just last night, Kamala Harris announced that she’s running for president. There’s not a unified black community behind her. There are identity politics, which she represents more so than the community that wants her to be in office. I want that unity to be restored. I want the community to be restored. I want the families to be restored, so that we as a collective, can be whole. We can fight heroine if we stop selling it to ourselves. We can fight homelessness if we open our doors to one another. We can fight starvation if we treat each other as brothers and sisters. We have to stop discounting each other. We still have a long way to go before we find equality in America. We need to go back and reclaim lost values, like Dr. King spoke on. When he said that, he was saying that when they left Jesus, a day’s journey away, they had to go back to reclaim Jesus, so they can go forward. We’re in the same situation. Our community is a lot more secular than it used to be. The black church isn’t the pillar, like it used to be. In fact, it’s more so identity politics and focus groups that take our charge. So, going back to reclaim Jesus is a big thing, which means we need to re-identify in love . ” - Dereck (pictured left), California “There’s so much to think about when you listen to all of the people that hung out with Dr. King, like J.W. Stokes, Rev. Elliott and all of these guys in this community. They talk about how he inspired them and you try to live in that shadow. We were the dream. We are the dream. To live under that inspiration and to hear these men talk about him, for me, is to be that kind of man. That’s what most inspired him. He could see me, in the future, being that man. The strength and the power of the force of unity is something that, if ever needed, I hope we have it, collectively, regardless of who we are. My advice is for us to not see ourselves as separate and get fragmented in our own viewpoints and find that collective unity. The strongest force is unity. There’s no other force stronger. Find that strength and voice in unity. We need to be whole to carry and shoulder each other’s burdens.” - Martin (pictured right), California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/1/15/yk58u69gurkij4j31qboz4558o2orq monthly 0.5 2019-01-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1547584058789-9X1ACDNDN6KHKR1B5I4E/Bub+Sosa+%26+Juju%2C+Portland.jpg Stories "We were born and raised down here. A similar pain brought us together and we really gotta hell of a friendship. Basically, being misunderstood, we understand each other. It’s not a relationship but we’re starting with the foundation. Like iron sharpens irons, as too, a friend sharpens a friend. It’s pure respect and buildup. I’d be sucka if I was trying to get with her and she ain’t at her fullest and I’m not at my fullest, ya dig? We’re just trying to build and it’s a beautiful friendship. We gotta body that can’t digest drugs and a mind that can’t digest life, so we're thoroughly misunderstood because we self medicate. Family looks at it like we’re doing drugs and so we’re both outcasts. I feel like I’m supposed to be a blessing to my family and not a burden. The devil, like the lawyer he his, knows scripture and accuses us like a lawyer. So, like it’s a third party voice, my dad’s wife, who is propaganda. However, propaganda is like hocus locus, right? However, my self medication makes my propaganda look true, ya dig? Those real close ties start to fade and we seek comfort anyway we can, in each other. People don’t like drugs, it’s just a release. Alcohol isn’t nothing but a drink. It’s about thinking. Take the drugs and drink away and we’re still broken. This shit goes back to my childhood. It’s deeply engraved. With me, it started when my parents broke up. I came from a broken-home the devil divided it. I was ten years old. I took my first drink at ten. I told my brother to give me a beer and he said, “If you kill it, I won’t tell moms. If you don’t kill it, I’ll tell her.” So, I killed it and boom, I had arrived. I felt like I needed to feel. I didn’t miss mom no more. I didn’t miss dad no more. I felt like a ladies’ man. I knew at ten years old that I could change my reality with no harm meant. I always sought God, though. I knew that when people failed me, God didn’t. However, my flesh was never satisfied. I developed mentally and physically but didn’t develop emotionally. Emotionally, I’m like an adolescent. That’s not easy to admit but you know. My daddy’s wife mounted me two nights in a row, when I was fifteen. I laid there frozen and mortified. I didn’t know if I had sex with an older chick or if I was getting molested. What the fuck was it? The role I played in that was that I held that shit in for twenty-something years. I got real sick in my spirit. I was numb. I stayed away from my family and they thought it was just drugs and shit. I went to treatment and they want you to be honest about everything, so I told my dad what happened, while his wife was there. She came across the room and clawed me in my face and never said sorry. My dad told me that I should’ve took that shit to grave. That’s some real sick shit. Now, I know why these girls don’t tell people. So, a week after that, I’m a single daddy. At the time, I had my three year old little boy and my two year old little girl, by myself. Their mama was gone on ice. My daddy’s wife called CPS and had my kids taken away. Now, I have nothing, I’m stripped, I’m bare. Human contact is critical. I had no one and when you don’t have that, it fucks with your psyche. I went to do nine months of treatment. I was only supposed to do thirty days but I did nine months. CPS was ready to close, my lawyer ready to close, and my baby mama never showed up to court. I didn’t take one drug test, I took a trillion. My baby mama’s public defender stood up and said that he don’t feel comfortable giving me the kids when she wasn’t present. She ain’t present? She’s never been present. I should’ve had my kids, that day, bruh! Mind you, I have a body that doesn’t properly digest drugs; I react abnormally. I have a mind that can’t digest life. So, when that happened, the best thing I could do was numb it. By numbing that pain, it made her look right. I’m misunderstood to the fullest. It’s a cruel and unusual punishment. I don’t want no pity or nothing, it’s just hard. My outlook on life is that God is everything. God is gonna turn this around. The work he started in me, he’s going to finish in me. It don’t matter what it looks like. I was left in the street, in that park, when I was ten. I’m a product of this neighborhood. I’m just trying to work on myself, ya dig? All my faith comes from God. Any of my wisdom comes from pain and experience. If somebody gets something from it, I’m praising God. I’m only something when I allow him to work in me and when I get out of the way. There’s two roads in front of you: life and death. Choose life. Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream. Take it easy, man. Stay out of your own way and have some humility. Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. When you aren't thinking about you, you’re helping someone else and God’s working on you. See, I suffer from self and self can’t fix self. I’m real sick and I need help. I’m just working on it.” - Bub Sosa, pictured with Juju in Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2019/1/7/4hxe42o1nu1n8hauw4m2i0lbwv32s7 monthly 0.5 2019-01-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1546904779738-MOGPDMW7IXTITK5RNV9S/Ms.+Syl%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “Well, we will go back to the fifties, where it first started. This used to be a grill, it happened due to urban renewal. It came through and wiped out all the businesses. It wiped out all the black businesses on Muhammad Ali. The people that had the spot, made it a bakery. I think it was called Givens Catering and they were known for their pies and sweets and stuff like that. They had the business on Muhammad Ali, but when urban renewal came through, they moved over here. They built this little place and had a grill here instead of the bakery. So it was called Mills. Their last name was Mills, Homer and Juanita Mills, and they named it Mills Grill and it was a grill for quite awhile. Then Mr. Mills was stationed at Fort Knox. He was in the army and he had a lot of buddies that came in from Fort Knox and they were looking for a quaint little place to gather and have drinks and be in a safe environment. So he decided to change the grill to a lounge. So, it became Mills Lounge. He’d done very well with the Fort Knox crowd and then as time wound down and the guys began to leave the area, they lost a lot of the soldiers coming into Louisville. Then he and his wife decided that they were going to go their separate ways. So that was the end of the business. One wanted to keep this place and the other one wanted out and they could not afford to buy each other out. So, they came to the decision that they would sell the business and split it. My husband had retired from the Marine Corps. This was back in 1971 and he came back from Korea and got a job at Ford. He worked at Ford for twenty years. He was only thirty-seven when he retired from the Marine Corps because he went in when he was 17 and he had done 20 years, came out of the Marine Corps, got a job at Ford. I got a job at American Standard. That was a popular bathtub faucet and commode place that was on Seventh and Hill. So we landed good jobs and we'd done real well, you know, the pay was much better than being in the service. So, my husband did his 20 years at Ford and then he thought about retiring. He began to have a little heart problem and he thought, “I’d better come out, now, while I can enjoy myself.” So, he had a friend that was in real estate, Mr. Carl Hines, who was a very good realtor. He was talking to him, one day, talking about how he always wanted a quaint little bar or something. Carl looked at him and said, "I have just the place for you.", which was this place, here, and it was up for sale. So, the owners wanted a lot more than what we had, but the realtor said to make them a cash offer and that they just might take it because they're splitting up. They were gong their separate ways and they wanted out. So we made the offer and they took it. They were asking for $95,000, we offered them $50,000, they took it and walked out. They left everything just like it was. We used to have these little jukeboxes, along the bar, when I first came here. They were from the fifties. You'd put your quarters in and play music. When the computerized jukeboxes came along and all, there was no way to keep up with changing the records and everything. So, that was the end of that. They just became antiques and a guy came here one year, a white guy, on his way somewhere out west. He was going to open a diner and he wanted these little jukeboxes to be in the diner. He asked if I'd be interested in selling them and I told him that it depended on what he was going to give me. So, he made me an offer and I told him that he could take them the same day. So, we disassembled them off the bar, loaded him up, with his little trailer, and he was on his way. I wondered how it panned out, but I never heard anything from it. So, the bar deal went through but when I came up here, I looked at a business that really fell off and I could see why the old owner was getting out There wasn't a soul in here during the day. I told my husband that I didn't know about it. We were going to put every dime we got in this place and we didn't know if it would sink or swim. He really wanted to do it and we jumped right in. When my husband retired from Ford, he bought this. I came out of American Standard because they were scaling down. I came out in '88 and we bought this bar in '90. He ran it during the day and it really wasn't good, at first. We weren't making it. Then he had a lot of friends that were musicians, very good musicians, that had played with big bands all over and everything. But they really hadn't gotten their due. You know, they should have really made out and been big time, with big people, but they played around and then they came back to Louisville. One of his friends was in here, one day, an organ player. He just died about three or four months ago, his name was Billy Madison and he was phenomenal and he wanted to know if he could play organ in here. He'd get a couple of guys with him. He had a drummer and a saxophone player and they came and set up right in that corner, over there. It would be crowded when they played. The original owners had been closed on Thursdays, so Thursday was our worst day. People were not coming on Thursday so we didn't do anything. So we're like, you know, let's try the band on Thursday and see if that'll loose things up. A lot of naysayers said we would never make it. Well, we tried it and it took off. Thursday was our best night. It would be running over. Thursday was so good that we decided to go to Friday and then Saturday. So after awhile Thursday, Friday and Saturday we had jazz here. We never charged a cover charge because the same people came all the time. They were regulars and they didn't feel comfortable paying to come in to spend. They felt that if they would come here, they were going to help pay utilities and everything. A cover charge would have helped because it always helps you to fray the costs of the band. You gotta sell a lot of lot of drinks to pay your band and your waitress and your bar maid and everything and then make something, you know. But they made it work and I had some regulars that came. I called them my utility people because they kept the lights on and stuff on all the time. In 1994, my husband began to have a problem with his heart. They diagnosed him as a diabetic. He never had a problem with his health. He had diabetes and a heart problem. He had a slow heart beat and unbeknownst to me, his doctor told him it was cardiomyopathy, which is irreversible heart failure. He knew this and did not tell me this. So from '90 to '95, he worked the bar and then he'd begin to slow down and get kind of sick. I was here one night, I went home, he said he didn't feel good so he didn't come to the bar and I went home and I have fixed dinner and everything and he didn't eat. I said, "Well, what was wrong with the food? You didn't like it?". I didn't get a response, and then I heard a weird noise. Have you ever heard a person die and they make a loud, like a gurgling sound? And I went in there and I thought, “What in the world is that?”. I looked and he was laid back and had this gazed look. I shook him and there was no response, so I called 911. It didn’t take them long to get there. They came in full force and they tried everything. They tried the electric shock and everything. They said, "Well this is not working and we're gonna take him onto the hospital." They went to Jewish. I called my son and he met me at the hospital. Thank goodness my son was there with me. They told me that as soon as they got him stable, they’ll let us go back there. We sat in that waiting room for an hour, just waiting. After a while, I'd told my son that something was wrong. It was taking them too long. So we went up to desk and the guy told us that the chaplain was getting ready to come out and talk to us because my husband didn't make it. It was a low blow. You know how a balloon loses its air after it’s been popped? That’s how I felt. He was gone. My husband told me that if anything happened to him, to get rid of this place. Everything was going so well and I didn’t have anything else to do and I was in love with this place. So I was like, let’s try to keep it going. So for almost two years I ran this place by myself. I'd come in at 2:00 in the afternoon to 2:00 in the morning. I had a girl that helped me during the day and then I was here. I didn't have anything else to do, you know, and it helped me get through it. I was married for like 42 years to my husband. And then for him to go like that was just something that I didn’t plan but we survived it. So from like ’95 up until now, I've been in here every night and I think it helps keep me young.” - Ms. Syl, owner of Syl’s Lounge in Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/12/23/nfwtwknp584luq4kbqgwawk9h6drjt monthly 0.5 2018-12-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1545615614578-YZG5GIGN22TLRXVF26JN/Santa+George%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories “It’s about faith, family, and tradition. That’s how we got started with the Santa. We started doing it at home with our families and then we expanded and to doing private sessions in the studio, because we’re photographers by trade. This year, we branched out to the Lyles Mall and brought Santa to the public. I’m not a West End native, I’m from Jeffersonville, Indiana. I do live in the West End, on Shawnee Terrace. West Louisville is not a bad place to live. I think that there are things that we can do in our community to make it better. I know, I’m on the stores all of the time, to make sure that we have what other stores have. I do notice that things tend to be cheaper in other places than they are in West Louisville. We have to use voices to make sure that we’re getting the same services and products for the same prices that other folks are getting in other communities. If you look around, you’ll see that it’s changing. I’ve been living down here since 2011. When I first moved down here, there were very few people of other races in the West End. Now, there’s people from all backgrounds. It’s like, we’re deciding to give up on the West and move to other places and other folks are buying up the property that we’re leaving. I’m hoping that we wake up and understand that we have value and power and that we need to stick and stay to make sure that things are better for us and our people.” - Santa George, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/12/18/tvpf6iu1t0todz44kbez6dw8sxaxau monthly 0.5 2018-12-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1545181469744-8FFLLT0CV84U7AT3S39J/Ebony%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories “She’s my youngest of four. She’s my baby. We have a really good connection, too. I don’t know what else to say but she’s just the last one. She’s special and she’s different. When you start having kids, you don’t realize what your job really is but it’s to prepare them to come out here and survive. It’s bad out here and I’m hoping that I’m able to give her life skills to go out here and do well. That’s with all four of my kids. I have one that I’m getting ready to send off to college, so I’m scared. I have one son and I’m scared for him. I try to do the right thing. I’m hoping that I do enough for them to have the survival skills. Being a parent is hard because you’re doing the best you can. You send your kids to school and the majority of their day is spent with kids who may not be getting what my kids get. That’s the bigger influence. I just hope that whatever I do sticks with them and they are able to not be led astray by it. My oldest is in private school. People always ask me why I did that. I don’t want her in class with a classmate whose dad was just shot. We’re at Assumption, where some kids may be affected by a different type of crime but you have to pick your poison. Although this is our community, I have to, sometimes, send them outside of the community to get a better education for survival. I’m really scared for my kids. I have a son that catches the bus, right here at Shorty’s. I take him to the bus stop every morning. I let him walk home but I take him every morning. Am I coddling him? No, I’m protecting him. I see him and he’s twelve. I also see other kids, who are twelve, and doing different shit. He knows that but it’s hard. I want him to love where he comes from but at the same time, he has to find balance. They have to get outside of the neighborhood to see other things happening and that’s why I sent my daughter to Assumption. She hates it but the survival skills she’s learning there are things that we learn when we get older and in the workplace. She gets to see how they move and how they play. The education that she’s getting is top of the line and getting her ready for college. She hates it but it’s okay. When she gets to college, it’ll be a cakewalk. I have to make decisions for them, now, that they’ll benefit from later. They just don’t understand it, right now. Do the best you can. Live with no regrets and know that what they do to you is their karma and you respond is yours. That’s what I teach my kids. You may wanna get even but how you respond is what matters. That’s how I live my life.” - Ebony, pictured with her daughter Adira, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/12/10/vi1sbvo0w2rhtnvq0i6ross0mu0ecc monthly 0.5 2018-12-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1544492167247-O2HSOME7P3VJYZP47JO0/Mikey%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories “My life has been rough. Shit, I got stabbed in my knee when I was ten. They stood over me when I was ten. I was just trying to be grown. I jumped off the porch and started fuckin with the older dudes. When I started fucking with them, I started doing older shit. That’s about it. I done been through a lot. I’m trying to find something. Plus, I rap. I want to do that and have a clothing company. I’m trying to get some money, so I can buy the whole hood. I want us to own more of these houses. You got people coming down here and wanting to take over. They don’t even want us out there. I feel like we, as blacks, already gotta strike. People just want us to do something bad and when you mess up once, that fucks up everything. That don’t mean we’re bad people, it’s just that when we do that one little thing, everyone else thinks we’re the devil. We don’t get second chances. They on our ass. The money’s low down here and people feel like they gotta trap. People got charges and shit and can’t get a job. You gotta come out here and get it. Don’t nobody wanna be broke. Why can’t everyone succeed? It’s people, that only have straight histories, that come up. There’s a lot of good people, that I know, that have bad histories.They’re good people and with a past. Man, stay in school. When you’re in school, they love you. Stay in school and stay out the streets. Ain’t shit goin’ on out here, for real. That’s what I be trying to tell kids. I done been through all this shit. Ain’t nothin’ going on.” - Mikey, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/12/5/ru7tau3c9d42209aoj1ootwe7nd0y5 monthly 0.5 2018-12-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1544059286360-YCKDIMG9JIGLH4HD1KUN/Kendrick%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I love poetry. I love to write and that’s why I carry my laptop everywhere. I do nothing but write my raw thoughts all day. My passion is poetry. It’s like music without the instruments. I love it. I found that passion when I was fifteen, I’m twenty-three, now. I wasn’t out here in these streets, so I had to find a way to express myself. Instead of being out here, doing dumb shit, I decided to pick up a pen. I want to be able to talk about the subjects that people are afraid to talk about. Being out on my own has been a struggle. I’m out here on my own, with nobody. I feel like nobody really is supporting my craft. At the end of the day, if nobody is supporting you, your passion will get you there. You got yourself. I have me and that’s all. Do what you love, no matter what. If money never existed, what would you be doing?” - Kendrick, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/11/20/aiooswyzs1b3bbmzg9alyswksasu7n monthly 0.5 2018-11-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1542747121124-9IJF3TS84GJOVT9XO8L3/Tyrell%2C+California.jpg Stories “Going to jail and going to through the criminal justice system changed my life. How unfair it was definitely made me look at how I needed to change my life, so that I would never go through this system again. I want to make it so that the people in my family will never have to experience this. I want to be a better example for young men and my future sons. What I went through was a really bad experience. I was eighteen years old and I was arrested for assault on a police officer. I was in Walmart with my younger brother and he had picked up an open box of Pop-Its and when we walked outside of the store, one of the security guards grabbed my brother and he didn’t announce himself as a police officer. You know, naturally, when someone grabs your family like that, you defend your family. The charges were eventually dropped but I ended up getting theft by unlawful taking. The fact that I was still charged with assault on a police officer, even though I didn’t assault a police officer or did he announce himself as such, really changed my perspective on law and justice. Now, my mission is to better the community. I want to teach these young black men, in what they try to label as the ghetto, the better way. I want to tell them my testimony and show them a better way to live. There is a better way to live instead of selling drugs and gang banging. It’s not cool because at the end of the day, you’ll get caught up in the system. They want you to get caught up. The system was built for black men and for us to destroy ourselves. So, if we are in our communities encouraging our kids to sell drugs and join these gangs, we’re encouraging them to go to prison and be slaves for the rest of their lives. That’s pretty much what's going on in America. My advice to the world? Man, love all people and go back to the ways of God. We’re losing God’s principles, so if we get back to that, we’ll be good. No man above the next man. As long as we do that, our country will thrive but if not, we’ll continue to fail.” - Tyrell, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/11/19/f9nhg9lfusmb381bwfdtapja57rdu7 monthly 0.5 2018-11-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1542675576968-G3XU8F726CFZ17UBR6JR/Tomira%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “When I had my son, it was a happy moment and it was a wake up call. I realized that I had to teach this young man that he can do anything that he sets his mind to and be independent and not to rely on anyone to take care of him. Knowing that I had the responsibility of taking care of him was motivation to me. I was a young mom. I wasn’t eighteen, yet. I had to have the motivation to finish school and go to college. I went to college and still went to hair school, while I was raising this baby. I had to show him that if you start something, you have to finish it. Having him was a lot for me. I had to stay focused because I knew that he was watching. Being a young mom can be very scary. I had gestational diabetes with my son and I had to eat healthier and give myself shots. It was bothering his heart rate. As a young mother, it was a lot and I was still in school. It was one of those moments where I couldn’t stop and had to keep going, so that I could have a healthy baby. He’s nineteen and at Tennessee State University, now. He’s doing very well and independent. Him watching me raise him and making sure that he was good, taught him so much. In 2013, I lost my sister. My sister and I were always close. Growing up, my mother would dress us alike. She passed away from a car accident, so it was sudden. It’s the worst because we were caught off guard with it. When you go through something like that, it makes you want to give up but you have to think about what your loved one would’ve wanted. Doing hair and owning a business is something that she would've wanted me to do. She wanted me to continue to do what I love and not to give up. She did hair, too. It made me go at it stronger and stick with it. You deal with those things but life goes on. There’s people out here that have goals and dreams and they need to know that regardless of what life throws at your way, you can still follow your passion. You’re still going to have obstacles but it’s all about how you come out. You have to hold on to the good memories. That’s how I move forward. You just have to think about the good times and be grateful for the close relationships you have with the people that you love. It makes things better because life happens. Always have faith and never give up. We’ll always have our times but you have to come out with your head held up. Have a positive attitude and don’t let situations shake your faith. You have to come out stronger. If you get down, it’s hard to come out but you have to hold on to the positive things. Continue to show love to your loved ones that are still here. Don’t focus on holding grudges. You have to create those bonds. My strength comes from God. It has to be God. I wouldn’t even give anyone that responsibility to give me that strength. My family and my boyfriend, who is my son’s father, are a great support system. They are my backbone. We just try to stick together.” - Tomira, co-owner of Trend Setters Hair & Nail Salon in Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/11/16/nsa19p7i4mib2fz8f8allulli24w20 monthly 0.5 2018-11-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1542411730199-64HEOQVGSXWJG4QYC359/Thalia%2C+Porland.jpg Stories “In this program, our school chose a handful of people for barista training with Heine Brothers. In the beginning, we learned the basics about different types of coffee and where it came from. There’s actually a lot of different ways to wash coffee, which I was surprised about. It really does effect the flavor. We tried coffee with different wash types and I loved it. Overtime, we learned how to make the coffee and other drinks. I struggled at first, but after while I calmed down and eventually got the hang of it all. It took some getting used to but it got so much easier. Not only did I learn a lot about coffee, but I learned a lot about teamwork. This program has definitely improved my skills, especially when working with teams. When working with my team, everything just flowed. It was so much fun working with them. I’m not shy but I would usually get frustrated when it comes to working in groups, but I really learned how to work better with others. What used to be stressful became calming and a good experience. Being apart of the program has certainly improved how I interact with others. I’m sure that’s going to be a great skill to have in the future, which I really appreciate. I enjoyed it a lot. I want to get a job at one of the Heine Bros. coffee shops because I love the way the company interacts with people. They want to make everybody feel welcomed and less stressed. I love how lively it gets, too. I want to work in a place like this because the positive attitude is just contagious.” - Thalia, Western High School & Heine Bros. Coffee Barista Certification Celebration in Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/11/15/o13cq1pngh778vp63h33g8jjmjr2af monthly 0.5 2018-11-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1542302735806-RJWUGCGTBWCP5JP3CJJE/Victor%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “Having kids and wanting to do better has changed my life. You're either gonna end up in the dirt or behind bars. I got grandkids. I got two jobs, man. I done did and done it all, it ain’t worth it. All the money you spend, from getting that fast money, is going right to the lawyer and then you got life. Stick to your job, man. Life is short. Life’s temporary, man. We don’t live forever, it’s temporary. Real talk. About seven years ago, when I got out of the penitentiary, I said that I’ll never go back and I’m not. It’s not worth it. It’s a purpose for life. What’s the meaning? My purpose is to take care of my family. We was born to die, you might as well ride it til the wheels fall off. You can’t take money with you. You might as well spend it and give it to your family. You can’t take anything with you. I gotta get right. I’ve done it big and it wasn’t worth it after I did the math, when I got older. I’m thirty-seven years old and it’s almost over. I lived a rough life and did it all. Like, this can’t be life. It has to be better, so I just work two jobs to stay out of trouble. My advice to the world is to stay humble and love your family. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Treat people better. All this robbing and stuff ain’t cool. You’ll mess around and do life or end up in the dirt. It’s not worth it. Black people killing black people is not even cool. That’s why we're coming up short. We all gotta come together. It’s time for a change.” - Victor, pictured with his granddaughter, Rhylie in Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/11/14/2i6f84qf9q3kf8bi1fea3xeuxcqxjn monthly 0.5 2018-11-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1542248078563-WV45TSVW1LMLC3XD39QI/Geena%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “Finding out that my son had autism changed my life. I call that my diagnosis day. That was the moment that changed everything about who Gina was. I was a new person, a new mom, and a wife. That moment changed me forever. My husband and I struggled to have a child for many years. The doctors told us that we shouldn’t have a child but it was that important for us. We decided to keep trying and count on faith. We did and were blessed with a miracle baby. The pregnancy was very rough but it was so worth it. I knew pretty early on that my baby was different, so I really struggled with people trying to hear me tell them that there was something different about my baby. At that time, autism wasn’t really on the map like it is now. A pediatrician heard me out and sent me to Weisskopf Center, here in Louisville. At this time he was three and we took him to be evaluated. I knew in my heart, what the doctors were going to tell me. They told me that he had autism. For a parent to hear that something is going on with your child, is devastating. You have all of these goals and things in place that you have planned in the future. To hear that it won’t be the case was devastating. I went into a mourning stage, which is common, because you have to mourn the child that you thought you were going to have and then embrace your new normal. He’s eleven now. It did change me. Having a child with a disability teaches you patience and unconditional love. I see the world differently. It taught me how to love. That moment changed me for the better. I researched myself to death. I was trying all of these things to make my son normal. I was trying all of the fads out there like eating gluten free and putting him in a certain type of mud water. I was trying to help my son but in reality, I was trying to help myself because he was already happy. He was fine. After putting him on the gluten free diet and putting him through so much stuff, I decided to embrace his autism as our new normal. I had to put all of those fads aside. I had to make sure that he was happy and we were happy. I have always been into creating and writing. I used to write plays and stuff like that. Three years ago, I lost both of my parents to cancer within five months of each other. I looked inside myself and had to figure out my passion. At that time, I thought that cancer was my life sentence. When you lose both of your parents to cancer, you get to thinking that you’re going to be next. So, I had to think that if I’m close to the end of my days, what would my passion be? What’s something that I would want to do? I started writing. I’m a hopeless romantic and started writing a romance novel. I wanted to have something with my name on it, where my family can pick it up and say that I wrote it. Writing became my thing and it became something that I love doing. I sent my work to all of these publishers and kept getting yes, which I didn’t expect to get. I was really doing it. I don’t have the same mindset, as I had when I first started but to see my name on things makes me so proud, regardless if two or a thousand people read it. Faith and family keeps me going. My husband is my support system. There’s days when I can’t and he keeps me going. I have a lot of things on my plate, so I have to keep moving. If I don’t do it, it’ll take me out. Having this business keeps me going. I still have my days. Me and my mother were super close. My father and I weren’t as close but I always wanted to be a daddy’s little girl and when that was off the table, it was devastating. I was thinking that one day we were going to build this relationship and be tight but when he passed, it was no longer an option. I was thirty-seven and thought to myself that I was an orphan because my parents were gone.” - Gina, co-owner of Trend Setters Hair & Nail Salon in Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/11/8/0ws77ceb0cmglp8ycjyqr0g4n455cu monthly 0.5 2018-11-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1541725395930-H4M0SWU5AQOR2G6VO9WD/Richard+%26+Bruno%2C+Portland.jpg Stories “See, I got out of the army in ’69, so I’ve been here since October 1969. It’s still the same old Portland. Everyone gets along pretty good. There’s still a few fights, every once in a while, but it’s still Portland. I love the people here. A lot of them are straight-forward. If you gotta a problem, they’ll tell you and you get it worked out. That’s what it’s all about. There’s a lot of houses getting tore down and there’s a few new businesses coming. Of course, there used to be a lot of businesses here. This house here, may have been a store or something. There was a lot of mom and pops stores and restaurants and stuff. A lot of them are gone but there’s a lot more coming back and that’s good. The neighborhood needs a little more courtesy. We need people to start saying ‘hello’ or ‘how ya doing?’. All in all, this is a pretty good neighborhood. I had a heart attack and died and the paramedic shocked me back to life. That was the real eye opener. That happened in ’97. I had to make a lifestyle change. I quit smoking and drinking. I had to let go of a lot of things. That made a big difference. I even talked to an angel when I was dead. I kept asking her about my wife and kids and she told me not to worry about it and that they were taken care of. She told me that there was two things that God wanted me to do. When I was brought back to life, I sat at home for two years and couldn’t figure out what God wanted me to do. He wanted me to do two things, not one. I kept thinking about what it was that God wanted. I sat there and watched tv and there was an evangelist on and he said, “There’s two things that God wants you to do.”. He told me to get saved and worship God. I was already saved but it blew me away. It was something so simple and I was trying to make it out to be something else. It was so simple. I’m happy with life. I’m very happy. I’m poor but I’m happy! Everybody needs to listen to each other. We all got different views of things, so just listen to each other. It’s so much easier and simpler. Listen to each other because someone else might have a point.”- Richard & Bruno, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/11/6/t1wc82d9n4j1v6ccsd4y83l8gur7uz monthly 0.5 2018-11-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1541544339323-MPP89E6FXQM4MPC1UK5H/Miles%2C+Portland.jpg Stories “I feel good about this election. I hope everything turns out positively. It’s quite a big turnout, this year. There’s a lot of people who haven’t been or thought about voting and are first time voters, today. They’re getting out more than ever. It’s definitely a bigger turn out, based off the hype. I’m feeling good about myself and everyone else’s vote. I think this will effect our community in a positive way. If everyone is more aware, it will always be positive because people are doing something that they should do. The elected officials really need to be in tune with the community, that they want to represent, by knowing what the needs are. That can be financial needs, resources, new buildings, and even education. That’s the main thing I hope for because a lot of people are misinformed about stuff. Some people feel like their votes and opinions don’t count. We need somebody that’ll listen. That’s my main concern. If everybody would listen, good things can be done and change can happen. Don’t believe everything you hear because someone says it. Go out and do your research and form your own opinion. Don’t believe what people say or what you read. Read up on your resources and who they got their resources from. Be informed and educated. Don’t allow others to dictate how you think.” - Miles, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/11/5/zyjgn123ko0zz2wosfuk31s2bfinhp monthly 0.5 2018-11-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1541465870443-Q9W9BXW2S9UWDUPJDQUZ/Darrell%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “Nope, I’m not voting. I got previous conviction charges from over ten years ago. I did fifteen months and years later, I did ten. That’s a lot of time to me. I do wanna vote, though. I wouldn’t mind it. It’s been long enough. My vote would matter, just like everyone else's. I changed a whole lot, since then. I read my bible and pray every morning. I’m just trying to be a better person. I was in some pain, when I was down there. I missed my freedom, my family and friends - just being away. I found my purpose and that’s to be here for my kids and my loved ones. I try to make a difference. Try to stay on the right path in life. Work to be the best that you can. Put a little time and effort in it and and let it work. If you got positive stuff to do, you’ll turn out positive. If you’re doing negative, it’s only going to lead you to more negative things. Just try to be a good role model.” - Darrell, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/11/4/hkmmmzx2b0bclft3bqdnd6tqq4zpbf monthly 0.5 2018-11-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1541380315464-Z5MS4XH174WBU5593HNR/Amanda%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I can’t vote, but next year, I’ll be able to. I think it’s important. If I don’t, I think that it’s defeating the purpose of our people doing what they did. To not use that right, just defeats the purpose.” - Amanda, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/10/18/uzn1d9lmmg19tqfrrlib5nnny3krkr monthly 0.5 2018-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1539905937612-3621EHPRH0FX1S4KZ5RO/G-Baby+%26+Cashton%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories “Shit, life has been hard. I be going through so much but don’t tell nobody, so people will never know. You know, I just be going through a lot, like going to jail and losing my people in these streets. I done been through a whole lot. Life’s a struggle. It’s just certain predicaments that you have to try to make it out of. You never know what’s going to happen. You can drop dead at anytime or something bad can really happen. My biggest success has been finding out who I am, as a person. You gotta know yourself, before you interact with others. You never know who you’re hanging out with, unless you know yourself. I don’t think I found my purpose but I’m getting there. I’m still working on myself. Keep going. Don’t let it stop you. Time ain’t gonna stop for nobody.” - G-Baby (Right) pictured with Caston, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/10/16/y5dfd1606neopqoc5ytqdqmvix4gg2 monthly 0.5 2018-10-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1539733481885-Z9KQG5FZQKLQFQHUSGJS/Sky%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I’ve been here since 2006. The impact that the West End has had on my life has been bumpy. Sometimes, they’ll do good for the community. There’s also too many abandoned houses, that they could do something with, and they’re always taking things away from us. They closed down a lot of boys and girls clubs. I grew up in those. For years, my granny used to work in one of them. I hate that they’re gone. That’s why the kids are out here. I used to hang with the wrong crowd and get into stuff. I was young and out here in the streets. I can now say that I’ve improved a lot. I graduated and got my high school diploma, with a child. A lot of people aren’t able to do that. I went to TAPP, a pregnancy school, which helped me a lot. They helped me graduate with my regular high school. My daughter is getting ready to be seven and I’m pregnant again. I was fifteen when I was pregnant with my daughter. I’m twenty-three now. It was kind of hard and a bad experience but I had to mature and make some changes. There were times when I wanted to give up and not go to school but I still went. It was hard but my granny stayed on my back. If she didn’t do that, I’d be out here in the streets. I got kicked out at seventeen. I had a bad attitude and shit like that. I was always welcomed back home but I had to stay out of the streets. When I came back, I chose to stay home and do school work instead of being out here. It was always tough. My choices were to go to school or be out in the streets. It’s your main two options in the West End. I got accepted into college but I had to deal with my daughter. I was too young. Now that she’s older, I’m wanting go back to school. It’s a wake up call, now that I’m older. I had wake up to reality and snap back. Being a teen mother was hard, especially when you’re doing everything on your own. My daughter’s father was there in the beginning, for a few months, but then he wasn’t. He was about that street life and we were both really young. I had no choice but to be independent and keep working hard for my daughter. My strength comes from my family. I had a lot of support and a lot of help. Most people don’t have family. They just have themselves and their child and have to go sleep under bridges and at shelters with their baby. When you stress more, you won’t find where you’re trying to go in life. It’s harder when you’re always stressed. Just stay on the right path. If it’s a goal for you to achieve something, make sure no one is in the way of stopping you from reaching it. If you’re a teen mom, stay in school and don’t let anybody steal your shine.” - Sky, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/10/11/dx6178ohyycegujwdnvp8ovgblvk2v monthly 0.5 2018-10-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1539306642663-IGXZXJ172N040L0NLKSF/Corey%2C+Algonquin.jpg Stories "I've been living here all my life. I've done a few years but other than that, I've been here all my life. West is the best end. I ain't got no complaints. What inspired me to be an entrepreneur was going to jail and having people telling me what to do and when to do it. I would never like that. I never liked someone telling me what to do. I had many other ventures and failures and this is what it led me to. I sell dogs, too. I just didn't want to work for anybody. It's important for young black people to be entrepreneurs. Well to me, because first of all, you're working for you and yours. You ain't making no other person rich, whether they're white or black, period. They're making a million a week and you're making $20 an hour? Fuck outta here, I'll make my own business. Put my own on and I'm here at 8:00 every morning. This is where I'm at. Do what you wanna do and work for yourself. Find something that you like to do and find a way for you to make some money off of it. That's all I'm trying to do. I’d even sell candy bars all day. I can’t have it any other way.” - Corey, co-owner of C & E Food Mart, Algonquin https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/10/9/qlxna9yymgk6qif3oxv4ne3359zuel monthly 0.5 2018-10-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1539121450206-YGFKTHAP8MPCCT5D3UGP/Ieeshia+%26+Roderica%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories “I’ve been in the West End for twenty-five years. My experience has been good and bad. As a teenager, everything was great. They don’t have anything down here for these 2000 babies. I was able to go to different camps and centers. I’m from Victory, it’s on 22nd & Grand. I gotta little Park Hill in me, too. That’s where my daddy’s from. I went off to college in Cincinnati and I’m back home. Right now, I’m passionate about music and I want to go back to school to be a computer technician. What’s holding me back is that I’m a felon. I caught a case when I lost my son’s father. I went crazy. You know, people just grieve differently. I was in and out of jail and then I caught a serious case. So, when that happened, I was put on papers and I’m about to serve that out. I paid all my debt off. It was money. It wasn’t street related, but money. That’s what happened. It’s not the downfall. I just have to work harder. You gotta go through things. I just want to be a great mother and be able to give my son the resources that he needs. If you don’t love yourself, then who will? Always love yourself. That will keep you pushing. You’re not the only one. You can turn anything around. Anything is possible.” - Ieeshia, Parkland “I’m trying to live to prosper. I don’t want a job, but a career. To be honest, I want to own my own business. I want to go to school and open my own nail shop. I just graduated in May with my GED. The only thing that’s holding me back is the school that I want to go to cost $4000. Once I get up on my feet, I’ll be thinking smarter, not harder. I’ll get there. I don’t want to work for anybody. With the way life is going, I have to but I don’t want to keep doing that. When I’m up on my feet, I’m going to stay up on my feet. My dream and taking care of these kids keeps me going. I’m just living and thanking God for waking me up to see another day. You wake up and it’s a different day. So, what are you going to do that’s new that'll make you better for the next day? I can overthink things and that’ll mess me up. So, I try to slowly plan out my goals and write it down. I have to visualize it. Write your goals down so you know it’s real. Even if say that you have to get brakes for your car on Friday, when you get paid, that’s a goal! So whatchu gon’ do? The key to living your best life is to mind your business and take care of yourself. Don’t be selfish but take care of yourself. I’m the type of person that would help everyone out but I found that it didn’t get me anywhere. I gotta quit doing that because I’m forgetting about myself. I love myself too much to keep battling with that. To live your best life is to live your best life, not everybody else's. Stay prayed up, too. You gotta keep God first. He’s in order of your steps and your life. If there’s someone that’s older than you, with some wisdom, listen to them! You don’t know everything. I’m about to be twenty-six in twenty-two days and I still don’t know what I think I know. Only a fool won’t listen. Open up your ears and listen.” - Roderica, Parkland   https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/10/8/ybsdd2d7gzc1ysdeyf1yzdes21rgur monthly 0.5 2018-10-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1539045107575-SIH2LQZ5VLJCEZAVW0PU/Deontae%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “Ironically, the highest and lowest times of my life come from people. The highest points of my life are when I’m around my family and friends, creating good memories and good times. My lowest points come with the drama that come from around here, being around enemies and beef. It’s like a double-edge sword. When I was born, I was given a gift by God, which is music. So, I see myself being an hip-hop artist and a singer. I see myself being on stage, telling my story. I see myself telling stories about this area. You know, this, College Court and Cotter Homes, is where I came up. With that being said, I see myself telling my story to the world. My story is similar to every other young black male or female. You come from the bottom and you want to get to the top. We lost a lot of people along the way. There’s a lot of people locked down and there’s a lot of people that are no longer with us. You know, just another example of a young black man, with no father. You know the story. I’m just trying to make my ending different than so many others before me. So, it’s just that rags to riches, in America, story. You put that out, we all are going to understand it, especially if you’re from here. Everybody’s trying to make it. My biggest success in life is making it past twenty-five. I’ve done a lot of things. I’ve done shows with people and made a lot of money. I did all that materialistic stuff but at the end of the day, my greatest accomplishment is still being here. There’s a lot of people that I know, that I thought would still be here and they’re not. So, I have to tell their story, too. What inspires me? Besides the fact that I have a little girl to look after, I just want to work hard. I would like to come and give back to the place that I came from. I’ve seen so many people that are in the same boat as me. You’ll walk around and see people that you know, from around the block, living the same life as you. I just want to look out for them. Never give. up. Live legendary. Live everyday like it’s your last because it just might be. Never forget where you come from and for damn sure, don’t forget where you’re going. No matter what, love and peace conquers all. There’s a lot of drama out here but you have to remember that it takes more strength to love than to hate. Believe that. That’s pretty much it.” - Deontae, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/10/4/9f73v4wcrrncrw9kcq4tjjdmkh1s3r monthly 0.5 2018-10-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1538703405962-KMT48GXJCTMENIXJ0IWR/George+%28far+left%29+pictured+with+LaQuetha+%26+Dilemma%2C+Russell+.jpg Stories “I’ve been in the West my whole life. I’m never gonna forget where I came from. I love the people here. We got all nationalities here and it’s family. You can walk into any store and still feel like it’s family. It’s a big family. My favorite West End memory is when they took the truck from Dino’s food truck. I was thirteen. Someone grabbed the truck and pulled off with it. The doors and stuff was still open, so as he was driving, the doors were just open and juices were popping out. Everybody was coming to grab them! When he got to the alley, he pulled over, we were grabbing juices and everything. That was my biggest West End memory. We’re always going to have problems, no matter what. There will always be obstacles in the way. Just stay strong because there’s still more out here. You gotta push forward. Be humble because there’s always a blessing coming next door.” - George (far left) pictured with LaQuetha & Dilemma, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/10/3/jp69s0h6b9717qqmud9o393zpk2rp7 monthly 0.5 2018-10-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1538613645502-ZJVJ4J9UFOTXQOHJ6YXN/Karringon%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories “I have not had a lot of success in my life. I actually had a lot of failures, disappointment, and bad shit. Graduating high school has been the most successful thing I’ve done. I don’t know, I really don’t have a life. A lot of this started when I was younger. My dad left and my mom was broke. My family was just real broke. It kinda had me down as kid. I grew up and would see everybody else with things that I never had. My childhood was kinda depressing, in general. Personally, I feel like my mom motivates me because I had to watch her struggle so much to make things happen. That motivates me to want more for myself and to be able to take care of her one day. That’s my biggest motivation. Louisville motivates me. I see homeless people and I think to myself that one day I’ll have enough money to take care of everybody in my city. I wanna see everybody in my city come up. It’s just one of those types of things. You have to know yourself and get in touch with yourself. Once you do that you’ll understand your purpose and your calling in life. That’ll open up doors for you. When you stop focusing on the outside factors and things that don’t matter, you’ll start getting to where you need to go in life. I’m only eighteen but I think that everyday I get closer to my purpose. I still think that everyday I’m finding more of myself. You have to make sure you know who you are and be the absolute best version of yourself that you can be. That’s the only thing that’ll help you succeed in life. The West End needs hope, a little bit of rejuvenation, and love. People need to learn how to love one another. I’d like to see more of that.” - Karrington, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/10/2/lvt2r5kickwpkbwggo56qybzzcqcqw monthly 0.5 2018-10-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1538529200120-9Y9OR7SMGBZWW2156PUQ/Capo%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories “Being a dad and being back with my kids has been the high point of my life. I got custody of my kids. I’m just happy to be in their life. I'm proud of that. I’m just staying down and being there for them more than my father was for me. Being apart of their lives and beating the Commonwealth is the high for me, right now. The lowest point of my life is watching my momma struggle. It’s heartbreaking when I can’t do anything to make it better for her. She gotta a bad heart and she’s fighting for social security. They keep on making her work and she can’t do too much of that because of her health. I’m just trying to provide for my momma the best way I can. It’s hard. My kids and mother’s smile keeps me going. It’s all about that smile on her face and my kids being straight. For real, I’m just trying to get my paperwork straight because I just want to take care of my family. That’s what I want out of life and everything else will fall into place. Keep pushing and never look back. Don’t let nothing stop you from whatever it is that you’re doing.” - Capo, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/10/1/prav7ki2n7pnc485dwudd0kieptaym monthly 0.5 2018-10-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1538420808276-M3AS01SUGJ3XV79537TD/Davie%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I’m about to start my movement at Simmons. It’s going to be called Let’s Talk About It. My vision is for our generation to be able to speak up and change what’s going on around us because they’re trying to erase our history and memory of who we are. Let’s talk about it. It’ll be a growing thing to get our black community up and going again because we’ve been sleep for so many years. It’s time to wake up and start coming together, like every other race. To be honest, my friend Keion, who is an artist, grew up in Sheppard Square. That’s where he jumped off the porch, not in a bad but a good way. That’s where his struggle came from. He was just telling me about how they have torn down everything, up east. He doesn’t even like going there anymore because all of the places that he once knew are all gone. A few months ago, we were walking through Beecher and that pain that Keion felt, I felt it. When they tear down Beecher Terrace, it’s like all my memories will be gone. I’m not gonna have that anymore. It’s just something in me that wants to start a movement. We can’t change what’s already out there but we can start something new. Together, we are strong. If we’re separate, we’re weak. I can’t do anything without you and my community. I need people to stand with me. Together, we’re strong.” - Davie, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/9/28/v4apy9z2a9g0zrhn3ksvnremwd440b monthly 0.5 2018-09-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1538181375113-BM50HFI7M34VOK29XEK8/Jada+%26+Mi-Chael%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "I’m confident, strong, and helpful. I could have gave up on everything but I keep pushing myself because I want to see myself make it.” - Jada (left) pictured with Mi-Chael, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/9/27/92znrqeegxn6thnjuwwz6tt9pxpj2t monthly 0.5 2018-09-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1538087707520-LV2DHOFLN6VU64W606XW/Datonio%2C+Park+Hill+.jpg Stories “I’m intelligent, determined, and consistent. I could give you thirty more but I’ll stick with the three. I’m determined because of where I grew up at. I grew up in the West End and everybody thinks that it’s so bad but as long as you mind your business, you don’t have too much to worry about. I had to consistently strive to better for myself. I wanna become better, as far as being a better role model for the next generation coming up. For the most part, we do good things. We tend to strive for better things for ourselves and we try to be everybody’s cheerleader. I like to give the kids in the community what I didn’t have when I was growing up. For the most part, everything is kosher. The happiest moment of my life is when I realized that my mom was my mama. I was about five or six. I knew she was my mom but I didn’t know she was my mama. She has the voice of an angel. When she spoke, everybody listened. Everybody would stop everything because she had the voice of power. She was very knowledgable about what went on in the world. She passed when I was seventeen. It’s been a long time, about nine years. I miss her to this day and I try to keep her legacy moving forward. She keeps me going because I know she’s looking down and watching me. Be genuine and care for others. Help other people out. You never know what a person is going through. Be careful with how you speak to people. Be kind and treat people how you want to be treated. It’s the greatest thing in the world, to have a friend in every aspect of life.” - Datonio, Park Hill https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/9/26/mm3itj4cihnr6s79k6rcbd81yt94sh monthly 0.5 2018-09-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1537989238372-50IXRAUWYR4IQ9KOZH53/Coach+Tone%2C+California.jpg Stories “I used to play semi-pro football. I was working out and there was this kid that would always follow me around, so I ended up working out with him. It gave me the clue that I think that I should coach. I took him to team that I started coaching. I wasn’t the head coach but a position coach. So, they let me on the team to coach as the position. Year after year, I went to different teams, so I could learn from different coaches. I wanted to be a head coach. I was on four different teams. In my mind, I’m learning from different coaches, to help me be a better coach. On everyone else’s mind, I was just jumping from team to team and winning championships. I wasn’t championship hopping but just wanted to learn. Now, I’m a head coach and I wanna put all of that together. I learned about how to discipline the kids. I was never really big on discipline, so I didn’t think that it would matter. I was thinking that it needed to start at home and it does but I needed to do it here, too. Without that discipline, they won’t listen. I also learned the skills and drills of the modern stuff. Some teams do new stuff and some stick with the old. I do a mixture of both because I experienced both. I try to keep it all together. I even try to keep up with the kids outside of football. Like on Fridays, when we don’t nothing to do, we all get together and go watch another football game. Sometimes, we’ll get together and get a hotel and they just have fun and vibe together and become a team. Defense is pulling together but offense still needs work. I played for the Jets. My last year with the them, I got MVP. I used to walk to practice everyday. Even if there was bad stuff going on, I would still walk to practice with all of my equipment. People would always tell me that I needed to coach for the team that I played for. I had coached four teams and the Jets called me and asked me if I wanted to be the head coach and that was perfect. When I went semi-pro, football wasn’t fun anymore but when I came back here, I found the fun back in football. As you get older, you have to stop playing football but you don’t have to leave the game. You gotta teach the game and that’s fun. Our challenges are that we don’t have any bleachers. Sometimes parents will sit in their car because we don’t have the seating. I go to other parks and they got bleachers. It will help us have more parent support. I go another team’s game and they have the best parent support. These kids need support. Some parents will just drop their kid off and leave. We need all parents to support because that’s what keeps these kids going. It’s important to me to be a role model in this community. People don’t understand why I do it. I wanna keep them off the streets. They could be out here doing anything but they’re out here doing something positive. I turned out good by coming to football practice everyday. When I’m with them, it makes me think about how I’m going to be with my son when he gets of age. My son is one. I have a little bitty Camaro and I pack as many kids in it, just to make sure they get to practice because some of them don’t have a way to get here. We should be a championship contender. Remember what I said. The California Jets will be a championship contender. The program is now looking like it did when I played. Catch us playing at Southern High School for our home games!” - Coach Tone (back row, center) pictured with the California Jets team & coaches in California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/9/25/dvxk7ha1nilvvetnv4xgwjdx3xfau3 monthly 0.5 2018-09-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1537921634528-WFP6YDEDA3X2GKVENV30/Stella%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I started off on 36th & Broadway, for about six years. Then I did about five or six years in Portland, on 28th. I just moved over here to 20 & Chestnut, so I’m making my way east. A lot of people have a misconception of what the West End is really about. It’s not as violent and as crazy as people seem to make it. It’s actually a pretty close community. Sure, crime happens, just as anywhere else in the world. Things happens from Prospect to Fern Creek. It’s not that different. The community sticks up for each other, even if they don’t like each other, especially in Portland. There’s generations upon generations that have never left Portland. There are certain people who will not grocery shop at Kroger. There’s grocery stores in Portland that they will go to, that’s been open for seventy years or more. Curtis Market is one of them. I used to live right down the street from them. It was an awesome place. It’s a very tight community and I like it but it was noisy. You get used to it once you’ve been there long enough. Speaking of the West End, my children are so friendly because everybody in neighborhood speaks to everybody. I can’t take my little boy for a walk without somebody yelling, “Hey, little boy! Here’s a dollar. Go get yourself some candy!”. My son is 4 years old and he’s always speaking to the guy across the street. I think kids, growing up in this area, experience the tight knit community. It just feels good when people make it a point to stop and speak to people. That’s how we do it here. I don’t care if I’m rich or poor. I just want to be happy. I want my kids and grandkids to be happy, too. I wanna instill in their brains that happiness is what you make it. You can’t go seeking it, it’s what you make it. To be content with yourself and what you’ve got going on is everything. I learned that for myself. That’s the only thing I can pass on. You can’t do it over, you better live it. There ain’t no do overs. I want my children and grandchildren to be the best people they can be. The only way they can achieve that is if I’m the best person I can be. I don’t want them to be stuck up but more empathetic and open. People have forgotten how to relate to others. Keep in mind, rich or poor, fat or skinny, black or white, you have to be empathetic towards each other. We’re all human, regardless.” - Stella, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/9/21/trjda44ydxwhos2fg0c3jx9alc3hd2 monthly 0.5 2018-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1537571268712-DLVYLM88Q0YFAWMZDHV6/them+boys%2C+Portland.jpg Stories “The older generation understands us. The old heads, on the block, used to do the same stuff we’re doing now. They got more of an understanding of what we’re into. They’ve been here before. We just mess around and get caught because we’re in a new age with new technology. They didn’t have that, so they got away with a whole lot of stuff. For real, it’s the same stuff but technology just makes everyone aware of what everyone else is doing. That’s all.” - Taylor Desmond, Tyreuane, Tyquan & Steven in Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/9/19/htagl88nucf08pqkos8mfphskspuxc monthly 0.5 2018-09-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1537408134042-MAE2GWQO82KAYG2YAWU9/Alijah%2C+California.jpg Stories  “I lost my job. Life has been kinda hard. I was just taught to never give up no matter what, so that’s what I gotta do. I got three kids that keep me going and I have to do this for.  I became a father when I was twenty. I had twin boys, then I had my third son. It’s not easy but I have to keep pushing for them. I have to work extra hard to help my babies’ mother. I just want a better future for my kids. I want them to go to school and go to college and make something of themselves. I want them to have goals and to be able to reach them. My advice to the world? Stay humble, stay woke, and strive to do the best you can possibly do.”- Alijah, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/9/18/jqmk92oyu8rjjhy5804cjbghb77yuu monthly 0.5 2018-09-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1537313302319-NV6EI8YJPFDRI5B9BDS1/Casey%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I met all of the people that live in this building. It’s awesome that I make some friendships every time I do a piece in this area. I have a few pieces down here. I bounce all around. I’m forty two and have been painting since I was seventeen. This has been my career, without having another job, for about three years. It’s been a twist of fate. I lost my job and I’ve been doing art full-time and it’s been great. It’s definitely a hustle. Everybody’s different and artists are so weird. We’re just so different. You can’t half ass it. You have to be full force. It’s hard being your own boss. It’s a hell of a lot easier to have some other person tell you what to do for a while and you get to go home with a check rather than having to make it happen for yourself. There’s something to be said when you’re able to paint full-time. I’m fortunate. They don’t tell you about that hard stuff in art school. You have to motivate yourself and connect with people. A lot of what I do is word of mouth. Be kind to each other. It’s been such a mess. I have three damn kids that have to grow up and deal with this. Just love each other and make art.” - Casey, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/9/13/lzd5dx9i55terh9aogw5riu2o6nj5h monthly 0.5 2018-09-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1536890924568-5JBEDYZB4LXGAZNA1WT3/Lucky%2C+Portland.jpg Stories “I’ve done ten years and been out for two months. That’s all I had was time. I was always interested in chess but I didn’t have the patience. It was too many moves and all that. I had time to study and read. I did a lot of reading. Chess prepares you for a lot of things in life. It prepares you for your next moves. You always gotta think ahead of time and think of your next moves and prepare yourself for life.  It’s a beautiful thing because it will stop you from instant gratification. Me and Monte were out in the streets since we were kids. If we wanted the shoes or cars, we would’ve sold dope and would get it that day. Chess has prepared me for the patience. You won’t look for the instant gratification and you will constantly have your brain working. Today, we lose sight of that. Black America needs to wake up and it starts with the kids. We gotta get them into things that they can relate to. You can’t keep teaching them about Christopher Columbus and all of these fictitious lies. It’s the truth. Tell them the real! They’re not even interested and they don’t even know what that stuff means. Get them into African Spirituality and tell them about everything we’ve done over there and here. Everything we’ve done was taken away from us and we were forced to take on another culture. It’s the truth. We need community centers down here. You look at Portland and they still have their Boys & Girls Club and we don’t have anything on this side of Market. We need to get reading centers, too. Reading is essential to life. Our people will parish for the lack of knowledge. We’re failing in a major way. We have to teach our kids about who they are. We gotta know self. You have to know your identity and until you know that, you’re lost.” - Lucky (Right) pictured with Monte, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/9/10/4gxcfeyzbgj6xx1pj7yxknxo446w6v monthly 0.5 2018-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1536629143934-MIKTDHPNO8FK8W9T3F1D/Rodney%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I live in the Southside but West Louisville, for me, reminds me of my hometown, Radcliff, Kentucky. There’s not too much out here but a grocery store and things like that. It’s the people and the culture. I feel like West Louisville is separated from the rest of the city because of the stigmas and whatnot but I love everything about it. It just reminds me of home. It’s one the few places I feel comfortable at. Growing up in Radcliff, there’s not a lot of opportunities for kids. I used to play football on a bank property and then would go play basketball on church property. We would always get kicked off those areas. We never had a space where youth could go to, unless you had military privileges and certain benefits. As I got older, I originally looked at things from the lens of basketball. I wanted to give back with the game of basketball. I loved the NBA and wanted to be a pro, but that didn’t work out. After I started taking classes, I wanted to have a rec center to give back to the kids. I wanted the kids to have the opportunity that I didn’t. So, around my second year of grad school, I realized that I just wanted to work with kids, whether it’d be at the YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, Big Brother Big Sister, or wherever. It turned out that I ended up working in Indiana, at the YMCA, for a couple of years. I learned how to play the game and work with youth and knowing limitations. I then moved back to Kentucky but in Louisville and someone told me about Louisville Urban League. I was like, “There’s an organization for people of color? And I can work with kids?” Growing up and not having the opportunities, as a kid, I wanted to expose kids to those very opportunities. There’s opportunities out here, but people have to be exposed to them. I also wanted let my people know that they don’t have to do it by themselves and that I’m along for the ride with them. I would much rather put a smile on my face and come to work to help people, whether it’s with chess, character development, college preparation and staying out of trouble than putting on a three piece suit, walking in a bank and making a ton of money and hating my job. For me, it’s all about being happy and doing what I love. I wouldn’t want it any other way. West Louisville needs each other. The people that live in the community need to start supporting each other. That can be as simple as your kid stepping outside, to play, keep an eye on them. If you see somebody that’s in need, help them out. People in the community just need to support one another. We’re all a unit at the end of the day. If we help support each other, we’ll make it easier for the next generation to come. Growing up in the projects, if I did something wrong, my mom found out before she would even come home from work. A lot of times, people will just leave it alone, if it’s not their kids. At the end of the day, we’re all just one big family. We all just need to take care of each other in the West. I don’t think West Louisville makes excuses, but I think that every opportunity for making excuses for West Louisville, needs to stop. Everything that West Louisville needs is right here within our community. Of course, we’re hear them talking about dollars, finances, and organizational support and I get it but we’re all we got, we’re all we need. All you need is your people and everything else will take care of itself. Continue to realize that the solutions are in front of our faces, we just gotta figure it out. With what the world is going through, today, it’s really easy to have a dark and negative attitude. We should look at things in a positive lens, too. Like, yes, we live in a food desert but we also have property that we can live in. There’s a lot of positive things to focus on. Take advantage of today and worry less about tomorrow. All we have is the now. Let’s say that you’re struggling, today, and you don’t have a dime to your name; that’s just the moment right now. You’re living in the moment, so embrace your struggles because your success will come behind that. Don’t lose sight of what’s in front of your face right now. You can’t get through tomorrow without making it through today. At the same time, realize that today doesn’t define your life. Remember what today is. Now is the time to improve and take advantage of your life, you might not see it two weeks from now. Think about right now because that’s all we got.” - Rodney, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/8/30/l7za0gubpt9g1vzffvyabmkyt00944 monthly 0.5 2018-08-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1535673780973-XCDCZVJOCU6OVMZAFHXU/Shay%2CMike+Mike+%26+Keaira%2CPark+DuValle.jpg Stories “There’s a big disconnect between the older and younger generation. The kids in the West End need more guidance from the the older generation. It’s like they were doing the same shit we’re doing. People born in the eighties and nineties look at us and treat us like we’re totally different from them. They always tell us that we’re so different, in a bad way. Where’s the guidance? They just don’t understand us but maybe we’re meant to not be understood by them.” - Shay (far right) pictured with Mike Mike & Keaira in Park DuValle https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/8/29/ivdo9qal1ckcncw4rykyz5tu57yioi monthly 0.5 2018-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1535593954346-HQOWVGB3DKHKC0SJCALZ/D%27Montae+%26+Trey%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “Maintain yourself and try to strive for greatness. Living around here makes it kind of hard for people. It’s hard to get jobs and stuff like that. Keep that mind frame to keep going and do let it stop you. It’s been so hard for me to find a job. I have help but I want to do things for myself. I have keep reminding myself that I’m going to make it. People are going to know my name, one day. Right now, I just want to get me a job and get into college. I trying to go to college for two years and get my associate’s degree. I want to be an IT Technician. That’s what I want to do. I just want greatness for myself. My time is now, so that’s what I have to be on. My father’s my biggest influence, man. He just keeps me going and motivated. He’s always keeping that pressure on me and tells me to not stop. He reminds me that this isn’t the end but the beginning. I’m glad to have him around.” D’Montae, pictured with Trey in Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/8/22/3ph0241dy661h2pw45pewncodgppr2 monthly 0.5 2018-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1534989063047-3P60NKTQJFOIVDYQJLJZ/Brandon%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories “It’s alright, sometimes, to live in the moment. Go as you are. Right now, people are always on social media and watching how other people live their lives and will rush to be like the next person. The best thing is to be on your own time. That’s the way to live, no matter what. You can have all of the money but if you can’t enjoy it and be on your own time, it ain’t even worth it. - Brandon, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/8/21/3tp59u6pg6wpxglb59119bhmwmhlpk monthly 0.5 2018-08-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1534898920228-1U4W9LO5MMICFA6MGJX7/Brianna%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I was only nine years old when my mother died. We were living over there by Shawnee Terrace and my mother was always down here, hanging out with her friends. She had friends all through here. One night, she was walking through the alley, over there off of 15th and Madison. She got in the car with a man, who didn’t like the fact that she was cool with someone that he didn’t like, and I guess she said something wrong to him and he started shooting at her. He shot her once in the chest and twice in the head. My granny didn’t even recognize her when she went to see her body. For real, jealousy is the reason why my mother is gone. People really don’t understand that in God’s eyes, everyone is really brothers and sisters. People are really out here killing their own brother and sister. The whole world is just messed up to me. It needs to change. You can’t even walk outside without somebody shooting. There’s too many snakes in the grass. People have to watch out because everyone’s loyalty ain’t deep. A few months ago, my thirteen year old nephew got shot. The bullet is close to his heart. He felt like he could just run around people that he grew up with. They switched lanes and shot him. Sometimes, it’s the same people that you eat and share bread with that are fakest. My loyalty’s deep. Right now, I just have to focus on things that make me happy. I don’t want to keep thinking about the past. I need to focus on something that’s going to keep me going forward instead of something holding me back in the past. I struggle every day because there’s always something that’s keeping me from getting to where I need to be. It just makes me feel like I need a mother. I don’t need a person to tell me what to do. I don’t need a guardian. My daddy’s not in my life. I just want my mother. My advice to world? Don’t disrespect your mother. People argue with their mother and the next day, not thinking that the next day, she could be gone. It hurts me to see people disrespect their mother. At the end of the day, you have to stick with your mother through it all, no matter what. Whatever drama she goes through, you have to go through it with her. That’s where your loyalty should run deep.” - Brianna, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/8/15/m45usr1bhto3mxnenpgo489mgpjkzh monthly 0.5 2018-08-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1534382583505-2GFOUUXA0YVN9N44ANPX/Jason%2C+Portland.jpg Stories “I’ve been here my whole life, for fifty years. In a nutshell, this is my home. With that being said, it’s a beautiful place, down here. It gets a bad reputation due to some of the acts that go on down here. As a whole, the community is fabulous. We’re all friendly and we all get along, outside of the small percentage of the negative. We love on each other and stick together. It’s a great place and I’m happy with it. I love the hood. I love it down here. I’d like to show some of these young cats positive influences. I wanna show young men that there are opportunities in the West End. Just because you are a resident of the West End, it doesn’t limit your opportunities. You can get out if you want but you can stay and help build opportunities for someone else. This community is strong and there’s a lot of money down here, that unfortunately, gets spent outside of the community. We lack a lot of things down here. When I was a young man, we had a lot of black owned businesses, like mom and pop stores. We had grocery and meat stores that were owned by black people. It has diminished. For a long time, the mindset has been to get out of the West End but this is our roots. I’d rather create more roots and show these cats that you can be an entrepreneur. You don’t have to be a drug dealer or out here robbing people. There’s opportunities out here for us. You can create your own thing and don’t have to go no where else to do it. That’s why I do it. I wanna show them something. The West End needs more black owned businesses. We need more programs to engage the youth and some things that they can relate to. Show them something tangible. It has to be something that a young person can acquire. A lot of youth don’t realize that it takes a little bit of work to be able to have something because they’re so used to things be given to them or being denied the access to resources. A lot of them just don’t know and if they don’t know, you can’t really hold them accountable for it. They only know what they see. I gotta record but I was fortunate enough to be exposed to other things. That taught me that the talents that I had, I could use to my advantage and use them right here. I was exposed to other things that helped me along my journey. We need to pass down the positive things to the people. We’re experts at passing down the bullshit. We’ll rather pass the game to the young cats and lace them like shoes but lace them bullshit. We need to lace them with good shit. When I talk to these kids out here, I don’t talk to them about the streets. I talk to them about their future. I’m a high school dropout. By the time I hit ninth grade, drugs was so fluent in our community and I wanted to sell dope. I caught up in the madness and went to the penitentiary to learn my lesson. I’m not a penitentiary type of cat, I can’t be caged up. When they let me go, I got into sales and used that in the legal world. That’s where I’m at with it. If I don't have a job, I can make one. My advice to the world is to recognize that we’re all the same. Regardless of the color of your skin, it’s all about the content of your heart. If we breed that into our youth, we would be able to love one another and create some unity. The youth is our future. If we keep with the examples that we’ve been given, it’ll be rough out here with the mindset of the people because there ain’t no love out here. We have to build it and do it in our youth. We have a couple of generations that missed the boat and were the start of the downfall. That’s speaking about my generation. My parents had good jobs but they fought for that. What’s sad is that our people is giving back, in less than a lifetime, everything that was fought for. King was killed in 1968 and I was born in 1968. The generation before me fought for everything and within a lifetime, look what we digressed back to? We had problems with police killing people in our communities back then and we had people who fought that and minimized that and restored order within our communities. Here we are, today, less than a lifetime later, we’re giving it all back.” - Jason, owner of Flo’s in Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/8/13/gwgldhm5zvi4xlj7nz4bz2rpte3t02 monthly 0.5 2018-08-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1534212739156-3XHLXZLQK9WR24DZTC83/Corbin%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "Where did my interest in chess stem from? I’d say have to say my daughter, Sarah. She’s my first child and only child. I introduced her to chess when she was six. She started participating in tournaments at the age of seven. I wanted to introduce her to chess because there’s a lot of studies that show if a student gets involved and stays in chess, it’ll help improve their reading skills and math skills. That’s one thing that I really wanted for her. Reading wasn’t an issue, because she’s a bibliophile, like her dad and mom. I remember when she walked in the library in Boone County and looked at me and said, ‘Daddy, I’m in heaven.”. The math was an issue. We weren’t strong in math. My friend told me to get her in chess and it’ll help her with the math and it did. I saw what it did for Sarah and I wanted to introduce chess to other kids and that was it. In September 2010, I went into it, with the encouragement of Dr. Anthony Middleton, from Cable Baptist Church and I haven’t looked back since. Our vision is to become the most successful urban chess program in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In order to accomplish that, we need the financial material resources. We have to get the students to tournaments, bring in other trainers, and keep solid training materials. Our biggest challenge, right now, is raising money to get to the nationals. Secondly, I would like like raise money to be able compensate our coaches for their time. Thirdly, it doesn’t hurt to have more clocks. We could use more clocks. We’re looking to be the best and we’re going to maintain program. When I’m dead and buried, I want this program to continue to be the best.” - Corbin, Director of the West Louisville Chess Club in Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/8/6/x6qbzst0bsvghcfcc7sacns3wcc08z monthly 0.5 2018-08-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1533604533514-LYERYS0PN3O4ZZ2L7S56/Carolyn%2C+Park+HIll.jpg Stories “I’ve been in Park Hill for almost twenty-six years. It’ll be twenty-six years in October. So, I’ve been here for a while. I’m kind of ill, so I just hang out around here. I love going to church but I haven’t been able to attend lately. Now, I just listen to it on my radio but when I start feeling better, I’ll make it back in there. I have arthritis in my legs and it’s been going on for some years. It keeps me from doing a lot of moving. With all of this going on, I’ve started to enjoy reading. I’ve learned how to read better. It makes me really want to go back to school. It’s never too late, you know. Things were just going on, in my life, that kept me from going back to school. I feel like I can really do it and see myself reach my goals.” - Carolyn, Park Hill https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/7/30/pxx2ta6jufgmo3ufi1t9lzeyhzczzf monthly 0.5 2018-07-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1532998028180-6B5EOGSSXNG1UGDWQIFX/Nisha%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I like the West End. It just makes me feel like I’m home. I haven’t had a negative experience. Nobody’s every robbed me or anything like that. It’s been good. I even love that my daughter can grow up and be around people that look like her. One of my favorite places in the West is the Urban League. I love that place. It has been an amazing place for me and my daughter. Everything you need, no matter what, you can get it there. We need more places like the Urban League. We need more places that really take care of the people within the community. If we had more places that focus on the youth, the homeless, and mental health, we would have a better community. My goal is to have a place and program that’ll help get the youth off the streets. I’m trying to figure out how to do that and then I’ll execute. I want to have a place where the homeless youth can come to and focus on something positive and have another outlet. I want people to be more positive and do everything with love. Know that there are good people out here and not everybody’s negative. Smile more and show more love.” - Nisha (pictured with daughter, Mykah), Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/7/26/nmdbdw6jhfkgvioqxpnmqgvhdkgn39 monthly 0.5 2018-07-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1532655796150-F229XTFQI66R38B74OJ6/Mr.+Donnie%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories “I’m the director of the West Louisville Tennis Club. When we first had our opening day, we had about seventy parents and kids out here. Every Thursday at six o’clock, we have free tennis lessons. We’re a non profit organization that plays tennis here and have been here for decades. We travel to different cities to play other clubs, too. As of today, there are only two blacks who were inducted into the Kentucky Tennis Hall of Fame and that’s Arthur Lloyd Johnson and my friend Bruce Stone. That’s part of the legacy of the West Louisville Tennis Club. I’m a certified tennis coach and I work for the United States Tennis Association. That’s the same organization that pays Venus and Serena Williams. We have a chapter here called the USTA of Kentucky. I’ve been in different schools, targeting the areas that’s not exposed to tennis. So, we’ve been to all of the West End schools trying to expose African American youth to tennis. This is the home court for St. Francis and Central High School. It’s been a decade since Central’s had a tennis team, so it’s been pretty good for the community. Hopefully, we can continue this venture with the community, exposing kids to another sport. Not only that, we’re just trying to help raise kids in the community. My brother, Frank, introduced me to tennis. He really got excited with Arthur Ashe won the Wimbledon in 1975. He went out and bought a couple of rackets and I didn’t have a choice but to come out and play with him. He taught me how to play. That was in the mid-seventies and I’ve been playing ever since. As the years went by, I realized that it’s one of those sports that you can play in your seventies and eighties. I had a cousin that played until he was 83 years old. It’s one of those sports that gets under your skin and you can’t help it. You can’t play basketball and football forever. We do a lot of fellowshipping and having fun out here. Plus, you get to stay in some type of shape. It’s a lot of fun. We have tournaments where people will come in from all over and get points. If they earn so many points, they can go to New York. I’ve been kind of disappointed and hurt by West Louisville’s crime situation. I started an organization called 'Prevention 2000’ which is about keeping kids safe. My wife, my daughter and I would go teach kids about stranger danger but I’m really concerned with the number of deaths that we had. I’m concerned about the lack of affordable housing and jobs. If people can’t work, they can’t live. There’s no affordable housing here. The ones that are available, are getting bought by investors that don’t live here nor care about the community. If you can’t work and have a safe place to live, what kind of quality of life do you have? It seems like no one wants to get really involved in matters, such as this, until it affects them and that’s too late. We need to be more proactive with those things and the community will be much better, as a whole.” - Mr. Donnie, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/7/23/zljppt9l42d44xoacfxpief1slbm9d monthly 0.5 2018-07-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1532392215128-LDOQPFT216Z416PYF6LU/Justus%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "Life goes on and you can’t let it stop you. You can’t sit in your misery because you won’t get ahead. You gotta keep pushing and move forward. Everyday’s a blessing. You gotta love your life.” - Justus, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/7/13/bsiuaw3k5qwimhxjxut40pxlznvotd monthly 0.5 2018-07-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1531527016670-CY1WRANYGT07MAY0I9U0/Metez%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “When it comes to performing at Forecastle, I’m speechless. Last year, I performed with 1200, as one of his backup singers. Now, I’m honored to have a chance to hop on the stage, grab a mic and show people what I have to offer. I’ve been performing since the age of nine and been writing since eleven. Personally, I have a lot of growing to do, musically. I think that if I mix my personal life with my music, it’ll show that I’m keeping it real with people. I can put my life experiences inside the booth, write about it and record it. It’s my outlet. I put my all into this music thing. By the grace of God, I’ve been able to perform, write, and sing music. I've always had this mindset to where I wanted to be the best. To be the best, you’ve got to believe the you’re the best and I believe that I am. I just want to push myself to be better. I’m too competitive. I have to continue to work hard. My parents told me that if I find myself sitting on the couch, somebody else will be working harder than me. I don’t want that. That’s why I push myself mentally and physically to get in the studio, whether that’s pushing a button or writing a rhyme. In the West we need love, more voices, and we need to come to together. There’s too much hate going on in the city. We need more people out here, to start a movement and not down talk the youth. It’s time to better the city. We need to show the youth that they can pick up a mic, a pen, or a camera. Put the guns down. You can pick up anything and use to better your community. We need to come together and it all starts with you. It starts with that one person that’s willing to speak out and come together to show people that we can come together. It’s all about love, more voices, and coming together.” - Metez, Shawnee Catch his performance during the West Louisville Showcase, this Saturday, at Forecastle! https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/7/11/cfgbnaqgohmqa7eqi4lavq9xdc4d68 monthly 0.5 2018-07-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1531324377677-FA27E6BEJV9LX9J14XT5/X%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories “After all of the performances that Amped allowed us to do, we don’t think that we’ll be nervous at Forecastle. When we get up there, it’s going to be like woah! It’ll be a big crowd but it will be fun. We’ve had a lot of experiences and opportunities with Amped. We feel ready. Amped helped us be more confident and not be so nervous. We want to let our words be known to the public. We want to tell our stories that are really valuable to our community. It’s about getting a different message out. Now, there’s rappers that are always rapping about girls and other things. It’s not a lot of spotlight on Christian rappers. We want to encourage and help people with our songs and make it so that they can relate to it.” - X, Chickasaw Catch their performance during the West Louisville Showcase, this Saturday, at Forecastle! #FORECASTLEWEST https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/7/10/krx9vd8rtv9fslgsrzdvmu9cdncyn1 monthly 0.5 2018-07-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1531242002587-COHMTWCG9GP1281049TY/Lance+Newman%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories   “How do I feel about performing at Forecastle? It’s about time! It's crazy to see us still celebrating the "first" to do things but there has to be a first. I look forward to the impact of our participation and how it affects the Forecastles that follow. When people walk in their purpose, all that other stuff comes with it. I try to inspire other people. But then again, people don’t be knowing their purpose, so they’re out here lost. I couldn't ride a beat, when I was younger. So, when rapping and stuff, I couldn’t ride a beat. I didn’t like it. Instead, I started writing poetry. I used to get made fun of in middle school for speaking properly. They used to call me ‘white boy’ and stuff like that. I wrote a diss poem about my bullies and during lunch or at a talent show, I would spit the whole poem. I would go in on my bullies. I would say something like, ‘because I play soccer and speak proper, well every duck don’t go quack’. I was going in, bruh. From that point on, in middle school, people left me alone. They knew I could spit. I was 12 years old. When I was 13 years old I was trying to make change, political change. I was speaking words that would get me assassinated. Now, at 30 years old, I’m more concerned about teaching other people the craft and then teaching the young adults how to teach the craft. I need the pipeline. I didn’t have any mentors. It was me, by myself. As I got older, I realized that the outlet needs to be there and accessible to everyone. I’ve been going to these big ass assemblies, talking about all of these literary devices that people can use to express themselves. At the same time, I want people to do some type of good for the community. Now that I’m older, I’m just worried about leaving it for somebody else. I’ve lived in a lot of places in Louisvile. I lived in Newburg, Shively, and the East End. When I got older, I realized that the West End has real people. I wanted to live around my people and people who were humble. I use it in an economic and personality sense. I’m humble as well, economically. I don’t have a lot of money and I’m still out here. It feels good. It keeps me humble. The West End needs financial infrastructure. When I say financial infrastructure, that means that we need jobs that can be stipend for living in the West End. If the city said, ‘Hey, West End residents, you’ve been impoverished and we kept you under and put these plants in your space. We want to give you clean air and pay for your rent for a month or two’, that would be beneficial to the city. The West needs some type of economic restitution on behalf of the city. The West End also needs leisure activities. There’s no reason why I have to drive 10-15 miles to go to a movie theater, and I’m talking about Baxter. There’s no reason why I should have to go all the way out Dixie to go to a paintball range. There’s all of these abandoned lots, all of these abandoned places. Give us a paintball place. You’re upset about kids shooting? Give them something to shoot at a paintball range. Hell, give us a gun range. Why not? We got permits out here. Lastly, we need good, safe, healthy food options. Stores are far. I know that the city is trying to add stores and stuff. We don’t need nothing new. We just need an update on what we already got. Man, 28th doesn’t have bad vegetables because it’s on 28th. They have bad vegetables because Kroger doesn’t give a fuck about the people that go to the 28th store. If they did, we would have better choices. It’s not about expanding, but perfecting and maintaining the the quality of service. We need good food, good jobs, and good play. Spread love. Honestly, it’s a choice. If somebody cuts you off in traffic, it’s a choice to beep your horn. It’s a choice to be mad about it. It’s a choice to give them that power to make you mad. Spread love from the smallest, most humble person with nothing to the biggest CEO or President. If we are not going to deal in the value of humanity and love for humanity, then we are dealing with everything that goes against humanity and everything that goes again our survival and coordination as human beings. Yeah, spread love and make the right choice.” - Lance, Chickasaw Catch his performance during the West Louisville Showcase, this Saturday, at Forecastle! https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/7/9/d5cy97d0ywlsplrr1eibq2i7d9or1d monthly 0.5 2018-07-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1531089053402-84JB2YP36YK435D5B4BS/El+Fuego%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories   “We’re pretty excited about performing at Forecastle. We looked it up and seen that it’ll be around sixty thousand people. That’s a really big crowd, so it’s a big deal. Together, we’re real hype and we feed off each other’s energy. We’re just accomplishing our dreams by letting people hear our message.” - El Fuego, Chickasaw Catch their performance during the West Louisville Showcase, this Saturday, at Forecastle! https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/7/8/gbw9d85is54yx732chysyd9zo20bbr monthly 0.5 2018-07-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1531054466151-X2GJ8SGPJLYVB2CZ2RS7/Devanna%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “I’ve been locked up 3 times, since my son passed away. I’m going through a lot. My son was 5 years old and he passed away this year. I’m trying to shake back and get back on the right path. I’ve got 4 other kids and stuff. I’m just going through a lot. He had an allergic reaction to peanuts. I was getting ready to start a new job at the hospital. He had an allergic reaction, which was unexpected. He wasn’t with me at the time. I let him go to his grandmother’s house and that was my last time seeing him. That shit hurts. It still hurts. It was just March 31st of this year. It’s still raw. I’ve been dealing with it in the wrong ways. I act on shit and then about shit later. That’s what’s been getting me in trouble. I don’t know how to deal with grief and I keep so much anger built up. The smallest thing will trigger it. My kids keep me motivated. I gotta get back to what I was doing at first. I still got kids to take care of and this ain’t doing nothing but hurting them. I just want me and my kids to be straight. That’s all I worry about. I ain’t the type of person that goes to clubs or anything. I’m just all about my kids. I do want to go back to school. I wanted to work my way up at the hospital but I ain’t gonna let this stop me. I’m gonna get back in it. I want to do anything in the hospital field. I just want to do something different. Love your kids. Be there. There’s a lot of parents that are absent. You just never know when it’s going to be your child’s last. At least I can say that I was there for my son. But something happens to them and you never get the chance to say you love them or say bye or anything like that.” - Devanna, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/7/2/am624io4wo1q2ldzn0umo1870pkz3r monthly 0.5 2018-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1530579216372-7WDNKATMDM58LVTNTRNW/Squeak%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “Being in the West is cool. It’s not what everybody makes it seem. It is a tougher experience, compared to people, who are on the outside, looking in. All they do is advertise the bad shit. People are just making it worse than it already is. It could be better. It needs to be a whole lot better. Treat people the way you want to be treated. It’s not all about skin color. Just try to help somebody and it doesn’t necessarily have to be with money. You can just talk to someone and help lead them down a different path. Man, treat people the way you want them to treat your kids. That’s what it boils down to. My life ain't no where near over. I done live a lot, so I don’t even think about me. It’s about bettering my situation for the next generation to come. That’s what it’s about. You've got to put values in your kids. That’s where it is. Half the stuff that we need to see, hasn’t been put into these kids. I was lucky to have some of the role models that helped me. These kids need role models.” - Squeak, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/6/26/1vqa55nrp2h5rlxpnkuu50nx4ejpo8 monthly 0.5 2018-06-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1530063094677-ZSAC7RI52A01UZIHD50K/Charles+%26+Marion%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “This is my son. He’s 9 and I’m 62. I got a clean slate, right here. I have two older sons. In my early life, I tried to stay focused on providing safe and comfortable surroundings and making it nice for my family. I missed out on a lot. This is my second go round. My mother said that God is giving me another chance. I missed so much with my first two. Now, I see it. I’m able to be here. I’m getting to pass my knowledge to him and that’s the benefit.” - Charles (right) & Marion (left), Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/6/25/bvkdjq6un6iofp8q81bq2cmfzw0q7f monthly 0.5 2018-06-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1529977087218-PB7L64UYS0RV2KOGGS72/Katina%2C+Park+DuValle.jpg Stories “I was born and raised in the West End, off 36th & Market. My experience in the West was good. I got 8 brothers and sisters. My father’s a hard worker. My mom died when I was 15. She had breast cancer. My father was a parks worker. He would cut the grass and stuff. He would be at all of the parks throughout the city. He did the damn thing and I’m proud of him. He just had a stroke a few days ago. We’re so used to him being the backbone and with that, everything is breaking down. I really feel bad. The West End needs more people, like back in the day. We need more concerned people. We need more activities and community centers. We used to have the Galleria. We were able to take a Pepsi can to Kentucky Kingdom and get in for free. We used to have block parties. We need more people to guide the youth and take some time to get to know them. Let the kids get out. Nowadays, it’s all about video games and telephones. We need more people to be active and caring. The community needs a lot. Knock on the door and ask an elderly person if they need something from the store or do they need their grass cut. Some people just asked me if I regret writing the book. I don’t regret it but I regret what my father’s going through because his heart hurts for me. I never wanted that for my father. People asked me why I did it and I honestly did it to make it better for my family. I was the provider. I told God that if I write this book, I would obliged what he’s asking me to do, and that was to stop escorting. I was the kingpin of escorting. I was putting everybody on top. Was I eating off of them? No, I was breaded. I just wanted to make people’s lives better but I feel like I made it worse. It’s been rough. Everybody in the family can’t be around the kids. I can’t be around my grandkids. I can’t even talk to them. It’s not fair. My intentions were never to hurt anyone. It was never personal between me and Rick. I don’t know Rick but what I said to Rick was that we’re the same people. The only difference is that he’s got a lot more money and we come from two different sides of the track. Our spoons are still silver. His may be a $1 million spoon and mine might come from Walmart. I never meant to hurt anyone. I saw the ins and outs with the players. I saw all of the that. I seen the players breaking down because they were dismissed for smoking weed or something like that. I saw all of that. I never meant to hurt anybody. I just wanted my family to be better. God told me that I’m going to go through 40 days and 40 nights, but I have to trust in him. Let him guide me. He’s going to create a path for me. I need to believe in him, not other people. He’ll guide me and it’ll be okay. See, things don’t always come in money. For me, I lost my whole family and all of my friends. I lost everything because everyone thought that I was going to come into millions and I didn’t. I can still hold my head up, thought. I had lawyers tell me that I did what nobody else has done. I just had to hold my head up and keep pushing. I’m a hustler to my heart because that’s where I came from. That’s just what it is. Do I hurt people? No, I try to humble myself. If I got it, I give it to people. I still get smacked every now and then. It’s just another band aid that God’s got for me. Keep it pushing and it’ll heal. Stand in your truth and stay true to your heart. Strive for whatever it is that you want and push forward. There’s so many road blocks and obstacles but that’s just what they are. We will get through them and get over them. If there was never any obstacles in life, there will be nothing to get over. You have to go through obstacles in life. It’ll be okay. Stand in your truth. If it’s true, you stand by it 100%. That’s what my father would tell me.” - Katina, Park DuValle https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/6/24/c14uiulpk5afua8lyx7lie3g8nk8wo monthly 0.5 2018-06-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1529883715785-X2W62J3MOCN23FC2CBLY/KeiRon%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "Before my granny died, she would always tell me to play football and get my family out of Louisville. Right now, I’m in a bad school, because of what happened in these streets. I’m getting out of there, real soon, when I get to ninth grade. Hopefully, I can go to Ballard and play football for them. Sports keep me focused. Before I got shot, I used to be on the gang gang stuff. I don’t even be on that stuff anymore. My granny used to all tell me that ‘if you live by the streets, you’ll die by the streets’. Ever since she told me that, I don’t be gang bangin’ and I’m back in sports. My daddy died the day after my 5th birthday. He was supposed to buy me a game system and the police ran up on him, out of no where, and started shooting at him. He had a gun on him. He died. I got a little brother and sister that I have to look out for. I be telling them that dong bad stuff is not gonna get you anywhere. It’ll get you locked up or in jail. I’ve been trying to stay in sports, to get that stuff off my mind. That gang bangin’ stuff’s not gonna get you dead or in the penitentiary. I’m not trying to go there, I’m trying to live. I just want to live my life. My mama has cancer, too. Me and my cousin, Tajean are going through the same thing. Both of our mamas have cancer and both of our daddies are dead. I always think about my mama and my daddy all the time, so I have to play football, to get that stuff off my mind. I gotta focus on the sports. My daddy used to play for 10th St. I always wanted to play for 10th St. and they let me on the team. Now, I’m trying to go to Ballard and stay focused on that.” - KeiRon, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/6/21/l4gxe0bvd8x3zzlt91f60si457cp7t monthly 0.5 2018-06-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1529629613992-II0N0ABYJS12S8QY1PRD/image-asset.jpeg Stories “I’ve been in the West End all of my life. It’s been cool. I don’t even come out a whole lot but when I do step out, it’s cool. It’s always something to do. It’s just something about the West that I like. Everybody thinks the West End is bad but it’s not. People just need to come together. My passion is modeling and designing clothes. Other than that, I’m not into anything else. I’ll buy some clothes and rip them up, distress them, and put my own little style to them. I also like styling people and putting their clothes together for them. I like dressing them up and getting their hair and makeup ready for them. Seeing their reactions and making them happy, makes me happy. That’s when I realized that it’s a passion. I want to take that stuff and build it. I’m trying to build my brand, now.” - Jasmine, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/6/20/nv0tb2at4ipx69xwffet9ded8oga9w monthly 0.5 2018-06-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1529540094721-N62ELREKPKRKVL9OEM3O/Corey%2C+Portland.jpg Stories “You see people fall apart out here, man. Drugs and alcohol get to them. I see people that I used to hang out with, everyday, shooting up and shit. It’s a hell of a jungle out here, bro. People don’t get it. They just ride by and think that it’s just a nice neighborhood. It can be a jungle. You have people that live here and have to deal with this shit. I stay away from it all. I just stay positive, bro. It’s some negative ass shit. It’s heartbreaking, it’s tragic. I’m just trying to make my world a better place. To tell you the truth, I’m going out west, bro. I’m going to Cali. I belong in a booth, using my vocals. I’m trying to be rockstar. I’m an artist. I already have a graphic design degree, so I’m going to take it and run with it. What keeps me focused on my passion is my drive. My grandpa brought my family from nothing. He set a goal for himself to have a million dollars before he turned 30 and he did it. I got some big shoes to fill. Plus, I’m the first born. That’s my motivation. My motive is just peace and love everywhere. I don’t leave no bad blood anywhere, even with my exes. I just don’t do it. I stay peaceful.” - Corey, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/6/19/jlz6mts9y775i7wwluh9o408gu4i3o monthly 0.5 2018-06-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1529457911882-ITQQZC50N91GYD6QD7EQ/Black%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories “Don’t blame nobody else for your fuckups. If shit didn’t go right in your life, don’t blame nobody else for that. Shit happens for a reason. I didn’t have the best childhood but I’m not blaming nobody. I was raised by my granny and I didn’t blame my mom for not being able to raise me. Shit happens. For real, it didn’t hinder me. For some people, it hinders them, but it made me stronger. It made me not want to put my kids through that shit.” - Black, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/6/18/h5bfgwelckaza088ldggcvjfjhmk96 monthly 0.5 2018-06-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1529367016701-TK7WXJCJ2ZMYDWYSJZ61/Noodles%2C+Jordan%2C+George%2C+Algonquin.jpg Stories “In the summer, I like swimming in the pool, playing in water, and writing in chalk.”- George (far right) pictured with Noodles & Jordan, Algonquin https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/6/17/lc3qz8ttk3bawawa9pg38a0chtek1x monthly 0.5 2018-06-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1529287047850-VC54A4I0TOH8YY7C4V15/Pierre+%26+Lil+Pierre%2C+Portland.jpg Stories “I made me a video on Facebook, giving a shoutout to deadbeat fathers. I don’t like the fact that these fathers are out here, not trying to take care of their kids. We also got the mothers out here, not taking care of their kids, too. That’s basically what I’m going through, now. I’m fed up with it. I’m only 21 and my son’s 4. He came when I was 17years old, 6 days after my 17th birthday. Me, being a parent and not knowing my real father, I just don’t like parents that don’t do anything for their kids. I don’t even talk to people who don’t take care of their kids. I’m just looking forward to Lil Pierre just being here and me actually being able to do for him. I don’t have nobody else but him, so why not do what I can to take care of him, so his life can be better than mine. That’s just where my mind is.” - Pierre and Lil Pierre, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/6/17/3qqly4kfs5qs3hmykznikd20nhqajf monthly 0.5 2018-06-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1529285464077-79JQHQ78KB4DTTNBQGH5/image-asset.jpeg Stories “I ain’t gonna say that I was ready to be father but as soon as I found out, I was ready. There was no way around it. She told me that she was pregnant and I knew what I had to do. I had to stop certain things and do more of other things. I had to go 100%. I was going 50% at first, so I had to turn it up. Becoming a father and knowing that you have a seed that’s a product of you really changed my whole life. My advice to any parent is that if you’re not in your kid’s life, it’s never too late to get in their life. One thing about children is that they never forget, they always remember. The world is messed up and it’s too much going on for parents not to be in their kid’s life. So, whatever you did in the past, that kept you from being in your child’s life, today’s a good time to get involved. It’s important because they are the future.” - Hurraseason (Far Right) pictured with his children, nephew, and Reason (Far Left) in Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/6/14/tx62mls7aycm6z6cf3sd8re56342wo monthly 0.5 2018-06-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1529024247068-AGST518OQ9H4O1MHIROD/Wing+%26Tristan%2C+California.jpg Stories “Seeing my son move around, breathe,be healthy, safe, and protected brings me joy. I get to watch him be his own man. Being a father changed my life. It made me step up my grind mode because there’s a lot of responsibilities. He ain’t the only one. My advice to young fathers is to just do what you can for your kids. Just do it. Do whatever you can do for them. Even if it’s a pack of diapers every week. Do something for your kids to help them out and show them a different route. Some won’t do shit and be getting off. You gotta do something. You have to be there for the young black boys. They need their fathers in their life. Actually, I feel like every black child, in this day and age, definitely needs their father. For real, without their father, he might be hit up. It’s fucked up out here.” - Wing pictured with his son, Tristan in California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/6/13/km2jg24pm8epy2z0cdcpa42w2n16ak monthly 0.5 2018-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1528932223481-NI8MA5L8G0YYKD10SX0W/Mike%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories “This is a random thing, man. I had a couple of roses at my crib and I decided to just give them to some random chick. So, I’m just walking down the street or whatever because I don’t want them to go to waste. It ain’t nothing like that, though. I’m on my way to work, so I’m just trying to give these to someone. I’m from the East End. My parents are from here but this is my first year living in the West End. I don’t really know too much about it but from what I know, it’s pretty peaceful over here. If you go further that way, it may be a little reckless. The West needs more unity. People don't realize that when blacks are killing blacks, we’re just killing ourselves. We’re kings and queens and we’re supposed to be doing something great. I think that if we come together we’ll be alright. I get tired of hearing that people I grew up with are getting killed. That’s the main thing that I think it is. People need to stop hating one another and come together. We all live in the same world. Life’s short, bro. If you think about it, I graduated high school in 2012 and it’s already 2018. I’m about to be 25 this year. That’s the quickest timespan I ever seen in my life. Life’s short. The average black male, especially in Louisville, don’t even make it to 30. Why be mad at something silly when you can be celebrating how hot it is? You know what I’m saying? Me, personally, it’s women out here. I’m not trying to die early, over something stupid. Knowing that life’s too short motivates me. Live your life to the fullest. Love one another. When I was growing up in Clarksdale, me and my friends would fight, like it wasn’t nothing. We would fight but the next day, we would leave it in the past. We were kids, man. Leave it in the past and love one another. The world ain’t always sunshine and rainbows, but at the same time, that’s what the world is made of. Why not love one another and see people smile?” - Mike, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/6/8/4eh8xwcuxbjar3lpwy39l2cnysjfs6 monthly 0.5 2018-06-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1528506320933-PDF1J85XOWAWZL6QMACK/Maranda%2C+Damon+%26+Baby+J.jpg Stories "I gotta lot of friends and family that are down here. All the people in Portland are close together. It’s a good community for friends and family.” - Maranda pictured with Baby J & Damon, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/6/6/yp0ancnc95688tluxs7wb7kmkjnq9x monthly 0.5 2018-06-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1528332220284-GC94ZUUR2X9K2U8MDMW2/Tajean%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “Shit’s crazy. A lot of people are dying. People are shootin kids for no reason. My mama’s stressin’, she’s got cancer. You feel me? We gotta change some shit around. There’s a lot of kids dying out here. Kids need to change their lives around. You feel me? You need to get your life together. There’s so much that these kids that are my age, and I’m 17, could be doing out here. There’s a lot of kids that want to be hood. Some of them aren’t made for that. It’s just a lot of kids that want to be like other people. People can work and get paid and get them a car or something like that. That’s what I’m trying to do. I gotta get my life right. There ain’t nothing out here but drama. I’m trying to change my people around. You feel me? We out here, trying to get life together. I don’t want to see anything bad happen to anybody. Everybody’s doing too much. It’s too many beautiful people out here to be trying to kill somebody. Life is just too short. Shit, my mama got cancer and I’m trying to do this for her. I'm doing this shit for my mama because I know it’s almost time. As long as I can help her and be there for my brothers and sisters, I know my mama will be proud of her son. The West End needs more people involved. It’s too many kids, who be sitting around out here and not doing shit. They just be walking around, trying to find a dollar. I feel like if more people come around and just help the people who need the help, we’ll make it. We just need people to show love.” - Tajean, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/6/5/0rm3ioy5z6evq9xwzsfhx1uwj163ew monthly 0.5 2018-06-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1528245437121-7CQQ9ODY92D2B5B21DFQ/Tony%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories “I got shot in the mouth when I was 22 and it didn’t slow me down. When I was 25, I went to the penitentiary. I sat down there for 5 1/2 years. It was a mental battle, in itself, to correct what I was doing wrong. It took for me to know that I needed to correct it. I needed to correct the people, places, and things that was around me and start doing stuff that was foreign and uncommon to me. I’ve been out for almost 5 years. I just been working, man. I’ve been working everyday. My uncle had this open and they had to shut it down, so they wouldn’t take no loss. That was smart. They made their money back and shut it down. I gotta store behind my barber shop and we got to cooking lil burgers and stuff. In 2-3 weeks, it was lines out the door! My vision was to get that spot and then get this in August. God’s plan was to get that spot, settle down, do what’s right by your wife and I’ll put you in a position to win. That’s just what happened. I opened up the store. I opened this up, the day before Derby. If that ain’t a testimony in itself. Then, I grew up on this street, my mama lives down the street. With this, I had a whole lot of help. I didn’t have to do nothing but come in here and turn on the switch. That’s all I had to do. I feel like I have some good people that’s backing me and they ain’t hurting for no money. They’ve been doing this all they life. You know, they’ve been building up houses and selling them. They go to auctions and buy to resell. That’s all they do is go to the market and trade. I like to dress. I was buying clothes and stuff and then I was watching one of my guys. He’s my uncle’s friend and I’ve been around him for 3 years and it just hit me. The whole time I’ve been around him, he wore the same thing. He don’t spend his money on unnecessary stuff. He wears Wranglers, a plaid shirt and some Red Wing boots. He works everyday. I realized that you don’t have to be fly to work. You’ll mess it up. So, I went to Sam’s and got me a $9 shirt. I went to Walmart and got me a pair of $13 Wranglers. I wear it, take it home, wash it and put it back on. All of my buddies will come in and see me in a collared shirt. It’s foreign to them to see me telling people to enjoy and have a nice day. The whole character done changed. I’m telling them that they need to get a job and if they don’t get a job, they’ll go to jail. You don’t want to go back. If you get caught now, you won’t get out until you’re 50 and you don’t want to do that. You already gave them half of your life. Man, it’s time to build. My focus is just building with my wife. Right now, I’m going through erasing pictures from my Instagram. I have to sit down and erase about 20-40 pictures at a time. I have to erase all of that before this gets too big. I want to tell people about my background, not show them pictures. A picture speaks a thousand words and if I’m telling you, I’m only going to speak a couple hundred. I want to tell you. My kids inspire me. I don’t want to lead them down the same road I was lead down. They are my daily inspiration. When I wake up and come to work, it’s to provide for my children. My family, that’s all I got. My kids and my wife are my fuel. Once my kids are old enough to take over, I’ll be able to take a break. My goal is just to keep my kids on a straight path and build a legacy. When I was younger, I would sit out there, in these streets, and played around. I involved myself in gang activity. Been there and done that but look at me, now! Yeah, I was in a gang. Yeah, I committed some crimes. The correctional facilities that I was incarcerated in, corrected me. Now, that I’m corrected, I come back to society but as a taxpayer and a business owner. Yeah, I’m still a black man with a mouth full of golds but don’t judge a book by it’s cover. There’s a lifetime full of knowledge up here. The West End is about to revert back to what it once was. It used to be predominantly white. Now, as you can see they’re tearing down Beecher and all of the projects and sending people out south. They’re building new out here that’ll bring them back down. They’ll give you your section 8 and you’re out of the West End. It’s set up for you to run out of the West End because the West End is the most valuable property, it’s historic. You have to get the black owners to come together. If you don’t notice, the Asians and Caucasians got a liquor store and a Dollar General on every corner. All these places for black people to spend their money. You don’t even have a skating rink and movie theater. Stay humble and stay grounded. If you step on one pebble, it’ll knock you off balance. You’ll be back where you came from. The moral of the story is to stay humble out here because at any given day, you’re number can be called. You’ve got to stay focused, humbled, and grounded. As long as you’re focused, you have a vision. As long as you’re humble, people won’t mess with you. As long as you’re grounded, all 3 will combine and work. It works if you work it.” - Tony, Owner of Irma Dee's in Parkland   https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/5/30/8hxky7by7jochhepudoevg9g7vwjx2 monthly 0.5 2018-05-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1527728865887-366NFFUBZE4R3BGBFVWS/Will%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories “I grew up around Cecil. Everything was good, growing up in the West. As I got older, I seen the difference. I seen how society can really hold people of color behind. It’s kind of hard, going through the motions in life, when you got things setting you back, such as the police. It’s not even just the police, you have people that don’t live in the West, looking in and thinking that everything’s bad. They have no idea what’s going on. Me and you are having an intelligent conversation and nothing is going on. Nobody’s coming through shooting at us. Now, it’s days when shootings do happen. We have to deal with the police coming to harass us, rather than protect us. They don’t want to protect us, so we’re just out here, trying to survive. I’m very self motivated but my family keeps me motivated. My mom is my biggest support system. She makes sure that I stay out of the streets and stay focused. She keeps me on my p’s and q’s every day. The West needs more community centers because that’ll give the kids something to do. Growing up, we didn’t have any community centers. We had Parkland Boys & Girls Club but I would have to walk all the way to 32nd and that’s far from my house. There’s nothing in the neighborhood for kids to go to or do anything productive. They have to find something to because they’re bored, so they choose trouble. We need closer health clinics because everybody doesn’t have the transportation and they may not be able to get to the clinic. Everybody doesn’t have the money for the clinic. We could also use some role models because kids are looking up to the wrong people. They’re thinking that the fast life is the life to live but it’s not. Don’t get caught up in other people’s ways. Be your own person. Make sure you follow what you believe. You should be good, if your intentions are good.” - Will, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/5/29/s9pjsgzifokww4w1bf6cbupj31w3u1 monthly 0.5 2018-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1527637564724-BJQ595P8UZ42IKA8YGWT/Melody%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “I stay within walking distance. I can walk back and forth to the garden. I’ve been in the West End since 1970. In the 70’s, I lived right off of Broadway. There was a lot of factories in the 70’s. As the factories left, throughout the years, the people did, too. The West End is a nice location. The people and my church have kept me in this area. It’s pretty much a well-knit group. Where I live, everybody knows everybody. It’s a lot of potential, here, if people just gave it a chance and stayed in their area, instead of leaving. I’d like to see a lot more black businesses in the West End and keep the money circulating to build up the community. A lot of hard work went into this garden. It’s a community garden. Gardening was something that was handed down. My mother’s from Mississippi. She handed gardening down to us. We had a garden every year. She grew peanuts. I grow peanuts, in memory of her. The happiest moments of my life was spending the last 6 months with my mother before she passed. You know, you think you know your parents but you don’t really know them until you spend every moment with them. I found out things that she liked to do. I learned that she was a White Sox fan. As children, you don’t take the time to get to know your parents because they’re so busy working and getting you through school. The last 6 months of her life was the best time that we spent together. She wasn’t just my mother, she became my best friend. That was precious to me. Those are memories that I’ll always have. I didn’t have a chance to take her to a White Sox game but I did take her to see the Louisville Bats. She really enjoyed that. Family’s important. My mother was down there, in the South, when Katrina came through. She was down there without electricity for 2 weeks. I was trying my best to get down there. I was able to get off work and have my family from the north meet me here. We had 3 vehicles. One vehicle was carrying gasoline cans. One was carrying supplies, like paper towels and cleaning stuff. Then, we had one that had a generator. Everybody had SUVs, going down to Mississippi. We also had saws with us because we had to cut our way through, to get to my mother. The best moment for her was when she seen us coming with all of our supplies. I had to get there fast because I wanted to file her insurance and she didn’t have electricity and all I had was my cell phone. Knowing that she was down there, alone, it made me feel like she scared and stranded. She didn’t have any hope. She lost all of her food and everything. She was by herself. She ended up getting food from the army. When we got there, tears was flowing down her face. I was just thankful to God that I was able to get to her. Don’t take life for granted. Spend as much time, as you can, with your family. Always put first in everything you do.” - Melody, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/5/23/3wp4wqxz3unxx8ofp5ok0mbf4lm9zh monthly 0.5 2018-05-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1527124295190-AJ073LLOKK6TK48AF67Q/Will%2C+Danielle%2C+and+Angel%2C+Portland.jpg Stories “I basically came down here in December. I’m from New York. She’s been here her whole life. It reminds me of where I am from. Portland just reminds me of home, in a way. I like it. People are really nice, not like us New Yorkers. It’s a new environment and I like it. Nobody really likes to come down here because they hear about the gunshots, druggies, and all of that. Me, personally, you’re going to find that no matter where you go. People are afraid to come down here and you don’t have to be afraid. If you’re in the gangs and into drugs, you’re at risk of being into stuff. If you’re not into it, you’ll be fine. I’ve been here since December and I have no problems with anybody. I just stick to myself, go to work and come home. I don’t know, people have their own opinions but I think it’s stupid how they’re scared to come down here. I take my daughter to the park all the time. I take her walking all the time and nothing happens.” Will, pictured with Danielle and their daughter, Angel in Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/5/22/ewyabh23usvbkwv1oa7b51p1l4icpx monthly 0.5 2018-05-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1527034210435-F5K8A771XYDCF8BQZ6JS/Swag+%26+TJ%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “If my life was an album, the title would be ‘There and Back’. I done been all the way to the extremes. I done been to the penitentiary. I’ve done been through all of the hardships and now, I’m back. I’m comfortable and back with my family, living life. I’m level-headed. I have kids, now. I’m here, I’m back, and I’m not going anywhere because I have to be here for them. It’s been a struggle as a young black man. That’s 2 strikes, right there. It’s 3, now because we’re in America. That’s the struggle, right there.” - Swag (Left) “Going to jail was the defining moment that shaped me into the man that I am. I was watching who was there and who wasn’t there. I would brainstorm about what I was going to do when I got out to keep from being broke. I’ve been out for a year, now. My family inspires me everyday. My advice to the world is to stay focused and level headed. You can accomplish anything out here and make a living doing it.”- TJ (Right), Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/5/21/5m9owqkczk2ohi7jwy5jyxghdh527q monthly 0.5 2018-05-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1526945650468-E2KPCA1B2VZDCXU1PPN7/Bryana+%26+Star%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories "The key to happiness in a relationship is patience. Love comes with pain, so you need to push through that. If you’re in a new relationship and ya’ll are arguing, don’t throw it away. At the end of the day, you’re still learning things about each other. Don’t be afraid to take a big ass step in your relationship. I just moved 15 hours away from my home, for my girl. Don’t let people tell you who to be. Be yourself, no matter what. At the end of the day, nobody can judge you but the man above. That’s my motto. When it rains, look for rainbows. When it’s dark, look for stars. There’s always light at the end of the tunnel.” - Star (right) pictured with Bryana (left), Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/5/16/u3376m1k3spehypmcelgvvpcapc3kq monthly 0.5 2018-05-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1526521288547-PNCV023KBOEV3HTHC29Q/Emmett%2C+Algonquin.jpg Stories “I’ve been here all my life, born and raised off of 33rd & Garland. Actually, we lived on Vermont, then we moved to 33rd. I was on 33rd for 20 years. In the West, I had peaks and valleys but as far as growing up, I had both of my parents and my life was alright. I always wanted my own business, I just didn’t know what it was going to be. Basically, I studied other people and seeing how they were getting their business to grow. Black business ownership is so important and I’m so big on that. We, as black people, always want to get a good job and nothing’s wrong with that. Rarely are we taught to work for ourselves and create our own wealth. We’re always told to go to school and get a good job. There’s a difference between wealth and income. Income is something you can’t pass down, wealth is something that you can pass down. I’m big on that. I want more black people to get involved with owning their own businesses and creating their own platform. We just get in this comfort zone where we have to get up and find a good job and go to work everyday. Every other culture and race focus on wealth and not income. That’s the problem that we have. We think that getting an education and getting a good job is where it’s at. We can’t pass that down. We need to get more involved with owning our own businesses. The biggest part of failure is not trying. You have to try. You’ve got to get out there and do your research. I don’t care what it is. You can monetize anything. Whatever your preference is, just get out there and do it. Don’t procrastinate. We have to create our own wealth. If you look around, how many black owned businesses do you see in the West End? Let’s be honest, you have Arabs and Asians down here, controlling everything. They come down here and open up these businesses. They’ll take their money and make sure that their money rotates in their community, at least 10 times, before it comes back out. That’s how they create their wealth. Black people, we get our money and it goes right outside of our community. We need to learn how to rotate our money. I don’t care if the business is way downtown, we need to patronize them as much as we can. There’s a difference between a neighborhood and a community. We need to control our own community and not just have neighborhoods and hoods. We need our own hospitals, schools, police, and a lot of other things. We need to control our own area. We need education, which is very important. We also need more jobs. The defining moment that shaped me to who I am is when I went to prison. I seen how the system was developed to work against our favor. That woke me up. When I got out, I chose my own path. I have my own kennel, with my partner. We breed and sell American Bullies. We also have our own store. This will have a snowball effect. When you’re down in prison, you’re working for 35 cents a day. That’s basically slavery. With the lifestyle that I chose for so many years, I wasn’t going to be able to go and work for somebody and be consistent. I had to find a way to monetize something and that was these dogs and this store. I watch this guy, Tariq Nasheed, and he really motivated me. He’s a street dude and he monetized everything he did with documentaries, clothing, and his podcasts. He’s just like me and I got to thinking that if he can do it, I can. I started to study him and that’s how I got my motivation and mojo to go out and get it. My advice to the world is that the endeavor that you've set out for, that you create in your mind, you only defeat yourself when you don’t try at all. That’s the only time you’re going to lose. Stay focused and keep a level head and go out there and chase the bag. Make sure you keep the winning mentality. You’re going to have peaks and valleys, so don’t give up. Don’t get discouraged, stay focused and keep a positive mind. Whatever you put in the universe, whether it’s negative or positive, it’s going to come back at you. If you produce good energy, that’s what you’ll get out of life.” - Emmett, owner of C & E Food Mart in Algonquin https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/5/14/dty7i851uv5xyi01hv8sfh57fh30fu monthly 0.5 2018-05-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1526348618151-1QH611XJ1YPPZV39AXFM/Cheryl%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “The West End needs more stuff for the youth to do. I ride through the neighborhoods and I see kids with a lot of energy but they don’t have a place to release it. We need to focus on making sure that these kids have the best education. We need to read to them and teach them how to read and write. There should also be some fun things for them to do, like putting a play together, letting them do skits and stuff. We have to focus on the children.” - Cheryl, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/5/10/yoexhsjwanea6d51m4q1hsnw6wv6vi monthly 0.5 2018-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1526000352966-G2DZG5LJRRTP8G464FM7/Te%27Shawn%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I think that we need to come together and be more involved. The younger people need to be more involved and do more community activities. We need more clubs, like the Boy & Girls clubs. We need somewhere where we can hang out and it’ll keep us out of the streets. If you ever get a chance to come up on some money or something, invest it back into your community. You see people, all the time, will get the money and leave. Imagine if you came up on $100,000 and took that to rebuild a house. Don’t turn your back on your people, just stick together.” - Te’Shawn Jr. (Right), Russell “We need more leadership down here in the West End. A lot of people say that they wanna change but you have to see people change. We gotta see each other change and want to do better for each other, instead of talking. A lot people need to lead by example for the younger people. Some people need a little bit of help and sometimes all it takes is leadership. Hopefully, they’ll follow. We have to learn to respect one another. Not just down here, but worldwide. We have to respect that everybody has their own opinion and differences. It’s okay to agree to disagree. It starts with respecting each other as human beings. That’s what’s missing, nowadays, is respect.” - Te’Shawn Sr. (Left), Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/5/8/02aslhxd1a8sdrcgry3qegtbqpc12p monthly 0.5 2018-05-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1525821202900-CHJTZE4R99XFAEHNAPHI/Pam%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I used to braid a lot children’s hair, when their mothers couldn’t. I would braid their hair for money, so I could go to Ghost Town, on the river. I’d go to Ghost Town or the skating rink. That’s what really started it. I was 8 or 9, braiding hair. I would do that to get some money and go to the amusement park. What really got me started was when I was in high school. We had to do a co-op. My first job was a job in the kitchen. I couldn’t do that one. Then I got a co-op at Johnson’s Beauty Supply. I was 15 years old and I was working there as an receptionist and a shipping clerk. I shipped all the orders. Someone would call the store and order. I would get the orders ready and ship the hair products out to different beauty salons. There wasn’t that many supply stores. That’s when I started getting into hair because I worked at that supply store. What made me decide to open up my own shop? I was tired of moving from shop to shop. Most hair dressers and barbers are like gypsies, we’re moving all the time. My two sisters are hair stylists, too. So, my thought was to step out and be the one to open a shop because I’m the older sister. My sisters have been with me since we were together. We’ve been here, on this corner, since ’92. So, that’s 26 years. I’ve been a hairdresser for 34 years. Opening up was the hardest. I had a hard time. My credit was good. Wanna talk about redlining? My husband had a good job. We went to the Citizens Bank, my score was 800. Don’t you know that I was denied out here in the West End? I went out east, where I live at, and I get approved that day. Ain’t that something? I went through a lot. When I opened up, the plumbing inspector didn’t like my plumber. Don’t you know that I had to jack up my floor 6 times? All because they didn’t like each other. I wasn’t even in it. Every time I had a different plumber, the inspector needed to see my pipes. That was me spending more money cause he didn’t like my plumber. I’ve been caught up in all kind of mess. The West End needs more grocery stores. People are paying $5 for bag of sugar. There needs to be more activities for the kids, and more community involvement.” - Pam, owner of Mirror Mirror located in Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/5/3/id2503scihbsv3k0ui4f38nkun4f4m monthly 0.5 2018-05-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1525396698464-R9Q1YDQJC3G9BL05OA2P/Sonda%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories “The house that I live in is my great grandmother’s house. It’s off 34th & Greenwood. She was a hairstylist. Between her and Mr. Lee, we don’t know who did the most curls back in the day. I grew up with that because her salon was always at the back of the house, which is now my laundry room. That’s where she did hair. Guess where I was going? Over my grandmother’s house. Guess what I was doing? I was holding them rollers. When I was growing up, one my mom’s friends’ mother was Lillian Coiffure. She had a salon on 23rd & Maple called Lillian Coiffure's. Now, Lillian is where a lot of your main names did their apprenticeship. All of them did their apprenticeship with Ms. Lillian. I was probably around 9 or 10, going down there. That’s where I was after school and after work. By the time I was ten, I was the roller wrap queen. If I couldn’t do nothing else, I could roll your hair up. Ms. Lillian would put me on a timer and tell me that I had 15 minutes to roll someone’s hair. I was trained. When I got out of high school, I had got accepted into Spelman. I went to school and let my GPA drop because I had a boyfriend. I caught a felony behind him and everything. God rest his soul. I could have went to Morris Brown to get into Spelman. I wanted to be a chemical engineer. I was still in the bathroom doing girls' hair and makeup after school. I had a guy friend who convinced me to go to hair school. Those pieces led together and I’ve been a licensed hair stylist for over twenty something years. There was struggles but I had to believe in getting up after falling. You have to believe in getting up. You cannot just lay there. I have a habit of when people tell me that I can’t, I do it because I can. Watch me! I got caught up with my boyfriend and he was big into the drug game. I was just doing me from the ages of 15 to 22. I got pregnant with my first son. When I became a mom, I knew that I had to do something and get out of the streets. I had my license for about 3 years and never did anything with it because I was in the streets. The streets made plenty of money. I had my first son and started to doing hair, again. I was working for corporations. Then I had my second son at 26 and realized that it was really time to be grown. At that time, I had the struggles of being 26 years old with two kids, one paycheck, and their fathers were in the penitentiary. I worked everyday, minded my business and raised my kids. I was and still am a dedicated mom. I worked, raised my kids, and did all of the sports with them. I was a manager at SuperCuts and a barber that I knew had passed away and his wife was going to let his shop go. One of my apprentices lived down the street from the shop and learned that same information. She took her test and bought that salon. She got it, so it was not for me. Then there was another salon whose owner had gotten sick and passed away. I drove by the shop and seen someone cleaning it. I walked in and it was my best friend, my son’s godmother. God blessed her with that. I couldn’t feel no type of way because I’ve been telling this girl to get in this hair game for a long time. She had went from nursing to doing hair. So, at that time, I just prayed on it. One day, I rode past this building and there was lady taping up this sign that read: ‘Everything Must Go’. I came in here and talked to the lady for about an hour. I told her that I wanted the building. She called the landlord and he came over. He asked me how much money I had and I only had $60. My homegirl, out in the car, had $20. I gave him $80 and he gave me a lease. When I tell you that was nothing but God. God will push you where he knows you need to be. My first three years in here, this building had been through it. The first year, I was here by myself and I needed to get some people in here. The second year, the roof was leaking and my plants were catching a lot of water. Then, I came in one day and every single pipe busted in the winter. We pumped out over 20,000 gallons of water. Every pipe had burst. I had to go in and replace everything. After dealing with that, the heat decided to go out, in the winter. We had to come in 2 hours before appointments to start the space heaters. It was a struggle. My landlord ended up replacing the water heater, furnace, the ceiling, the roof and everything. I had to start over 3 times in this building. The Lord will test you and a lot of people were telling me that he was telling me that this wasn’t for me. I would say that maybe he’s testing me to see how much I wanted this. He’s given me many chances to throw in the towel but I really wanted this. My faith in God keeps me strong in my journey and my faith in life won’t let me give up. Until recently, I never looked at myself as an entrepreneur. When doing this type of work, having restriction, rules, and boundaries, will not let you glow and flow as an artist. I wanted to remove the restrictions. I wanted to have a place that’s professional but want people to feel like they’re at home. You know about kitchen beauticians? I want people to feel like they’re in a kitchen but they’re at a professional salon, getting professional work with professional products. I want you to feel like you’re at home. My name, Beauty Habits, comes from me believing in creating habits that make you feel beautiful. Beauty starts on the inside. I can put any hairstyle on you but if you don’t feel beautiful inside, you’re not going to feel like anything on the outside. When you come in here, you’re getting compliments and hugs. Sometimes, there’s something to talk. I don’t want that spirit over your head while I’m dong your hair because it’s gonna come out. My favorite part about my job is making people feel better about themselves. That’s apart of my legacy. I want people to believe in themselves. My son says that I’ll motivate anybody through anything. I want people to believe in themselves and push through it. Like I said, I was a convicted felon. On my 18th birthday, I got that lucky ‘F' on my report card. In some people’s heads, as an 18 year old black women, I couldn’t get my hair license. Yes, I can and did, with this appeal and a hearing! They told me that I could never work in a corporate setting. Well, I did that and I worked in management. They told me that I would never go back to college. I have a business degree. The doctor told me that I couldn’t have children. I’ve got 2 boys and a stepson. I also have a grand daughter and a slew of nieces and nephews. You don’t know what my God knows. Every time someone told me that I couldn’t be more, I’ve been more.” - Sonda, owner of Beauty Habits, Parkland Resident https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/5/2/tbjkxi1djvauqqdt45ulwt0q3wpyty monthly 0.5 2018-05-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1525305938065-108YH04D5C7395O435BK/Peannie%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I’m a licensed cosmetologist. I was thirteen when I started doing hair and stuff. I just wanted to make everybody look pretty. We would go out and my friends and I couldn’t afford beauty salons and so I was the one doing everybody’s hair. I just continued to do that. After high school, I went to Central High, I went to hair school. It was Roy’s Beauty Academy when I went. It was off of Chenoweth Lane, so I did that and finished. I worked at two salons before I went and got my own. I’ve been here for seventeen years. April 21st made seventeen years. I work with my family, my nieces. They’ve been with me for more than eight years. They’ve always been in the salon with me, you know, hanging out and stuff. I’m here to help them and educate them on having their own business. Stay where you are until you get to where you’re going. They want their own and one of them wants a wig shop. I’m here to help them. What’s kept me in business for so long? It’s the professionalism, personality, no drama, and it’s just a peaceful atmosphere. It ain’t where you’re at but who’s in it. You can have a million dollar salon but it’s the people in that won’t make it run. I’ve had people that’s been with me since I started and I’ve been doing hair for twenty-five years. I’ve got a Dudley Award for nineteen years plus. I’m with Dudley and I’ve received an award last year, the Never Give Up Award, from Dr. Joe Dudley. I’ve been in magazines, too. I’ve thought about moving out of the West End but then I thought that this is a landmark. You have to continue education, that’s the key. You have to keep up with the younger generation. My older generation has children and their children had children. It’s like a family thing because they’ve all stayed with me. I deal with generations. When it comes to my work, I think of that person. I don’t just think of a style. It’s about how I want them to look and how I want them to feel better about themselves. It’s not about me, it’s about them and keeping their hair together. So, whoever comes out of here, I want them to look nice and right because they represent. Stay professional and leave attitudes at home. You never know how the next person’s feeling. So, us, as business owners and cosmetologists, we have to be there for our clients, as a counselor, guider, provider, listener, or anything that will help them out. You never know what they’re going through. I have talked to people who were so depressed and I was able to help them out. That makes me feel good, just to know that I can be there. That’s what keeps me going. Stay focused, stay positive, and never give up. Keep your hopes and dreams alive because they are real. Pray and do right.” - Donnitra a.k.a Peanie, Owner of Devastating Doos located in Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/5/1/xtu7cfduyjgeu7ovktrpiyglrlb9iu monthly 0.5 2018-05-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1525219702480-JX35MHFTTVH7AE2U7TCR/Sparkle%2C+Park+Hill.jpg Stories “Well, I never imagined that I’d be doing hair for a living. I had a talent. My grandmother told me that I should go to school for hair. It was something that I enjoyed doing because I braided. I’m the oldest girl of nine and I would braid my baby sisters’ hair. As they got older, they got tired of braids and wanted something different. I had to learn how to do different things to their hair. When I went to hair school, I already knew how to do hair. I just needed to perfect it and become licensed. When I got here, I had quit my job. Then my husband was laid off and he seen this building. He was like, ‘I think you should go into business for yourself’. I was working at home, in my basement. I was also pregnant. That’s where Lavish Looks came from. It was seven years ago. My husband bought the building and told me that I was going to do this. I would say that in this industry, you have to push yourself sometimes and come out of your comfort zone. Anything worth fighting for, you have to put in the work, it’s not easy. Over time, things will change. Education is key. You have to stay on top of what’s new, different products, and different things that will keep people’s hair healthy. You have to set yourself outside of the norm. In our industry, people are into frontals and weaves but first, you have to learn how to treat their hair. I had to stay true to myself and be consistent. I have never had a time where I went a period of time and my clients not know where I’m at. I feel like consistency is what keeps you in this industry. Even though none of my booths are filled, I may have had people come and go but I stayed consistent. I had to keep pushing. I feel like Lavish Looks is Louisville’s best kept secret. People don’t know about us but we’ve been here for seven years. You won’t hear anyone say anything negative about us. What you do hear is that people found a gem up the street from Park Hill. We need more things for our children. Social media’s taken over a lot. Before, everybody could go outside and play. Now, everybody’s on their phone. They need something that will stir them away from that. There’s really nothing for them to do unless you go way far out. We also need to stick together, within our community. What’s for you is for you and no one can take that from you. The Lord blessed you with it. We need to worry about self and more stuff for the younger generation in our community. For women entrepreneurs, I feel like you have to be yourself because if you don’t, no one else will. You have to lead by example and you have to believe in yourself. Do the research and get your business plan together. There’s different things out here that can get you started. If you do the research, you can start it off. It’s always a struggle and nothing will come easy. Always put in the work. Take a leap on faith but you have to put the work behind it.” - Sparkle, Owner of Lavish Looks Salon in Park Hill https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/28/z6tsiw5bmns121ac3eh1h2t44c50vz monthly 0.5 2018-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1524931308913-S888VK4T0XYEKMXNHP6L/Al%2C+Park+DuValle.jpg Stories “I was born in Atlanta, Georgia. My dad is from Louisville. His family was one of the first families to move in Cotter Homes, when they first opened it up. My grandfather was a veteran and they was setting up Cotter Homes and all the housing projects for veterans to live in. It was like an entry level for families to get on their feet and be able to establish themselves and move out of the projects into a single family home. My father had seven brothers and sisters. They were one of the first families to move there. My father was telling me how all of this land on the other side of 34th St. was “Little Africa” before they started building projects over here. So, when we moved back to Louisville, we moved on 41st St., between Elliott and Vermont, over by King Elementary School. When we moved on Kentucky, I started going to the Parkland Boys & Girls Club. That was back in ’92. Mr. Ed “Nardie” White was the director and had just started. He was adamant about having a Boys & Girls Club that was not completely sports centered. He was always around Pan-Africanists, or people who studied Pan-African Studies. They were woke back in the 90’s. They were wearing dashikis and medallions and smelling like frankincense and myrrh. Seriously, that’s how they came through. They were non-traditional people, much different than my aunt and uncles. They were church going, Sunday school attending and kids was in Jack and Jill. Here I was, in the West End, seeing people in African clothes and talking about the rites of passage at nine and ten years old. My West End experience started at the Boys & Girls club. While everybody was hooping and in the game room, I was in the arts and crafts room learning how to do macrame, making friendship bracelets and keychains. We would do mask making and paper mache. One summer, at the Boys & Girls Club, Mr. White applied for this grant through Arts Reach through the Kentucky Center. Through Arts Reach, he got a drum maker & a drummer to come teach us some classes. The drummer was Yaya Diallo and the drum maker was Baile McKnight. Baile taught us how to make these drums out of PVC pipe and cowhide. We were young, making these drums the ones you see right here. We were cutting this pipe and making them. That was my introduction, hands on, into this culture. We had this program called ‘The Untouchables’, which was a rites of passage for young black dudes, that showed us an alternative to gang life and the streets. I was in the Boys & Girls Club everyday. My mother made sure that I was somewhere where I was supervised and had some structure. I started to absorb the culture. Mr. White definitely made sure that everyone wasn't pigeon holed into peewee football or basketball. He made sure that there were alternatives. His goal was to make sure to match every dollar spent on sports with some type of artistic or cultural program and I’m a beneficiary of that. When Mr. White said that he was ready to retire, this was maybe 3 years ago, he asked me to start coming back because he wanted me to take his job. I was not hesitant about that at all. I was like ‘Sign me up. Where do you need me to be?’. I started to commute back and forth from Lexington a couple days a week. That’s when all of those seeds that were planted started to really show their blossom, the growth, and the development. We’ve been having a documentary filmed about us. We’re having a full length feature film made about the Drum Corp, the success stories about the Drum Corp, the connection that Mr. White and I have and the leadership training and what it’s done for other kids. Everybody has qualities and characteristics of being a leader. Everybody is not specifically chosen and cultivated in being a leader. I could have been a follower. I was on the cusp of being a following because I was stealing baseball cards, stealing magazine, and hopping the train. But through the Drum Corp, I was around people who felt that leadership was very important and necessary. The people who was teaching us were leaders. It was the Drum Corp and school that helped me be a leader. There has to be young professionals, who are from this area and are products of this area, that want to come back and feed into this area. That’s null and void, right now. You can look around and the business owners are gone. The people that make it out don’t want to come back. That’s why there’s so many abandoned houses and trash in the neighborhood. There’s this stigma about West Louisville about what it is and what it ain’t. It’s important that we get people that made it out of the hood to come back to reinforce some of the things that were given to them, so that we can continue the success. If not, it won’t continue and that’s what we’re seeing. We are living in a time where, on a broad scale, there’s no where for kids to go. We don’t get the publicity or the notoriety, or the visibility. So, it seems that there’s nothing. For a program like this, that’s been going on for 25 years, that has countless graduates of high school and college, executives, doctors, people with masters and doctorate degrees, and lawyers that come from this program. We just don’t have anything that tells people about what’s going on. We are in preparation for the 12th Annual Da Ville Classic Drum Line Showcase at the Palace Theater. This has started about 12 years ago by high school freshman, who were member of Drum Corp, my sister being of them. Mr. White saw to it that we had a traditional marching style, HBCU drum component in our program. With that, we asked Kentucky State to come down and do a clinic of sorts and showcase in this drumlins showcase. It started in ’06 at Chickasaw Park and it has grown to the Amphitheater, the Kentucky Center for the Arts and now, the Palace Theater. We’re creating avenues for these kids to be successful. It’s amazing to see one our kids get his bachelor’s in social work in Lincoln’s ensemble. One of the girls who started the program is getting her master’s in social work. One of the other kids is in law school at the University of Kentucky. My sister has her master’s in speech pathology from EKU. She’s a linguist and getting ready to start working on her doctorate. That’s what we do with this program, is really showcase to the community the spirit of the drum. We wanna show the community that this is more than beating drums, it’s a life skill. They can see a kid who came from this group at seven years old and is now twenty-two and getting ready to graduate. When Black Panther came out, the whole world was like, ‘Wakanda Forever’. Everybody is really into this fictitious black society where we have this resource that makes us great. We have a real life black society with a real life resource that makes us great. We got a 7th grade drummer who has skills and will be in somebody’s orchestra or on tour with a pop start because the nurturing of her talents through this program. We want the whole city to see that. If I could give any advice to the world it would be to use community and family to build the world that you want to see. Build partnerships and use people around you to make your situation and the world a better place. We need the village mentality if we are going to be successful and continue to help and grow with each other. If we are self-minded and have selfish ambitions and don’t put any energy into helping someone else, then our success doesn’t count.” - Al, Director of River City Drum Corp in Park DuValle https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/26/wxiky9gnuowakdzmw0zuw8hn7kvtxi monthly 0.5 2018-04-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1524787250107-HMKGCK91XTO5NSFSXIPC/Deb+%26+Ana%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories "I’ve been all over the West. I was born and raised here, everybody knows me. This right here is the jungle. Yeah, 32nd’s the jungle. I tried to get away but it is what it is. I’m connected everywhere throughout the West End. We need more leaders. You got all these kids listening to this music and wanna shoot everything up. You’ve got grown people sitting around and standing outside of the store and playing with guns with the kids. We just need more leaders around here. Nobody wanna do nothing. It could get better but it’s not. Nobody wants to make it better. They need to fix up these abandoned houses. These bandos could be real nice if they paid a little attention to them. Take away some of these liquor stores and get more child care centers. We need a medical center, too. We have to go all the way out in the south or downtown. We need something here. Blacks need to stop killing blacks. We need to stick together and do this shit right. They want us to kill each other. That’s why they’re letting us do all of this nonsense. The community would be way better if they’d stop the killing.” - Deb (left), Parkland   "We need more places for kids to hang out because we can’t do nothing anymore. We need a real rec center. Kids can’t do a thing.” - Ana (right), Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/25/p1pqik3poj83ourddkjyz8ya2udsy1 monthly 0.5 2018-04-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1524699254980-MCAGS8ID23BUWTPWUYGR/Ben%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “I’ve been in the West End all of my life. I moved out for about two years and moved back; I missed it. For most people, the West End is all negative, but for me it’s the culture great. This where everything started. We get a negative image but there’s a lot of positive things going on. My music makes me the happiest. My dad did music and I’m picking up right where he left off. Actually, me and friends do it together. We all live in the West End, as a matter of fact. We just did a show at Shawnee Park and we were getting all positive feedback. The group’s called Ganja Boys. We rap and we’re a collective. We have people doing a lot of different things. We have somebody that takes photos and somebody that does music. We even have someone doing fashion. We’re just trying to come up in the best way possible. I feel most creative when I have good vibes, good energy and nothing but positivity around me. It just puts me in a good mood to do positive things. It’s a blessing to me and I just want to take that blessing and bless other people with it. I feel like the West needs more support. Instead of building all of these hotels and building up downtown, they need to fix the West. There needs to be more programs for the kids, so they can be in tune with their talents and not focus on the bad things. We can do more beautiful things if we just pay more attention to it. Whenever you feel down and when someone tells you that you can’t do something, focus all of that negative energy and prove them wrong and do positive things.” - Ben, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/23/yajg324mno0lhs2bohv7acruvga99a monthly 0.5 2018-04-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1524523730179-K0W8QPAHVPHXR8NBP1UC/Donnell%2C+Portland.jpg Stories “I’ll be 60 this year. I was raised up in a time where there was a lot of jazz being played. So, jazz led me to play the trumpet and other instruments. When I was 5 years old, I seen jazz musicians on tv. Watching them make the sounds with the instruments, using their hands, I thought it was magic. I love how it always fits the scenery that you might be in when you hear it. Jazz just crowns any moment. My music inspires me. I’m trying to start a band. I went a long time without playing the trumpet, so I’m really just getting back. They call it getting your lip back but I’ve been playing for a long time. I started out on piano but this is the instrument that I stuck with. I practiced every day. It was knack because in 18 months I was playing in a professional band. It was complicated jazz because I was playing by ear and by heart. I’m facing a lot of struggles because I have to maintain my life. I can’t put a lot of energy and source finding into my music because this isn’t really a jazz town. This used to be a jazz town. There was world class jazz musicians that came here and played at this place called The Jazz Factory. World class jazz musicians appeared every week. Now, they’re not doing that anymore. My advice to the world is to follow your heart, not your mind.” - Donnell, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/21/9anlos33glcojf2926o8u3mb3cjgdj monthly 0.5 2018-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1524352947665-ZIVVRUBZUDQXGE9FGK9B/Younger+Generation%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “It’s not considered Beecher Day, it’s Thunder. Beecher Day’s in the summer. The West End needs help, more houses and more things for the kids to do. There’s nothing for the kids, everything’s gone. We need better community centers, that’s really gonna help the kids. Give out some free tutoring. You see how many kids that were in high school that don’t go to school no more? The disconnect between the older and younger generation is a respect thing. They don’t respect us young folk. They think they can just talk to us any type of way. If they gave us a little more help, out here, the West End would be better.” -The Crew, Russell - Thunder 2018 at Beecher Terrace https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/21/6vwvu4u2gx4sllfp6bg1zp9ghc7p3a monthly 0.5 2018-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1524352103225-02ZE5C07G0H2T56Y400V/James+%26+Renee%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I love coming to Beecher Terrace Day. They’re trying to get things together and people are trying to do the right things. We’re getting together and having fun. That’s why I like coming down here. I hope everything goes smooth. We met in 1995. We just created love and we’ve been together for 23 years. The key to happiness in a relationship is understanding, trust, and love. Don’t worry about the next person. Do you and that old jealous stuff, get away from that because that won’t keep your relationship together. You’ve got to trust your spouse in order to be happy. Let that man be that man and let that woman be that woman. That’s what I like about her, she lets me be that man.” James & Renee, Russell - Thunder 2018 at Beecher Terrace https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/21/67hjhlailu19vg15h5glexpebd73oz monthly 0.5 2018-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1524352002801-L7KXT1V1MS4PL02MOSR6/Three+Queens%2C+Russell.jpg Stories 3 Queens, Russell - Thunder 2018 at Beecher Terrace https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/21/mglmc144rfv025359yholwertvovob monthly 0.5 2018-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1524351786579-3GIT1ZFH6N1YZC1SNR0W/Von+%26+Tia%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “Understanding, communication, and trust are the keys to a good relationship. It’s hard because we all have our problems but you just have to put that trust out there on the table. We’ve been doing this for twelve years. We met up here. It was like love at first sight, for real. Twelve years and three kids later, I’m ready to get married. This might be the last Thunder for us. I grew up here. Thunder of Louisville has always been up here, it’s Beecher Terrace Day. That’s what we call it. Once they tear it down, it’s over. Well, when they get everything reconstructed ain’t no telling what it’s gonna be when you come back here. It’s over. We’re gonna be forced to go down there. For us black folks, we ain’t gonna wanna go anywhere else, it’s tradition. Damn, that’s cold. It’s the last one. I started not to come and was just gonna stay home and sit on the couch and watch tv. I’m glad I came out here. We need more love down here. Down here, it’s ridiculous. I mean, I grew up wild but now, they need love. The city’s tore up. The West End needs more community centers, unity, and more support for each other.” Von & Tia (pictured with Moon Dog & Moon Puppy), Russell - Thunder 2018 at Beecher Terrace https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/21/lzte8asj9ycy1fgvl0cwo4yiq15em7 monthly 0.5 2018-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1524351577369-QID2Z6TBQR7W1EMM8WCV/Comedian+Bean+%26+Putt%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “It’s a celebration here, today. It’s for all the people. There’s no violence and everybody gets to watch fireworks with their families. The kids can come to a neighborhood where you don’t have to worry about nobody jumping on you and no arguments. We’re barbecuing, eating good, and everybody’s saying hi. Plus, we’re all black and we’re family.” - Comedian Bean (Left), Russell "Stop the violence, man. I’m praying for the night. I hope everybody’s safe and there’s no killings. It’s a nice day. Everybody’s feeling good and looking nice. Everything’s all love.” - Putt (Right), Russell - Thunder 2018 at Beecher Terrace https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/20/z940jx3bk74piby241fpo3hujo3ibm monthly 0.5 2018-04-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1524267553931-ZJ3PYSTNIRO8RWVZ49BV/DSC_0180.NEF.jpg Stories “I started braiding when I was eleven. My mama was a hair stylist, so I was a shop kid. She inspired me and I was brought up around all of this. Our whole family is full of hair stylists, so it was kind of inevitable. I’ve been in this shop for nine years. The money attracted me at first but it became more than that. Besides the money, it’s the feeling you get when you make other people feel good about themselves. That keeps me in it. Even when the money’s slow, you still have that feeling to fall back on. When you first get in the shop from hair school, it slows down a lot. You’re so used to being busy because hair school feeds you clientele. When you get out of school and out on your own, you have to start from the ground up and rebuild. It’s rough. After the transition, or so many years of staying at the same spot, it builds up. Starting out, it’s rough. Coming out of school, you’ll be going back and forth asking yourself if you want to keep doing this but you gotta keep going. You gotta put yourself out there. Social media plays a big part in me getting a lot of clientele. Put yourself out there and once you get out there, it’s all word of mouth. If you do right and you do good work, people will send people your way. My advice to people who are just starting out is to not give up. When it gets hard, just push a little harder. Everything will get better later on. Soon you won’t have to work as hard to get your clientele. Just don’t give up. Focus on you, yours, and what you’ve got going on. Don’t worry about nobody but your situation. When you worry about other people’s stuff, you’ll start losing track of yourself and try to keep up with everybody. Do your own thing and be good at it.” - Tiffany, Devastating Doos in Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/18/92g4qzx3q1w9hxg84vmco7l1t7ucco monthly 0.5 2018-04-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1524099386740-JRGUILISBEBNCOUL2YED/Ramont%2C+Portland.jpg Stories “I’m from East Louisville and I’ve been in the West since 2008. I’m originally from Clarksdale Projects. You see, they tore my neighborhood down. Yeah, so I’m from the East End. I’ve been in the West for about ten years, now. It’s a beautiful part of town. It’s bigger. It’s alright. I come from the projects, so I was used to the project life, with the apartments and everybody’s in one space. It’s a bigger part of town, down here. They need to put more stuff out here for the kids. They’re taking all the community centers and tearing everything down. In the neighborhoods, where it’s majority black, there’s no positive activities for the kids. Yeah, they got churches but everybody’s not into religion. You can’t force that on nobody. There ain’t no skating rink, movie theater, no nice little centers with game rooms and stuff. Even if it’s a computer room, where the kids can just go in there and get on a computer or an iPad. They need stuff like that. The struggle inspires me because I really want more. I want more for myself and my community. I know what would help if the opportunity was given to a whole lot of us. A whole lot of us ain’t got nothing to do but to get get into the streets. The struggle inspires me and just seeing young black men turn their life around and doing something positive. When I see other people grow, it inspires me and makes me wanna grow. It makes me wanna put out that energy to make someone else grow. I’m putting my energy to making myself better. I got a book called, ‘Hustling is a Habit’, it’s on Amazon. I’m also about to drop this new music, on Tuesday, on all social media outlets. It’s called ‘A Mouth Full’. I gotta couple properties, I’m into real estate. I’m trying to build a solid foundation and leave a nice little legacy. The way society is set up, it’s best to invest in yourself and be an entrepreneur. It’s so many opportunities and it make things happen for yourself. Believe in yourself. Everybody’s a genius, you just have to tap into it and put energy into it. Get up off your ass because there’s opportunities out here. Don’t get me wrong, it ain’t easy. Some get it easier than others. You gotta create it. Don’t let nobody discourage you and tell you that you can’t do it. I’ve been through a lot, myself. My name is Raymont Forney and I come from nothing but at the end of the day, I want something. So that means that whatever opportunity is given, without me having to sell my soul, I gotta take it. I have to invest in myself. With today’s society, you’ll be working yourself in circles dealing with the day to day. That day to day will only get you so far. I say that to say to everyone to believe in yourself and chase your dreams.” - Raymont, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/16/h3ihe24njx8hg4qb9xgr6i8vfeutmu monthly 0.5 2018-04-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1523921560922-YVBRGPTKFI25PSMA3IG4/Iman%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “I grew up at Eddie’s Liquors. Eddie’s my grandfather and I was very close to him. I was his favorite. When I grew up, we had lots of uncles, so many I couldn’t count. We came from Illinois. We started off across the street, in that building over there. It was a store there and my grandfather ran it with his brothers and my father. Eventually, they bought this side of the store and moved over here. I was about three or four years old, when they moved over here. Once this started, I think my uncles left and went somewhere else. My dad and my grandfather continued to own this store. It’s very important to continue that family business. Even though I have my own business ventures, this is still my home. This is where I grew up at, since I was a kid. I moved away at 18, and moved back because this place has a special place in my heart. This is home for me. These people around here mean a lot to me. They know us. I can’t go nowhere without being recognized and that’s why I always stayed out of trouble. The West End needs more stuff for the youth to do, more jobs, and more opportunities. I hate that there’s nothing to do around here. We need more stores. I cannot stand going to Hurstbourne to do all of my shopping. I’d rather spend my money within my community, but you can’t because there’s nothing down here. We don’t have any food and we have to go across town to a restaurant. It’s crazy.”- Iman, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/13/3cyggacbhzmm2t8rkfxs247t1cp7wg monthly 0.5 2018-04-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1523669430804-XQ17FP8KZOIB40DACOXM/Mark%2C+California.jpg Stories “What got me into barbering? There was these older guys, by Chickasaw, Markie D and Big Norm. I swept hair for them, so I wanted to be like them. One of them gave me a pair of clippers and I started cutting hair in my house for a dollar. I was 13 and I’m 47 now. That was a long time ago. I didn’t get my barber license until I was 20. I was a youngster and I was intrigued by it. Well, I was a barber for almost three years, then I started Miller Tyme. What I did was come out of school and I worked for a man named Brown Sugar off 8th & Broadway. I learned from him how to run a business and how not to run a business. After that, I worked at Fadz on 23rd & Broadway. I opened that up for a gentleman and that’s what taught me how to open a shop because I opened that one up for him. After that, the rest is history. I’ve been having Miller Tyme for 23 years. My grandparent instilled in me to treat everybody fair and that’s why business keeps coming back. Yeah, they instilled in me to treat everybody fair, do the best I can, and wake up early and come to work. Don’t stay in the bed. The early bird gets the worm. The kids inspire me. A lot of them are lost and some of them are not lost. I wanna reach the ones that are by talking to them and cutting their hair. You know, let them see what I do and maybe follow my footsteps. My advice to anybody who wants to start a business is to treat people fair. Have firm hours. You want people to get to you. You don’t want to come to work at one o’clock, you wanna come early. When you open up your business, open up early and leave late. You gotta do what you gotta do. It’s gonna be struggles but opening up early is the best advice. Put that stamp on it and help the community. The West End needs hope. We need some of these businesses, like Brown Forman and Reynolds, that are in the West End to put something back into and help develop the West End. What are you doing as a big business, that’s making billions of dollars, to help the community that you’re in? We also need good mentors and good policemen. We’re being rejected, look around. Put the guns down and let’s all be together as one. It don’t matter the color, put the guns down.” Mark, owner of Miller Tymes’s Barber Shop in California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/11/ywk6vmzmckonqmilnpkd7tsr16e4lx monthly 0.5 2018-04-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1523495481798-V7ZBLWDPAFNS0IDM3M8M/Queesha+%26+Kash%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “More than anything, the West End needs people to come together. Things are falling apart because you have everyone against each other. Like you have this side of Broadway beefin with the other side. Now, at his age, you can’t even play in your own yard. When I was that age, we were able to play in the yard, run around and go to the corner store, without a problem. We need more active people, support, and more community centers. Stop trying to compete and be yourself. Support each other. Everybody’s all against each other, not realizing that we can’t go anywhere without support.” - Queesha with her son, Kash, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/10/joak48qh55qz4oefn4p4xl5291v8rp monthly 0.5 2018-04-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1523403491960-PHY5LRXAJQIBU7IG9WLM/Leon%2C+California.jpg Stories "Today was a real tough day for me. Sparring is tough. The first guy I sparred, today, has always been real tough for me. Granted, he’s younger than me but the guy’s an animal. He got into boxing after he got jumped and then he just took off. I was real upset about today and that’s why I decided to walk home instead of my brother picking me up. Talking to you actually made my day, man. What got me into boxing? Muhammad Ali influenced me. I look at boxing as another outlet for me to bring my family out of poverty and help out my community by giving back. I want to put gyms and community centers in the West End and help kids out. I really want to give kids something positive to look up to. I want young black men and women to know that you can do anything you want to do, no matter where you come from. I’m at the bottom right now but I’m not letting that stop me. With life, you get knocked down and you get back up. Just like boxing, just because you get knocked down, it doesn’t mean that the fight is over. If you know how to maneuver around getting knocked down, you go on and continue to fight, until you get that win. I look at boxing just like I look at life. Greatness motivates me. I wanna be great and I won’t stop. Once I start something, I won’t stop. My family keeps me going. I told my father when he was 36 that by the time he turned 40, he wouldn’t have to work no more. He’s 41, now. I’m a little late on that. I was into football when I told him that. Now, since I’ve gotten into boxing, I just catapulted. I’ve been at for 2 years. Every time, I think about giving up, my father will give me that pep talk and will give me that look. I can’t disappoint and let him down. I feel like I’m fighting for him. He’s been raising me all his life and never gave up. I can’t give up on him because he never gave up on me. Keep going. No matter how hard or tough it gets, just keep going. Anything negative will never stay on you. It will never last, eventually it will subside. I can’t live life for one day. There’s 86,400 seconds in a day, I cannot allow 10 seconds of my day dictate the rest of the 86,390 seconds of my day. I just can’t let it.” - Leon, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/9/qchwci591fw5uf35svfqeq8dvjhuv5 monthly 0.5 2018-04-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1523313625385-NNMKTJCZXLBY0XTYYOIU/Sean+%26+Sean%2C+Portland.jpg Stories "My generation is so misunderstood because we have more technology. Back then, it seemed like people didn’t have as much as we do. They did stuff on their own and figured stuff out. Now, we can do things on the internet and we have more options and easier ways to do things, which makes us lazy and the older generation doesn’t like it.”- Sean II (Left), Portland "Technology makes everybody silent because you’re hiding behind a phone and a computer. The actual face time is lost. Technology isn’t always a bad thing but if you don’t learn how to put things down to correspond and talk with people, miscommunication will come in. You say one thing on the internet or on social media and someone can take it the wrong way and misinterpret what you’re trying to say. That creates beef and misunderstanding and then you got people just going back in and forth on the internet. It just makes it so you’re not talking face to face. The misunderstanding becomes a problem and then people just don’t talk anymore. It seems like you can easily delete someone off your social media and block them, which will cause you not to talk to them. Older folks are used to talking face to face and the kids are used to talking on social media and texting. That’s where the breakdown is. The West needs more older guys to fill in that gap. I know that the community centers are closing, so you have to get that old connection and that young connection to strengthen. Guys feel like gangs are the strength but you have to get some guys to be the strength in positive things. You’ve got to get the older guys and the younger guys get together and find a common bond between them. You have to find the common bond and some of it is through sports but everybody don’t play sports. You have to find something else to get the young and the old together to do something positive and keep it going. I think guys are trying to do it through sports but that’s not enough, you gotta find something else. My advice to the world is just to love and do something that will effect the people around you. Try to do something positive that’ll make a difference. Don’t just always point out the problems, be apart of the solution.” - Sean (Right), Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/6/ympyhess0edv2neu9iw19bh2dz9253 monthly 0.5 2018-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1523026851825-MK30PFJ8WUG177GHUYH0/James%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “I feel like Louisville can be a positive place for music for any musician in the world. It’s really hard for people who are really good at it to be behind the people who are really dump at it and making it. It’s really hard for people like me, who are lyricist. So, when it comes to me, as a person, I make sure to follow everybody’s music. I don’t down anybody for nothing. I may give you tips here and there to help make your music better, but at the same time, I just like to tell them to keep working at it and keep doing them. All of my people’s are musicians, we all do music all day. I think that if you’re going to be a musician, learn the background, no matter what genre. I listen to every single genre, I don’t leave one out. It’s not a passion, if you’re just coming out of nowhere, thinking that you’re going to get rich off of that. It’s not like that! You can’t get rich off knowing something, you have to understand the mentality, putting in work and making it something that you want to create. That’s the way I envision it. I just don’t understand those that say, out the blue, ‘Oh, I want to be rapper!’. That’s one of our problems. That’s why we can’t make it in the big leagues. Only record labels are going to choose a few people. I’ve been doing this since I was 7 years old. I rap. It’s not all the cussing and the negative, I like to bring some positivity. I don’t like rapping about all of the shooting and the guns. I’m not gonna lie, sometimes I do bring it up. At the same time, there are songs where I express my feelings and I use metaphors. I don’t know if you heard of XXXtentacion, but that’s my inspiration. Before him, I didn’t have a rapper that inspired me. I’m most creative when I’m by myself. I can’t have nobody around me. I love to perform around a lot of people but when I’m creating, I’m best by myself. I keep a lot of people out of my music and just drop it and then they mess with this. I think that the West End needs more studios and places to make music. We have a place called Amped, that you have to sign up for, but we need more places like that. There’s not a lot of places in the West End for people to create and express themselves musically. It’s downtown or out there. I’m sure people get tired of waking up and knowing that music is their passion but they have to go all the way out there, when it could be right here in our neighborhood. The West doesn’t need anymore guns. I’m tired of guns, they’re killing off my family. They just killed my cousin a few days ago. We’re all getting tired. We also need more positivity because there’s so much negativity in the West. Everybody got some type of ego and it’s kind of weird. People are beefing over the smallest things. You can breathe wrong and you can get shot off that. It’s dumb. I want everybody to learn their chill. Find where you can go. If you feel like you are about to shoot somebody, find your chill and walk away. If you learn your chill, things won’t be that bad. I had to learn that. Learn your chill or talk to God. “- James, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/4/fle2lx9mup41xi2gpp5gua78i9qyyp monthly 0.5 2018-04-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1522886326697-8DVJLK5HM0E1292PSAAW/Wayne%2C+Park+DuValle.jpg Stories “My brother and I started in July 25th of 1969. We are from the country, from Hart County, Kentucky. My brother left home when he was 17 and went to Illinois and worked at a cleaners there. I think it was in Joliet, Illinois. He figured that he wanted to get into the dry cleaning business and he came back to Louisville in 1965. He and I got together and went to the Small Business Administration and applied for a loan and we didn’t get the loan. In the meantime, in 1966, I went to dry cleaning school in Silver Springs, Maryland. I learned the intricate parts of dry cleaning. I learned everything from the spotting, the cleaning, the pressing, and even the customer service and customer relation. After that, I came back and worked with another gentleman for a couple of years. Then in 1969, we were able to get the SBA loan and we started in 1969. That was just about 50 years ago. What inspired me to go into business in the early and late 60’s was that there wasn’t many African Americans in business, especially in the West End of Louisville, where predominantly African Americans lived. Some of the leaders in the community were reaching out to people to try to start businesses and to be an influence in the community. It just happened that my brother and I always wanted to be an influence and be in business, for ourselves and to help others. It’s something that we dreamed and talked about, even as teenagers. We just happened to be at the right place at the right time because banks weren’t lending African Americans money to go into business. I don’t know if they felt that we weren’t stable enough or if there just wasn’t enough money. After the riots, the federal government allocated for African Americans to get loans to go into business. We were blessed to obtain a loan. The first location was a block south from here, before the renovation of this community. It was 3008 Wilson Ave. We were there for 38 years. We did our own work there. We moved over here in 2008. I encourage young African Americans to go into business. Be prepared and find what your interests are and work at it. Go into business for yourself and for future generations. Prove that African Americans can do it with hard work, the help of the good Lord, dedication, and preparation. Be prepared for all you’ve got. Study and learn about the field you’re going in. There’s going to be challenges but if you have a hands on approach, you’ll be able to figure it out. It requires hard work. That’s helped sustained us. The West End needs more services, like grocery stores. It needs manufacturing, maybe not big but even a small scale. The third thing would be a nice restaurant. You know, a nice sit down family restaurant, where we don’t have to drive a far distance to get to. Oh, and the youth needs something on a different level where the average kid can get off the streets and play sports and do things academically. There’s a lot of young kids with the knowledge and don’t get the opportunity.” - Wayne Barbour, owner of Barbour Bros Cleaning, Park DuValle https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/3/in0qtcuke5tm3kj8h2msch8sfkkhmk monthly 0.5 2018-04-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1522798528430-K17ADZNIO7AC1XND62ND/image-asset.jpeg Stories “They call me Muddy Waters and I’m 81 years old. I got that name when I first came here from Athens, Alabama. I was 18 years old. I liked the blues and I would always buy records. I used to take a nickel to this joint on 16th & Walnut and put it jukebox. I would walk in with my cowboy hat, my boots, and my overalls on. I would put my nickel in there and play Muddy Waters! I would play Muddy Waters all the time. That’s where that shit came from and they’ve been calling me Muddy Waters ever since. The West End needs people to stop thinking that it’s the worst place. We also need all the black people to stick together.” - Muddy Waters https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/4/2/165gkouxy161pzxbibpjseghvnxm5q monthly 0.5 2018-04-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1522710182189-1ODW2QCB4YRCONYS7NXA/Margie%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “We were raised out there by U of L and it was called the bottoms. It was an all black area. That’s where we was raised up at and then U of L started buying up all the property. We ended up moving to the West End when I was 12. It was different because it was a bigger area but we got to meet a bunch of different people. We were the second black family on Dearborn Ave. I remember the riots. One of our friends was killed and it was a racial thing. It was really supposed to be a gathering, like a rally, but it ended up being more. The riot caused them to close down all of 28th Street. My job was on 28th and Greenwood and we had to shut it down. My advice to world? Trust and believe in God.” - Margie, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/29/pjem7bo0t09urwu5qp74wcewlrw40f monthly 0.5 2018-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1522370701188-VK8POQQATH6FJ3IV3U1V/Audreanna%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories “The happiest moment of my life is when I had my baby. Before her, I was anti-social and I didn’t want to get out of the house. Now, I’m more motivated to get out and do things. My mama is my biggest influence. She struggled a lot and as we got older, she became more stable and she pushes us to do better. She taught me to never give up, regardless of how hard it gets because things always get better. Right now, I’m trying to overcome financial problems because you gotta pay for everything in life. I just have to remember that things always get better, at the end of the day. You will always have another day to make it better. The West needs more things for the kids. We got a few parks but there’s nothing else. We gotta keep them occupied. There’s nothing to do, so that’s why they’re out here doing what they’re doing, now.” - Audreanna, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/28/x7ew61nsdi77nhzljl28nksyedey6f monthly 0.5 2018-03-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1522283926461-419C5U7JX31A4ER7BQG0/Coby+and+Shawnna%2C+California.jpg Stories "The key to happiness in a relationship is forgiveness. It takes each other to make each other happy. But you have to be happy by yourself. People go out and look for happiness but happiness is within you. She makes me happy. Today's my birthday and I ain't got no money but I got them. I had my daughter on Father's Day. I didn't think that I could have kids because we were trying for six years. She just popped up. Love one another. Learn to love. It's too much going on out here, bruh. I just turned 26 and I was wild. I had all the guns and all that but at the end of the day, I'm 26 and I don't have any friends. If I would have loved a little more, I would have more people to love me. Share love, that's the key!" - Coby pictured with Shawnna, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/27/k1hzywfhh60l671g77k339go0w2dlk monthly 0.5 2018-03-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1522195237146-UBL79MZPS6J03N6C3SQ3/John%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "The West End needs more jobs for young black people. It'll keep them out of trouble. We need to make them go to school. I'm retired from the Navy, I draw my pension. I just get out here on Tuesdays and get my cans because I know they throw them out." - John, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/26/nwfedk5vx2199rul1daumoabon64x1 monthly 0.5 2018-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1522104651895-DLAUBTK92D3N21FW46CY/Kayla%2C+California.jpg Stories "She's four months and it's been hard because I'm in recovery, too. So, it's like, I came from a tent from the side of the street. Now, I have an apartment, a car, and I have my kid. I'm getting ready to go put her in daycare, so I can go back to work. I'm getting there. It's just taking time, it's been difficult; it really has, it's been hard. The streets ain't nothing to play with. People are dying everyday and we done lost everybody we know and loved. I gotta kid to look after, now. All you can do is thank God for everyday that you're given. I pray all day and everyday. I still get stuck sometimes and want to go back to the streets but then I get to thinking about how these people, out here, don't love me. They don't care if I got my kid or not. They don't care who has her. They don't care if I'm alive. It's crazy out here, I hate it. That's why when I'm walking down the street, I keep my headphones in. I know everybody, so I try to keep my distance from the people I used to associate with. So, I be trying to get other people that I know into recovery but they don't want anything to do with it. It's a struggle. I learned a lot of shit from being in recovery. My biggest thing is knowing that I ain't gotta live like that anymore. I give it all to God, now. He's got me, he's with me and he's gonna take care of me. If I just stay on the right road and take care of this little girl, I'll be straight. I ain't gotta sleep in a tent anymore. I don't have to starve. I was eight months pregnant, living in a tent. That's embarrassing! I was walking around here, pregnant, and people were looking at me like, 'What are you doing on the street?' and knowing that I was a drug addict. It makes me feel good to know that people don't have to look at me like that. Now, they're looking at me and knowing that I'm out here doing what I have to do for my baby and for myself, so I can live a real life. I'm not sleeping on the fucking concrete and begging people for cigarettes and change. It's crazy to see how much my life has changed since I gave all of that away. I don't have to carry all that pain and trauma anymore. I don't have to die, today. Keep it real simple. Do what you gotta do and keep it simple. Stop trying to complicate shit and take yourself out of it. Stop running off of emotion and do what's right." - Kayla, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/22/29m61rmecgoy4o9n4w5jdowkubazln monthly 0.5 2018-03-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1521762131435-M1N0NNZCNLJ4YYRD7BYL/Kenny%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “This is our neighborhood. The West End is really not bad, it just has a few bad people. At the same time, we try to teach some of them if we catch them in time. That’s the biggest problem we have, which is trying to catch them in time. I’m serious, it’s a lot of intelligent young people out here but they make the wrong turn. What we’re trying to do is make them take the other turn because they got a life to live. It’s better than looking over your shoulder all the time. That ain’t a way to live. You want to be able to raise your family with no problems. That’s the life that I’m trying to live for the young people. You know, I’m 63 and I done lived a pretty good one. I wanna see some of them grow up. It’s quite a few of people that come, shake my hand, and tell me that they’re doing good. That makes me feel good. If you want to be loved, you got to share love. If you want to have a friend, be a friend. Just because somebody is struggling, it doesn’t mean you should turn your back on them. You can always help them and it’s not going to cost you nothing. Always spread some kind of positive knowledge. It’s up to them if they use it. If you hear negative, don’t even respond to it. Just walk away from it.” - Kenny, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/21/ci3f5ghsdcscv1h5d1daqepmv49kuw monthly 0.5 2018-03-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1521669916673-SB0374PYJVLPB4R038LO/Gloria%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “If I had a superpower, it would be wisdom because we can gain a whole lot of knowledge and not know what to do with it. We can be blessed with a whole lot of things and not know what to do with it. We make decisions and I feel like if we gain the knowledge and put it into use and make the right choices, then it becomes wisdom. There’s also wisdom that you can find through mistakes. So even when I make mistakes, I want my superpower to kick in and let me learn something. We need more unity in the West End. I remember growing up and being able to borrow a cup of sugar or an egg and I wouldn’t be talked about so bad. It wouldn’t be ‘Ah, you make all this money and you can’t get an egg?’. When it’s really me not being able to make it to the store and just needing an egg. I remember our neighbors used to spank us and tell our mom and then we got a spankin’ because the neighbor had to spank us. You know, all the children got along and would play street football. It was a whole lot of community help. We just saw and helped. We didn’t have to ask somebody if they needed help. We just saw and did it. We need more of that. I tell my kids, all the time, it don’t matter if you come from the hood, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be intelligent. By the way, I got ten kids and I’m on my way to get my masters’ degree. We get looked upon as a poor and unintelligent community. The West End is where people want to be. Why do you think you got people, from outside the community, opening up convenient stores? Because this is where the money’s at.” - Gloria pictured with her children Dadrianae, Solomon, Victorious, and Jaedan "Everyone should have kindness and always be nice. People should stop arguing and always have fun." - Solomon (Center) https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/20/qxi572txw0ds8hxle0r7m2piyfkgtv monthly 0.5 2018-03-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1521583102272-N691F7MHYBJLRSNLA234/TeTe%2C+Angel%2C+and+Candy.jpg Stories "Be selfless. We need more selfless people in the world. There's a lot of people out here that need help, someone to talk to, a hug, or whatever. That's my advice to the world." - Candy (far right) pictured Te Te & Angel, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/19/7n41rr1bav3h61ty22y7ytbylvvek3 monthly 0.5 2018-03-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1521498372929-570G5EWRP5ZHLOJMKO9P/Shelton%2C+California.jpg Stories "So, I have really mixed feelings about the Passport move. What kind of community is so deprived that we're waiting on Wal-Mart? What has happened, systematically, with policy makers, legislators, business people, private and public sector that has left us so devastated that we're literally waiting on Wal-Mart like we're waiting on Superman. When that doesn't work out, we're devastated, as a community. There was the veterans hospital that could have been on this site, that would have brought hotels, commerce, and additional industry. There was the Yum Center that could have been built west of 9th St., along Main St. That could have brought jobs and industries and wouldn't have created congestion in the current existing urban area. There was the convention center that the mayor is re-doing, that could have been torn down and a green space created, with the convention center being built west of 9th St., that could have created jobs, industries, and commerce. This doesn't make me happy. I have mixed thoughts about Passport's placement. When doing this work on the inside, I often try to penetrate this space. The one thing that makes me happy about this site is that we have Sweet Peaches. The owner, Pam, will have her catering inside of here. It's a small win. I'm not going to penetrate the deepness that is necessary for the West End, but it's potential. I hate to see this space vacant but I think that the policy makers and the people spitting assistance to the people of this community should be held accountable. With the historical deprivation of the whole entire community, they should be held accountable for that, as well. I'm waiting for more to happen than something that is small and minute as the opening of Passport. We should really be celebrating massive industry and movement coming into the community and not in a way that gentrifies the community and moves African Americans out but in a way that collectively goes in line with the community values. You go to Harlem, you see the Apollo studio, you see Magic Johnson's theater. So, there's ways to bring in commerce and not in a way that gentrify and disperse people. We have to pay attention to that. We have to pay attention to the Russell transformation and Beecher Terrace coming down. Those private businesses are already chomping at the bit to get that land and transform it just like they transformed Clarksdale into NuLu. We need young folks that aren't sitting back and waiting on Superman and waiting on Wal-Mart. We need them to be independent entrepreneurs, that are building their websites and blogs, strategizing, establishing relationships and collaborating. How do we get folks that are strategizing and doing real heavy work in the community to get in contact with potential funding sources and stakeholders that can help bolster their work, instead of waiting on other folks from other communities to make decisions and to build our community up. My advice to the world is to undo racism and white supremacy. Pay reparations to the folks who have been harmed for a thousand years and create equity and equality among black and brown people and watch the world get better." - Shelton, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/16/58p4unr659uwqhyzon5ls9p7jfcrwg monthly 0.5 2018-03-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1521216942336-O9RTX1FTWL7I5BT8UNXJ/Damon%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories “I was born and raised in Parkland. The daycare next door is actually the first daycare I went to. My mother’s first apartment is around the corner on Olive St. My grandmother still lives on the other side of Olive, so I was raised down here. About four or five years ago, I was in real estate, trying to find some properties to flip. A young man, who was property manager at the time, of all of these complexes, actually came and told me that he didn’t have any properties for me but the community needed a laundromat. I didn’t know nothing about laundromat. At the time, with funding, it was very expensive for a laundromat. With the out builds and the machines, it’s about $500K. So, at the time, I couldn’t do it. Unfortunately, in December 2014, my mother passed away in a tragic accident. Metro didn’t see her crossing the street and hit my mother. She survived that for about 10-15 days and had eight surgeries. Of course the city had to pay. That was the second person they killed in three years but you know, God is still blessing us. Funds came and then the laundromat. April 10th will be our actual one year anniversary. We’re striving and trying to do better. I was born and raised here, so I’m doing what I can while I can. For years, my dream was for 18th St. to become like Bardstown Rd. I wanna see businesses after businesses, that’s a huge dream. I actually did a background check on Parkland. There used to be a bunch of businesses but the 1960s riot tore it up. The West End is different from the east and the south. We got a lot of poverty. I would love to see it back to where it was. The houses are beautiful. I love the houses. If I can transform Parkland into what I’d love to see everyday, I would do it. I’m interested in buying that lot across the street and put a miniature park there. We need a library, with 25,000 square feet, there’s plenty of room for a library. We also need a senior center and an actual center for the kids. In this neighborhood, there’s only four daycares. There’s a lot of kids in the neighborhood. We see around 100-200 kids a day, in the neighborhood and they have nothing to do. We’re constantly putting kids out of here, because you can’t hang out in the laundromat and they’re looking for something to do. They need somewhere where they can be constructive and do some good within the community. We’ll get all of that going, you know? We’re gonna have some financial issues, but I know investors that want to give back. The kids inspire me. I was the youth minister for about four or five years at West End Baptist and at other churches. I’ve always been a kid person. I see kids around here and they need more. We’re not providing anything for them in Parkland and it’s a huge neighborhood. We have a lot of kids and there’s nothing for them to do. When you have nothing to do, you find something to do. Unfortunately, we had two killings here in the last year, one here in the alley, behind me and the other was a kid who was dumped out here. That kid was a teenager and the man from the alley was about 24 or 25. My wife actually saw the body. We need to do something. We have a lot of activity going on and we need to make sure that the kids are safe. They can’t be safe if they have nothing to do. My advice to anyone wanting to start a business is to take your time. A lot of people want to start a business and will not take their time. Starting a business is not easy, especially a store front. You have to realize that you will have expenses. The overhead will destroy a business. We made sure that the overhead is steady. There’s plenty places that will help you start your business. The Nia Center will help you get your business plan together. Everyday, you have to do something. Take your time and don’t rush it. The West End needs something to be done with these abandoned houses. We have a real drug problem and if you get rid of these abandoned houses, people wouldn’t have anywhere to hang out. Either tear these houses down or sell them off for a dollar. Again, there has to be something for the kids to do. If the kids wanted to do something, they have to go to the east or the south sides. They need a center, a movie theater, skating rink, something constructive. The West End is a desert. We need more sit down restaurants, and more than two Kroger stores. When you drive in the West End, all you see is liquor stores, churches and fast food spots. It needs more structure for economic development. There needs to be more giving to the community, so people can be proud of their community. We need to be people to invest in the West End and not be scared.” - Damon, Owner of Parkland Laundromat in Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/15/gv2e93dsgy6s1yd8lovi926v85lxqy monthly 0.5 2018-03-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1521166205310-QHPPDSM42TRTNNWS0NFC/Kaylan%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “The happiest moment of my life is when my grandmother took me in and raised me as her own. I was 6 months old. I know I was a baby but she took good care of me. My mom died when I was 6 months old. My grandmother raised me to be a lady and to treat others with respect. She taught me wisdom, maturity, and how to walk with a good head on my shoulders. My advice to the world is to just be yourself and don’t forget to always fight for your dreams.” - Kaylan, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/14/za6v0xe0io9zsr8ew1tldhmclfdumv monthly 0.5 2018-03-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1521068859077-0MULYHFINOHW3JBDV83K/Residents%2C+Park+Hill.jpg Stories “Everyone needs to realize that it’s more than these buildings that make up the Park Hill neighborhood. It’s bigger than what people think. Bad things happen but overall, it ain’t a bad neighborhood. That’s just how they portray it. What projects or housing authorities don’t have a lot of crime? There’s always going to be more crime here than anywhere else.” - Residents, Park Hill https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/12/3b0oylsj136ff767s6y8gzq0rnlxis monthly 0.5 2018-03-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1520893820582-IS9EY4E9VSVL21K4B0M1/Maurice%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “Go to church and get some love in your heart. If I could change some things in the world, I’d make sure that everybody gets an education and everybody’s fed. The happiest moment in my life is when my son was born, which was in 1976. I was 24 years old. Before I had my son I was detrimental to myself. I went to the service and got kicked out. I dropped out of school. I did a whole lot of things. Now, since I had him, I’ve been in church and changed my way of thinking and how I speak. I try not to curse but it slips out every now and then. When I get up and keep on moving and share what I know to others that don’t know, I get inspired. You know, cause I’m 64 and I’ve been through a lot. I see these guys come out here and got a lot of meanness in them. I can’t say it’s hatred but they don’t know about love. If they go to church, they’ll get that love, cause church members share love and try to guide you. You gotta listen. An old man told me that if you listen, you’ll learn something.” - Maurice, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/10/q2flct3oxi8qsjkbc8gwdqhl7z2snz monthly 0.5 2018-03-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1520727866873-EK8KKD2JCQ1MEJ9QC9KE/Debra%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “Don’t look down on a person. Don’t judge a book by its cover because looks are deceiving. You never know who you are running into. If you can’t help a person, don’t talk about them.” - Debra, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/9/op0tpeg9iv7nwianvie5p6d3jttzlc monthly 0.5 2018-03-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1520649323866-19TF0WYQMVMMZHYMALHQ/Jamal+%26+PJ%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories Jamal & PJ, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/8/61xvarv8odcnvs3pv21qc6grvcdih5 monthly 0.5 2018-03-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1520553880238-OWV33YYK5APEQS1ND72J/Harley%2C+Portland.jpg Stories "They call me Harley. I've been dressing like this since I was kid. I ain't had a drink in 30 years and I don't do dope no more, I've straightened up. I just get on my Harley and take off when it’s warm. I lost my brother from cancer in 2010. My brother was my biggest influence and my best friend. I lost my older sister and my nephew to cancer, too. My dad committed suicide on July 2nd, 1992. He hung himself. I’m the only one left." - Harley, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/7/mbvpprnfjrfkswecbx9y33n7m331al monthly 0.5 2018-03-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1520466489796-EP9MHSZLMXMKY0M556RI/Dro%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I grew up around here, across the street. I grew up in that building, right there. If they tear it down, they ain’t doing nothing but moving a different group in and then they’ll move a different group throughout the rest of the West End. It’s a good thing for the city but is it a good thing for us people? I’m gonna miss it. I grew up down here. Everybody’s gone. Everybody I’ve been knowing for forty something years was over here. I’m gonna miss hooking up with all the people. Everybody would get together on July 4th and Thunder over Louisville and hang out at the park. It’ll be people that you haven’t seen in years but everybody from Beecher Terrace and Village West would get down here and hook up. I’m gonna miss all of those days.” - Dro, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/6/463l6zv2o0aisztnexqr410g0bgxe6 monthly 0.5 2018-03-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1520380681666-PVC9QTKARAYNZUP7Q699/Roc%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories "Stick to your process." - Roc, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/5/21i5slcaiad0wenetug1gchgbirwci monthly 0.5 2018-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1520289268395-17CXMTBBA6A7PORBF8BD/Renee%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “It’s a bunch of kids out here and just the other day, there was a shooting. With so many kids around, it’s like nobody knows how to fight anymore. People will be shooting with the kids around. It was night time when my sister-in-law pulled up with my daughter and I heard ten shots from about two houses down. It was too close. We need better communication. It feels like everybody is letting everything fall apart. It’s way different from when I was little. Plus, they’re tearing down our houses over here. Instead of fixing them up, they’re tearing them down. They just tore down three houses and there’s houses on Bank St. that’s boarded up. They’re just taking homes away and nobody’s going to stop and say anything about it. It just feels like nobody cares anymore. We also need people to come together. We can’t even have nothing over here, no more. There used to be little block parties and people would have their families over here. They used to have something at Jewel Park but they don’t do that anymore. People are afraid to go to Shawnee Park after all the shootings. My dad was one of the victims that got shot on Thanksgiving. My dad hasn’t been to Shawnee Park since. He won’t even go near the park. He’s moving out of the West End once he gets married. It’s just different from when I was younger but people don’t want it to be that way. Once it gets dark, I’m not outside.” - Renee, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/3/1/90ntxtjnwqgumcsdv6qj8acve7y5qq monthly 0.5 2018-03-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1519953300005-C16W8SXWLENQ31QN8FH2/Bryant%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “Everything’s bad, man. I’m having a hard time and I’m homeless and going through a time, right now. It’s rough. I’m having to bum to get some change so I can get me something to eat. I’ve lived in the West End all my life. I’ve seen Portland change from solid white to solid black. When it was solid white, you couldn’t dare go to Portland. We couldn’t cross Market Street and they couldn’t cross Jefferson Street. It was a conflict. Now, Portland is mixed up and matches the other areas. I grew up around 38th and 39th on the other side of Market. We need a shopping mall, more jobs, and a little more attention for the homeless.” - Bryant, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/28/rlf1vmen85krne6jpwni03yij3q921 monthly 0.5 2018-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1519862226322-XOYH06I0G29339COMW1M/Omarion%2C+Charles%2C+%26+Darius%2C+Park+DuValle.jpg Stories “I listen to music and try to keep from going outside. Right now they’re gunning for young black men and I don’t want to be apart of that. What keeps me focused is music and my schoolwork. Oh, and my parents because they stay on me. Stay out of trouble and do your best.” - Omarion, Charles, & Darius, Park DuValle https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/27/hzas8a54jd7abu0v5pfea61d86in5q monthly 0.5 2018-02-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1519745688189-8UTK44B8XPY8G0LSBX9G/Mark%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “My daily motivation is to get up and be better than I was yesterday. I see things in my life that’s slowly starting to build up and the more I work for it, the better it gets. There’s slow times, there’s times when I don’t grow but there’s times that I do grow. It gives me motivation to get up out of the bed and try. If there wasn’t any results, people wouldn’t be getting out of the bed and keep doing the same thing. The challenges with growing is myself, which is the biggest obstacle. People get stuck in their own ways and what’s going on. We do that instead of just living life for what it is because you only got one. People just focus on the little things. Sometimes I focus on the small things that don’t matter and letting it get in my way. Just live. Take your life for what it is and don’t try to make your life someone else’s. Don’t try to be someone else, be you. Wake up and be happy for what you got and live your life because that the only way you’re going to be happy. The West End could use some community work and have people come together and clean up a little bit and make it look more presentable and friendly. A lot of people will look past that stuff. People will even look passed somebody sitting on the side of the road. Maybe more people should be a little bit more compassionate or try to. Then we can come together and clean up and try to make everything look nice and hold pride in the neighborhood.” - Mark, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/26/0c3r16zlhnpj5fzxaa24u7ehebsx6c monthly 0.5 2018-02-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1519665888773-3FULCFQRCEO5L2TT6AVQ/Mopar+Muscle%2C+Shawnnee.jpg Stories “We want to do something positive in the community. We want to get the brothers together, congregate together, be positive and put together a hell of a unit, and stunt at the same time. Ya dig? We’re trying to rep the city how you’re supposed to. We got people from all over the city that are black, white, the whole nine, man. It’s the Louisville Mopar Muscle. It’s the Muscle.” - Mopar Muscle, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/23/hlc0776gm6nzvoqz4n2w5xdgyxoy6g monthly 0.5 2018-02-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1519426615785-62B81QK0ZKQE0WQXTO2C/Domo%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "Be humble throughout all situations and circumstances. Always have a plan and set standards for yourself." - Domo, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/22/5sakx4p3snv5pg3wg2q74bf90vsnia monthly 0.5 2018-02-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1519315307301-ZAB71JN82N8FS58G08ZL/Pat%2C+Alex+%26+Jay%2C+California.jpg Stories "The key to happiness is family, love, and staying positive. If you have a positive attitude, you're going to be happy. Have a good outlook on things and have respect for one another. Life's too short to be angry all the time. If you're going to have a good day, it's your attitude that determines your good days. Don't kick people while they're down. If that's your brother, don't kick him while he's down, help him up. Iron's sharp as iron. If I know something that I can teach my sister and she can teach my nephew, I'll put it out there. Help one another out. I'll reach out for you because I love you. We ride, we die. Help somebody out. The West needs more community centers and less liquor stores. We need people to stop littering. Start an organization to get all of these kids something to do. Teach people about financial literacy in the community. That's stuff that they don't teach in school." - Pat, Alex & Jay, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/21/mbmbql29f06uhzgbjgnlm1y1qlwe9r monthly 0.5 2018-02-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1519246451735-8O6NOK4RET5XCS1R8O7S/Evon%2C+California.jpg Stories "We're focused on getting that dollar rotating within the community, so that people are able to be successful. We want people to have jobs and we want the retailers and commercial businesses to come, so that that there are local jobs for people within the community. We don't want to see a whole bunch of part time stuff, we want folks to get insulated with the right kind of jobs. We want to collaborate with housing developers and housing rehab programs to help people. We don't do housing but we want to help those that do to be successful. We want the community to get plugged in. If there's a way that we can help collaborative partners, we want to do that. One of the first things that you're going to see One West do is to get businesses to willingly participate in a program that will be hiring staff and will be on the street, cleaning up, every week. We want to clean up the trash in the streets. We're going to start on 12th & Broadway and go all the way up to Kroger. We want Kroger to get involved, as well. We're asking businesses who are willing to participate financially, as well as volunteerism. We want the community to participate, too. The hope is for this initiative to bleed into the side streets, where the businesses and the families in the homes can see that this is not what we do here and to say that trash in the streets is unacceptable. We want to engage the city to be a partner in this, and provide more rotation in trash pick up and supply more trash cans throughout the community. We think that this visible change, right off the bat, will restore the pride within the community. We want to get that investment in the area so we can begin to put these vacant and abandoned properties back into play and be able to attract retailers and grow and help grow home businesses that need a little help out the gate. This year, my goals are to help clean up the community and foster that collaboration with residents to clean it up. Second, we want to be a collaborative partner with projects and programs in neighborhoods that are moving forward with progressive value added development strategies. We're in a capital campaign that helps to fund any and everything that we want to do. So, we're asking for an investment from West Louisville and all around to help us to be able to do more. So we're out seeking investment to do more. With the YMCA and Passport coming, we want to continue to build on that momentum. We have some things underway, relative to real estate development, that we'll be announcing within the next couple of months. It's extremely important that West Louisvillians be involved. I have never seen community economic development go well whenever the community was not apart of it. Ownership is within the community. For-profit developers don't have to engage the community but community economic developers do. The Bingham Fellows Class of 2014, that started One West, were comprised of local leaders. Those leaders recognized that in order to effective in revitalizing the community, you had to have the community at the table. Our board is comprised of all people from all nine communities of West Louisville. Not only is it leaders from across the city but leaders from the neighborhoods. We've got folks representing the arts community, folks representing the residential community that are all serving on the board and leading the committees. For the first three years, One West focused on outreach to the community. They listened to what was important to the community on the different issues and concerns that they felt were of prominence. We made that our priority list. Another thing that we're very serious about is private investment because we don't want to be a 'here today, gone tomorrow' kind of business. We want to do what is going to be value added with a long term strategy. We need a long term strategy with all of the challenges that we have. With that, every time we have a win or success, we are going to celebrate that and help promote what's happening. It's going to be one initiative at a time and it going to require patient money, that's going to help us reach the long term goals." - Evon, President & CEO of One West, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/20/scob4akwqcpd4tkny5o2n8zrl5wv6a monthly 0.5 2018-02-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1519138431243-CA7B8BYNVY7NAXIHOK40/Chontia%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories "Put the guns down and come together as one." - Chontia, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/19/q6ou19lf236ykpj4wamflkurw7s7vk monthly 0.5 2018-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1519060786506-2HGB2IN2H42ME2WC0BD9/502+Mud+Boyz%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories “Give us a day out of the week and just a strip in Shawnee Park. Invite all of the kids and shut it down. Just give us a few hours and let us ride. Let the kids watch us go back and forth. We don’t even have to be out here, but at Shawnee Park. All we gotta do is shut off the strip and they can go around the circle, to keep the traffic moving, while we do our shit.” - 502 Mud Boyz https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/18/7d5uvytqqmdssgohd9qio6qzuzno61 monthly 0.5 2018-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1518998519137-PLGHQ1C8MYRC1R3AU2XC/Pervis%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “This is not a bad neighborhood, it’s not a bad part of the city at all. I love the people and this neighborhood. I was born and raised in this neighborhood. I was raised right there on Madison. I’ve been in this neighborhood my whole life and I’m 60 years old. It’s some really good people in this neighborhood. There’s some real nice people, man. I’d like to see our young people get themselves together. Instead of fighting, help one another. If you’re doing good, share some of your portion with the other man. Help each other. We need better government and better representation. Look at this shit! Ain’t no way in the world people are supposed to be homeless, with all of these vacant ass homes. Some of these churches will tear down a nice structure just to make a parking lot, while somebody in that congregation is struggling. They could take a house and charge somebody $25 a month until they get on their feet but they rather tear the damn thing down and make a parking lot. It’s that crazy ass shit. Keep your eyes on the prize. If you go rob a bank, take God with you. If you do anything, take God with you. Pray everyday and give thanks. Even if you got a bucket or a pot, say thank you! It sure beats getting locked up. (Laughs) Keep God with you and share this space with someone.” - Pervis, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/16/frdfxa3fylv2wq3a8ijhgyzsi5fgr8 monthly 0.5 2018-02-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1518825666030-RRLPXP7RLJY6LV00ONMQ/Toya%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "I want people to stop the killing and just be friendly to one another. I just wish the best for everybody." - Robert, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/15/11jl6sq0urmdbwxrr8rbokmx0a03ti monthly 0.5 2018-02-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1518713436846-XQCQLFGWQ69SRSCDYDYS/Bridget%2C+Algonquin.jpg Stories “Remain positive and keep going after your goals. Keep doing the right thing, even when nobody is looking. As a matter of fact, I’m going on eight years sober. So, I came from nothing. When I started my sobriety journey, I started off as a server, at my current job. I’m now a manager and I’ve been that for two and a half years. As long as you have people continuously helping and praying for you, keep working towards your goals, no matter where you’re at, where you live, or how you grew up. I was the only child, so I wasn’t raise like that. I just experimented few things in life. I ignored a lot, the obvious one was my mom. I was in the streets and thought that I knew it all. I had my first child when I was thirteen. So, that started the effect of me thinking that I was grown. One thing led to another. The most blessed moment is when I found and started loving myself right in the midst of and in spite of.” - Bridget, Algonquin https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/14/gyu711wxrdo2kxrva2fu7wa4niush1 monthly 0.5 2018-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1518651169006-IOTFQTZXW01OIFBFP7WW/Dontay+Penny%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "My defining moment in wanting to become a barber is when I was taking my daughter’s mom to her house and we rode past a barber shop. It belonged to this well known barber named Big Don. He was working at the time and it was sold out. He had the nicest car in the parking lot. That steered me into thinking that I could make a living with this. So many people miss out on their gifts. I had a gift, dealing with these clippers about 23 years ago. Riding past Haskin's, right across Victory Park did it for me. I think that was the moment I knew that I needed to be in the barber shop. My first week in the shop, I knew I was going to make it. The second week was kinda rough. The first week, I came in at the right time. I started on a Thursday, it was busy. It was a bunch of walk-ins and the shop was on Broadway. That started it for me and let me know that I’m gonna be alright at this. What motivates me is watching younger barbers, that used to be customers, turning into the talked about barber. I’ve had the pleasure to witness that a couple of times. You know, guys that I’ve seen go to barber school and now they’re the household name. That motivates me. I remember walking in here and no one could see my vision. The barber that moved in here with me couldn’t see it either. He was like, ‘Man, we ain’t gonna make no money, right here!’. You can make money anywhere, it’s you. It’s not the location, it’s you. Now, location plays a part on the traffic but once you get a good barber, you don’t want to have to keep traveling around, trying to find somebody else. My service to the community has been positive. There’s been a lot of guys that have come to me for advice. I’ve even came in here needing advice. I’ve cut a lot of prominent people over the years. I ask questions. If I don’t know something, I’m asking questions and a lot of people have helped me. One of the most humbling experiences that I’ve had is when we moved over here. All I had was money to buy the building but not money to renovate the building. My customers all pitched in and helped me in some kind of way. That let me know what kind of impression I had on people. We’ve had guys that would come up in here and picking up sledge hammers to knock out walls because they want to see you back in business. That touched me so deep. Plus, there was 50% of the people in here who were helping and I had never cut their hair. That lets you know that this is more than a business. The happiest moment of life is when my kids came into the world. My happiest moment, pertaining the to barber shop, is when I got to cut Muhammad Ali. That was probably the stand out moment, an honor. But definitely, the happiest moment of my life, hands down, is that I have 4 children and being the first person to hold them. Ain’t no accomplishment greater than that. Don’t give up because failure comes first. The person that fails and gives up will be the failure. It’s gonna be bumps but the key is to get up. I’ll be the first to tell you that it’s been some nights when I didn’t think that it was going to work. Just keep your head and know that God has a plan for you. I think that’s the advice that I can give anybody. It’s going to be bumps but you can’t give up. As long as you got that ‘I won’t be denied’ type of attitude, you’ll be alright. Parents need to step up. Parents gotta start listening to the teacher before they pass judgement. They have to realize that their kid might be an angel but they’re not an angel all the time. I see so many parents that are ready to tear into a grown up over their kid. You think that you’re being a good parent, you’re not. You need to put your kid off to the side and let them see you talk to a teacher and someone of authority. If a kid sees you being disrespectful to another adult , what do you think he’s going to do? Ain’t no more respect. The reason why we have so many young dudes out here being disrespectful is because nobody showed them. No matter what you might think of a person, whether it be the police or someone working at McDonalds, when that respect is lost and you don’t show it, that little one behind you is watching you and doing the same thing. We’re all caught up in our lives and forget that we have these little guys watching and will end up acting just like you. Everybody needs to have an eye. When I was a kid, I cursed a lot. I grew up on Shawnee Terrace and my friends were all in that area. I would change the way I talked because I didn’t want to hear somebody’s parent tell me that I couldn’t come on their porch because they heard me cursing. Now, everybody is just minding their own business and don’t want no parts. You have a lot of people that are spectating and saying ‘I knew that was gonna happen’ and not preventing it before. We need to look out for one another and be nicer to each other. We need more of our own. I’ve been in stores and watched foreigners treat our kids like they’re stealing and will charge them extra if they’re not with an adult. We need to get our own and support our own. We don’t support each other at all. You’ll take some trifling shit from a big store. I seen it at Target or JC Penney and we'll take it. We won’t even take the time to call their corporate office but if it’s a small store, a black business, it’s the opposite. We won’t even mess with the store any more. That’s the mentality.” - Dontay, Owner of Clippa City, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/13/xr6rlr5khscf589zhaz4dppdqimd9f monthly 0.5 2018-02-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1518548398970-6PCYP2TZUCRG4P38C937/Young+Homies%2C+Portland.jpg Stories "We need some centers around here. There's only a few and you have to travel far to get to them. That'll keep everybody out of trouble. You feel me?" - Young homies, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/12/9dwc4nu72eisb90qvbikfzh2ygtf2v monthly 0.5 2018-02-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1518444136296-DR1T2MJQ521UN4024W52/Dave%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "We need more stores in this area. You know, somewhere where we can get some quality stuff. We got a million Dollar Stores but we need better stores for a better shopping experience. That would be the biggest improvement that I can think of. Also, they need to fix the sidewalks and streets to make them a little better. My advice to the world is to let things go. If something bothers me, I just tell myself to get over it and move on. There's other stuff to do besides being angry and depressed. Drop all of that and move on. Find something to do and not something to sit on." - Dave, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/11/fr4ht5gszk2adqf3dlopirki487mc5 monthly 0.5 2018-02-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1518396349967-9VW7G32MVOS0L0LB94FD/Regina+and+Tina%2C+Shawnee.JPG Stories "I think that education is your key out. Without an education, you can't even go to McDonalds, now. So pay attention, work hard, and focus on your education." - Regina & Tina, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/9/pe6d7nep2p74k3dxmc90tuxym9q06p monthly 0.5 2018-02-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1518131111778-1N0MLTLWZKCP1I7YEOQH/OG+Pearl.jpg Stories “I was looking at a life sentence and beat the 85% by one month. My charge was that man and then I didn’t start the 85% until June of ’97. I was under the old law, where they make you do half of your time. I did 10 flat, for 1st degree manslaughter. This neighborhood, right here, I grew up in this whole area. Back then, this neighborhood was an alright lil neighborhood. It was where you could fight and be friends on the same day. Everybody knew each other. We got along, kicked it and stuff. If we fought, we were friends on the same day. Now, this neighborhood done totally flipped a script. It done changed. This young generation, man, they’re ignorant. Some of them will listen and some of them won’t. It’s kinda hard to create that connection with the young generation because you have to be on their level. What I wanna do is be a motivational speaker because I feel like I can get with a lot of people. I can go to group homes, prisons, and schools to talk to the troubled kids and stuff like that. That’s some of the things I really want to do if I can keep the demons off of me. I wouldn’t mind helping these brothers out. The happiest moment of my life is when I had my son. I got one son and he just turned 5 years old. He’s named after me, Lil Earl. I had to change some of my ways when I had him. I had to quit gang banging, cause I’ma Crip. I’m real close to Victory Park because I got family members over there. I had to change a lot of things, like drinking and smoking. Being a father, I don’t want him to be like me. He can wear any color, I don’t want him in no gang. He can wear red, yellow, blue, orange, whatever he wants to wear. I don’t want him in no gang, man. My son inspires me. I have congestive heart failure, so I have to change some of the things that I’ve been doing. I have to change my eating habits, too. I realize that I can’t do some of the old stuff that the Pearliza used to do. I was a bad person. Who wants to walk around and watch their back 24/7? If I keep on trying to do the things that I was doing in the 90’s, I’ll get killed out here. God’s not going to let me stay out here. We need more role models in the West. We need more guys that are my age, the OG’s, that the young people look up to. We need more of them to stay on the them and give them the best advice. We need more people that are trying to help. As you can see, they’re trying to bring the gang banging back. If we can get all the OG’s from every neighborhood to have a meeting, whether you’re in the East End or Newburg, and come together and maybe we can help some of these young guys. This era now, you ain’t crackin unless you have a gun, smoking loud, wearing Jordans and Rock & Revival. So, if you ain’t got none of that, you ain’t jumping. I would like to open up a place for inmates that get out. Instead of going to a halfway house, they’ll have a place to go. A lot of guys feel like they don’t have any family, so they go back to the streets. Next thing you know, they get caught up selling drugs and doing some of the things that they were doing. They end up getting sent back and end up getting institutionalized. So, I would like to open up something for them and for the youth to go shoot ball at. Remember when they had St. Anthony’s? They stopped it because kids was going in there and tearing stuff up. I used to hoop in there back in the day. Now, they don’t have nothing for the kids to do. My advice to a young person is if you got something good and God gave you a talent, go on and do that.”-OG Earl, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/8/hf82vvr2vqi4rv1bzr14rq3gg34d5c monthly 0.5 2018-02-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1518136263340-C4F2NO8DBSM2BRL5DIDU/Stephon%2C+Russell2.jpg Stories "We need this, something positive." - Stephon, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/7/5sq60zmb9jrvp8fgj9juawraqigzah monthly 0.5 2018-02-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1518046833641-E3R5BAZOIMN0MSMZQ6XJ/Yaya%2C+Russell.jpg Stories “I’ve been doing this for about thirty years but I’ve been here for two. This location is the one of the busiest locations in West Louisville. I always wanted to be in this spot and when the opportunity came, I took it. If I go, somebody else will snatch it. I’ve already built my clientele and I’m not trying to give up my clientele. I’m here for a reason. Eventually, I’m going to buy this lot and build. I gotta start somewhere and this is where I’m going to start. It might take another year or two to get to where I’m going but I’m going to get there. I live in the Highlands, I moved out of the West. I actually left the West End and moved to Atlanta. I lived there for about twenty years and came back. I’ve only been back in Louisville for about eight years. I had some ups and downs. I’ve been shot and robbed since I’ve been back. I was living a crazy lifestyle but I had to give it up. I have always been blessed with the skills to cook. I didn’t need anything else. People have to eat every single day and all I need is my skills. I’m just thankful for being here. When I wake up, I gotta give thanks. Sometimes, you have to bless somebody because you were blessed. I’m just thankful for the opportunity to bless others. If you pass it down, a lot of people might be in a better place than before. A lot of us can be selfish and being selfish won’t get you too far in life.” - Yaya (Owner of Yaya’s BBQ), Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/6/ofpxzxwjn0shillyfk9cfb7124zz8q monthly 0.5 2018-02-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1517930769521-N129E61GOKNFL5SVO8DP/Mike%2C+Parkland.JPG Stories "One of my proudest moments of being a dad is seeing her go to school." - Mike & Nevaeh, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/5/43trccq8mxjxiqaomvarudnnp2tpl1 monthly 0.5 2018-02-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1517851078392-SZLQRKE0UTCCTA0YOOZF/Shonda%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "When you’re young, you make mistakes. When you grow up, you see that you grow apart from some people. You may have thought that people were going to be in your life forever, but as you get older, you see that ya’ll are going in two different directions. What you always believed to be true and the people that you believed to always be around may not be there later on. You have to be to differentiate the two. You gotta figure out who’s going to be there, who’s going to stand the test of time with you, and who’s really there for your best interest. My advice to the world is to love and laugh more. Everybody’s so serious, nowadays. What happened to the good times where we can just sit out without the bullshit? I don’t even like going out anymore because I don’t want to get shot, at the club, trying to be cute. I want to go to concerts and stuff like that but I fear. It’s our youth. Somebody gotta get ahold of them and give them some guidance in them before we make any kind of progress. It’s not even the adults, for real, it’s the kids. They got their own mind frame, thinking they’re grown and that they don’t need adults. They’re just out here doing their own thing, thinking that whatever works for them works for them. Whether it be in jail or in the ground, they don’t really care. Somebody has to get a handle on our youth because they’re not giving a fuck. We’re not going to be able to procreate or have a future if these muthafuckin kids keep killing each other or killing us. In Louisville, we have a high crime rate. You look on the news and it’s mostly kids. It’s the lost kids out here doing dumb shit. You also have the ones that have parents at home, not doing what they need to do and trying to be friends. Do you and get a handle on this youth. I’m having a problem with that, too. I got a teenager, too. It’s hard.” - Shonda, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/4/173gmtkhz6iqy3qtpmrv7xewvpknl4 monthly 0.5 2018-02-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1517785559486-YM1JBB54PD6MFCU1Q9XR/Shawn+%26+Jay%2C+California.jpg Stories "This is where I'm from. Basically, man, you get what you give, in the West. I'm from here and I never been no where else. To me, it's home. The people around me make the West home. We're friendly and chill. You see a lot of shit going on but all of that's for a reason. It's not even like how the news makes it. They make the West seem like it's Monsterville. When people come down here, we open our arms. The West needs better housing, better cops, and better roads. You got the cops that patrol and ride pass and mean mug you, then back up and ask you what you're looking at. I almost got arrested for walking, yesterday. They're starting to fuck with people for no reason. I came from a place where police didn't have control over anything. We didn't need them because we looked out for each other. Now, you have people with these guns. We need something like this because it's coming from us. People out there don't know what's really going on inside. They tell people what they think but we don't feel that. They need the information from the people on the inside. I hate how the news will stress shit and make it something that it really isn't." - Shawn & Jay, California   https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/2/u60i4b14qij4nwu5426dulaehql3jo monthly 0.5 2018-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1517591774153-ZMG2YVHIIKEFRZAVILRT/Lex%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "Stop labeling everything. Everyone identifies themselves as something. The problem with that is that it's divisive. We're all the same creature, we're all human. Instead of going by race, we should consider each other as the same creature and the same family. We wouldn't be so divided but together. That's why I don't like labels. Like, my daughter's half Hispanic but she doesn't look half Hispanic but white. Someone will come up to her and say that she's white but she's actually half Puerto Rican. A lot of people wouldn't notice that and that's why I don't like labels. It's hard to get away from labels because everyone is proud of their heritage. When you go to fill out your paperwork, they always ask you about your race. They should just do away with all that shit. It doesn't matter if you're a Pacific Islander or Latino. It's just silly. When people do the Ancestry.com, you see that everybody has a little bit of everything in them. I mean, some white people have a little bit of African and Indian in them. You can't tell by looking at them. If you're going to fill out your paperwork, you should fill in the 'other' circle. All that stuff is superficial. One of the happiest moments in my life is raising my kid. That's what we're here for. Regardless of what you believe in, the human race needs to continue. If you believe in God, it's your responsibility, as a believer, to propagate the human race. If you don't, it's still your obligation to propagate the human race. So, we're on this earth to raise our kids and it's not about ourselves but watching how they go through life. I feel like I passed up a bunch of stuff to raise my kid. It's not about me, it's about her. It's my chance to sit back and watch her story unfold. All I do is make sure to help her out and see to it that she finds her own way through life. " - Lex, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/2/1/pu4vtx23tase9zamxml2ppqu8y24l6 monthly 0.5 2018-02-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1517503026275-H8C191B1N1NVF9MJJFAL/image-asset.jpeg Stories "There's nothing like the West. It's the neighborhood that I love. I've been here all my days, since 1948. We came from Alabama. My dad came here after he left the military. I came here when I was four and been here ever since. I've been in Shawnee since 1970. When I first came here, we couldn't move in this neighborhood, now we own the neighborhood! I don't know everybody like I used to because I'm older but everybody takes care of everybody. It's a quiet place. It's one of the few places in the city of Louisville where you can enjoy yourself. It's nice. That's why I stayed here. I wouldn't move anywhere else. Now, the wife may not agree with me but I love the West End. There's a lot of history here and a lot of good folks. The happiest moments of my life would be the transitions of change. Well, it was very inspiring. I bought my first house. I never owned a house. I got my first good job, the only job I had. You know, I was blessed with the changes. I know that and it comes from the man above. My parents didn't get a chance to do that. Well, they did it a little bit before they left but they got their own. It was great for us to have our own and to be able to say that it's our own and it doesn't belong to someone else. We worked hard everyday and raised our kids. That's the joy of my life. The biggest influence of my life was my father. He set standards. He didn't live that long but he set standards. He worked hard. He had nine kids and he provided for all of us. We didn't have everything but we had what we needed. Do the best that you can do. Have a little faith, as faith will help and guide you. You will get the desires of your heart. You have to keep on keeping on. Don't quit and don't let anyone turn you around. Make up your mind and then trust the Lord. There's no other school like Male High School. Male High School is one of a kind. It's the greatest of all time. My was 1958. There were people that tried to stop us but we just kept on pushing on. There's nothing like Male. It's all about the Bulldogs and that purple and gold. Make sure you put that in there." - Mr. Lawrence, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/31/tcwiwtznqa54xsariy3aoazqfyuhpa monthly 0.5 2018-02-01 https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/31/perq17zwy6cl8y19ao0ww3d3gxtqvp monthly 0.5 2018-01-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1517418862559-MOC037WAILECSI73VG79/Mr.+Coles%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories "I used to have two construction companies and then the economy went bad. A friend of mine owned this building and it used to be Screaming Eagles and the Elks Club. I was looking around for something so I wouldn't sink and I knew that when the situation is bad that people are going to drink, regardless. I was either gonna get me a liquor store or this building. The man offered to sell me this whole building and I knew I could work with it because all of my friends do construction. So, we came in here and got it together. I seen Louisville growing and I didn’t want to be just a Band-Aid. So, I wanted this to be a cornerstone. I reached out and tried to buy this old junkyard, back here. I bought it and got it cleaned up and created more parking spots. Then, we just kept on woking to get it where it is, now. I hate when they say that there’s nothing west of 9th Street. My opinion is that when people leave their jobs and go home, there’s nothing that draws them out here. Then if you look at the weekend, you’ve got the whole damn state of Kentucky down here. So, Cole’s is like a magnet. This is probably the only spot that you can cater to the whole city. We got a stigma because we’re in the West End. If this place was somewhere else, the stigma wouldn’t be on us. No matter what, it’s Cole’s. I take the negative and try to make a positive out of it. What you see on TV can either make you or break you. They really don’t research the truth, but deal with the situation by what they hear. So, if something happens down the street and they can’t get to it, they’ll park right in front of my place and put their cameras on it, so everybody can see Cole’s. They’ll do it even if we’re not open. But if something happens here, people will think that we’re bad. Yet, we have more security, metal detectors, police and bouncers. So, I took that and ran with it. We are probably the only place that lets people use the building after funeral gatherings, baby showers and anything else. If people need a hall, they can use Cole’s. Really, the West End is like it’s own little entity, it’s own little city. I told the Mayor that if you look down here after nine o’clock, it’s just us and Mr. Jerry, cooking in that trailer. We’re in Louisville but we ain’t. You come from Market to Algonquin, we’re just existing. They ain’t really putting anything down here. I’m 60 years old, now, and 28th Street has been the same since the riot. Think about it, they don’t want us on Bardstown Road. When you do go down there, it’s nice. They got nice lights and it looks like a whole different atmosphere. We’re trying to generate that around here and give people a nice little spot to come to. Everybody respects each other here. I always worked with kids, you know with the Flaget Rams. My son was six years old when I was the president of the Rams organization. As time progressed, those kids are adults, now. The kids out here in the streets, aren’t bad but in a situation. They know me. If they don’t know me, they know my sisters, because they’re all school teachers. If they don’t know them, they know my son because he coaches them. We’re a product and affiliation of the hood. We are the product. That’s why we all respect each other. That’s how we got to be where we’re at. My goal is to do more for the kids aged fourteen and down, so we can bring more awareness. All the other stuff, I can’t control it but I’m working with the kids. These kids are going to be good kids. We’re fortunate enough to have our concerts. What I do is if I make a dollar, I’ll fifty cents in the product, which is this place. We just kept on growing and growing and put it back into the place. We wouldn’t just squeeze the lemon until it’s dry, we kept the lemon juicy. That’s how we roll with it. I know if I were to sell this, the West End would be dead. Somebody would change the whole scene and atmosphere. I fixed this place so that you can come here after work, get you a drink and hang out. It’s more like you’re going to somebody’s basement and hanging out with your friends. Now, you come in here on Sundays, it’s all older people. If you drive up here on Sunday’s there’s people that are ninety years old in here. It’s old school Sunday. We give them a free buffet and they’re in here jamming. The young one don’t dance with each other, but on Sundays the older ones are out here dancing. They’re doing their thing. We cater to everybody. We’re a community oriented club. Cole’s is going to be here like Ford. We got a lot of people depending on this place. It’s not just us but we have others living off this like the bartenders, waitresses, and the police. If we don’t do this, west of 9th Street will be dead. We have more volume than anybody. We gotta concert Sunday night and then on Monday, we’ll have a celebration. We honor everything and respect everything. This is a long term thing, so I’m gonna be here forever. I was born down here and I’ll be planted down here. Research your place. When you market yourself, you want to be where your people are comfortable and don’t have to worry about anything. We’re right here. There’s a lot of money in the West End. The stereotypes about us is that we don’t know how to act, we’re this and that. We’re just as intelligent as the next man. You know, it’s just that shit happens. We need to vote. We need to gather together when the elections come up. Our voices need to be heard. We need to get together and say, ‘Look, ya’ll putting money in Portland, Downtown, and everywhere. But this little square, in the West End, there’s nothing going down’. They’re going to say, ‘Well, we tried to put a Wal-Mart down there but it’s didn’t happen’. That’s just one thing. They’re always gonna say that they’ve tried. If they tried, they could get anything they want done. It’s just that they don’t care. With the elections coming up, we need to put our foot down. Our officials will ride down here but won’t do nothing down here. The mayor’s cool, I like him, but it’s time to do something. You can talk to people and create a panel and discuss things that we need to do. Get people together and meet once a month. I hate meetings. I don’t want to meet every week, but once a month, I’ll go. We can invite them down here and they can sit in on it. Reach out to the people and do what you gotta do. Deal with scenario and situations. Whenever you try anything, it seems like something will go wrong. It’s never gonna go as you intend. It might flip flop but you have to deal with the situation. ” - Mr. Cole, Owner of Cole’s Place, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/30/rb8x8elz474wdy3zuyclbs8oqcg42n monthly 0.5 2018-01-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1517256735811-4WAPFUJAGTALT46UKS3X/Alanna%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories "Well, I'm not originally from here, I'm from Detroit. The West End kind of feels like home. You get the bad rap because we're the hood. To me, it just feels like home because everybody is actually nice. People are nicer than what everybody assumes, which is kind of shocking. When I moved down here, people were telling me that everybody was going to be mean and that you had to watch what you do and say. So far, everybody's been friendly. It's like one big family. That's what the West is to me, one big family and we have to remember that. If we forget, everything will go backwards. This year, I am aiming for spiritual and metal growth. You can't really do much if you're not mentally there and last year I kinda lost myself. I'm trying to play catch up and get myself back to me and move forward. This is year will be a push year to get to 2019 and everything will flourish then. I'm still working on a game plan and trying to figure out where I'm trying to go. I got to center myself and focus. Never feel like you're alone because you always have yourself, at the end of the day. You can't let yourself down no matter who is and isn't in your life. That's the main thing that I forgot. You're never alone." - Alanna, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/29/qy2nrss2idfyt4fvx8w4gjlh34wggc monthly 0.5 2018-01-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1517202279232-5XH7G9GSE50JRYDU79UI/JeCorey%2C+Russell2.jpg Stories "I never realized West Louisville was considered the dangerous part of town, until I left West Louisville and I started connecting, befriending, and collaborating with people who lived outside of our nine neighborhoods. Yeah, so at one point in time, my mother moved way out to Valley Station, in South Louisville. I was telling people where I was from and where I grew up and they kind of feared the environment and looked at me differently. I had no clue, as a young innocent kid growing up, that it was dangerous or it was the dark side of town, until someone else told me. To me, it was always home. My great grandmother had ten children and on my father's side, his mother had ten children. I have a huge family and most of them were based in West Louisville. The commute between holidays, family gatherings and feasts were always short. We knew where everyone stayed, so we had someone in every hood. The fact that all my family was down here is what definitely made it home. I was never really interested in what a lot my peers were. So everyone thought that because I was somewhat tall and heavy set, that I was supposed to be athletic and play football or basketball. I was also never really interested in Hip-Hop, as to perform it. I saw the movie Drumline and I joined the band. Then when I met my father's side of the family, I saw that they had a recording studio in their basement. Around that time, I was totally inspired, as a musician, to learn percussion but also to learn the art of recording. Then over the next decade or so, I devoted all my time to it. High school came around, I was about to graduate, I didn't know what to do with the rest of my life. I had a choice between studying and pursuing classical music education or be a recording engineer. I went the classical route but over time, I still try to practice that craft and fuse the two together. At one point I traveled to Switzerland with the University of Louisville Wind Symphony. That was the first time I left the country. That was also the first time I flew on a plane. Being from Parkland, most of my life, not really traveling anywhere, it was a culture shock, in a positive way. I was around people that spoke several languages, being around an environment that was crisp clean, there was a lick of trash in the streets. The water looked like Frost Ice Gatorade. It was a totally different environment for me to experience and be in. It took me out of my realm for a minute. When we came back, I knew that I wanted to travel the world, in some way, shape or form. I wanted to see other parts of it and it was important for other people to do the same. I have family members who never left West Louisville. I have friends that never left West Louisville. That opens up your mind in a totally different way and since then, I've traveled. I haven't been back to Switzerland but I plan to eventually. Anything that challenges tradition inspires me. I don't even celebrate holidays. I'm interested in challenging tradition because so many people complain or so many people feel that we have this issue or that issue in the world. Well, let's do something about it. I remember when I was younger, I used to hear people say, 'There's nothing to do in Louisville,' As I got older, as a musician, I performed, composed, and taught a lot. So I have this fourth hat that I wear, where I organize events around town. Part of it was just to show people that there's plenty to do. We have these festivals in Central Park, where the kids can come and experience music and art activities. We have festivals all over the city. We have events that are for you. Anyone and everyone can come and experience. Not only to be entertained but to let go and experience something that you wouldn't experience on your block. There are a number of missing resources in West Louisville. The fact that me, as a musician, I know people who are in the music scene who have no about certain venues and artists that exists across 9th Street. That doesn't make any sense to me and also breaks my heart because I exist in both worlds. I know the people over that make a certain kind of music, as well as the people on the other side that make a certain kind of music. Until we recognize one another, acknowledge one another and learn how to collaborate with one another, we'll never grow to our full potential, as a city, in terms of having an arts culture. Russell, forever ago, used to be considered 'Little Harlem of Louisville'. So, where are the music venues, now? Where are the black owned stores? What happened to our culture that shifted that mindset, to the point where many of these black artists or many of these people who practice black art form don't exist in West Louisville? And if they do, it's almost like a desert, which people often call it a food desert. I like it's a culture desert as well. People are struggling to get their art heard and get their vision out. So, until we have those resources and those conversations with people on the other side, neither one of us will grow. We need an across the board system for communication. There's nine neighborhoods and none the neighborhoods have similar associations. Example, I've been in Russell a few months. I bought this house in August, I've been getting the Russell Vision newsletter in the mail and I love it. I'm seeing what's happening in this neighborhood, that I never lived in. When I lived in Parkland, we didn't have an active neighborhood association, let alone a newsletter that let us know what was happening in the neighborhood. So, when someone got shot across the street, where I grew up at, we had to find to find out from people next to us or on the news. We didn't get a full story or idea of the context of what was happening within our very block. So I think we need an across the board system of the communication. We have the oldest of the old that lived here their whole lives and they don't know how to connect with the younger generation. The younger generation doesn't know how to connect with the older generation and that's important if we're going to grow in any way. We also need understanding; not only of our past, but also our present and then what we want our future to look like. Within the art scene, there are people that have this notion that unless you blow up and you make it and you're this world wide figure that you don't succeed as an artist. But if I'm a chef and I'm making some of the best burgers in Louisville and my burger spot is poppin' every weekend, I'm a successful chef, even if you never heard of me. Artists don't have the same mentality, they want to be rich and famous. They look beyond what they could be doing. We just need to have some conversations outside of our four walls, across 9th St, with some people that can inform us and let us know. Not in the sense of they're coming to save and be the great white hope, but a conversation where they're teaching men to fish. There are often times, when I find myself working with non-profits and even artists and business owners who want to get this money from somebody who already has it, these rich figures. They want that dollar but they don't want to learn how to get that dollar on their own. So, they're not teaching us how to fish, but throwing the fish. So that conversation needs to be fruitful and productive in a sense of us helping ourselves. Creativity, in my opinion, is when you do something that is rooted in your own thought process. It can sometimes be inspired outside of your own brain but essentially it's when it's always rooted within your own thought process. I've seen anybody rap and play a marimba, xylophone, or a vibraphone. So, when I decided to do it, and I'm not trying to do it for the sake of doing it, but from 6th through 12th grade I played these instruments. I also grew up listening to hip-hop and nobody can tell me that you can't do both at the same time, so I do it. It's considered creative because it's never been done before but it's rooted in my mind and in my identity. I'm most creative in the middle of the night. I have a bar that says, 'I don't write lyrics, I just dream of these songs' and it feels real. I feel like we're vessels, as artists. We don't get these ideas, they come to us from a higher being. Whether you believe in God, Buddha, Zeus, whatever god, they come from somewhere else and we act on these missions. That came from somewhere and you're the vessel that carrying out this mission in these streets, telling these stories. You're needed, you're necessary. I grew up in a Baptist Christian church my whole life. My family has always owned the church that we went to. As I got older, I stopped going because most of my religious faith was based off my grandmother, who wanted me to go to church. Since I stopped going, between then and now, I have been around so many different religious groups and the most that I connected with the most was the Muslim community. I went on an artist retreat in Chicago and I never felt liberated, spiritually, with those people. I never knew it. Also, studying this Ali Opera and digging into his life and what he went through and his religious background. It was kind of scary to think that how is it that I'm mostly connected with this religion that we have so many layers on. You see it on the news that Muslim people are scary and they're terrorists and I connected the most with this religion. I felt at peace, at ease and so much love. I wouldn't say that I practice a specific religion. I believe in conditioning, in terms of what's best for you and your family. If that works and those are your practices, then go for it. I don't believe that West Louisville will continue to be West Louisville within the next 5-10 years because these neighborhoods are eventually going to shift, in terms of demographics and economy. It's going to change drastically. I don't know what it looks like but I know that there will be more of a division between the nine neighborhoods. There will be a huge cultural shift, that I think is driven from money. Metro started a program where you can buy the property next to you, if it's next to you or on the same block as your house for $500. That's a steal. There's a lot of empty houses that you can get over here that's dirt cheap. Well, when I inquired about my lot, I was told that there was other people trying to get it and I don't think that it was anybody that lives behind me but people and outside developers who want to come to Louisville and do something in Russell. It's because Russell got this huge grant and Beecher Terrace will be torn down. A lot is happening in Russell that points to gentrification. The fact that I can't purchase this house or this lot that's next to me, even though I qualify for this program, is a part of that fear. They would rather give it to a developer who is going to come in and probably make it into a franchise restaurant or a business. Why start a business in this neighborhood when there's someone here who's trying to start their business, in this neighborhood that they live in, who is promising and has a track record of doing something that will positively impact the city. So, a lot of the future is totally unforeseen and beyond our control but I think that there are people who are trying to dictate that. Read books. That's my advice. Read scholarly books. We spend so much time on social media and there's 9 times out of 10, there's never any way to trustfully say that this is actually happening in the world. Reading books, putting your eyes on some paper, and understanding what's around you to spread your mind. We lose brain cells whenever we look at screens. We don't look at that because we're attached to our phones. I think that's the first robot killing device. I know that because I got my face in my laptop all the time. I try my best to keep technology at bay but I think that it's only a matter of time before we have a generation of youth that are more used to saying Google and Alexa than mom and dad. I think that's coming. I'm trying to go to a hidden island and get away from all that."- Jecorey a.k.a. 1200, Russell   https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/28/bh441jr7315eor79lefs3eyz7k29te monthly 0.5 2018-01-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1517174038104-2QENJ5S84QFV9G6GN9UU/Will%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories "If somebody's trying to give you a good lesson and teach you something, listen to it and take it in. Later in life you're going to need that lesson." Will, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/26/phsvsgyuy5dkvmea5u65xuw6z3rtmj monthly 0.5 2018-01-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1516984228951-3R4KWOFJI3SAMF0QAF8A/Laclass%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories "Knowledge comes but wisdom lingers. No one is born to be a superstar. We're all born as ordinary people. We fought for who we want to be. That's the reason why we go to school. We strive to learn and improve ourselves. Learn. You have to have role models, in whatever you do. Look up to people who did it better than you. Some people are there to teach us. Whatever you do, you can be the greatest. You don't have to do it all at once. Do some research and find someone to look up to. Ali inspired us. It was MLK day a few days ago and that man inspired us, too. Read about them. Read their quotes. Inspire yourself. It's out there, you have to go find it. Find your purpose. Be strong. You can't do it by yourself. When you feel like giving up, look for a role model. Those people that have done it have a message that they left for you somewhere. That's my advice. Don't try to make magic happen in a day. So when it gets tough and you're thinking about giving up, don't. Someone before you did it so well and left messages for you. Go find it. It'll inspire you. If you keep moving, you'll make it. I know how proud my people are of me, today. My parents, my family, my people and my friends are proud of me because I'm not a quitter." - Laclass, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/25/7iluiv11uvw7vfz0byc55gpd7sebf8 monthly 0.5 2018-01-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1516899781640-5M26O9JD7R8V45OKJ58B/Shauna%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "Three words that describe the West are: character, outgoing, and reckless. With outgoing, you do have people that are outgoing and willing to get up and get the money. There are a lot of people with ambition. When I say reckless, it's all about the homicides, man, and they're coming from the West End. You got the young ones out here doing stuff that they're not supposed to be doing. The young ones are trying to be in gangs and not in school like they're supposed to. It's more of the younger ones that need something to do. When I say character, you got a lot of different personalities down here, that make the West unique. You get a lot of characters, you never know what you're going to get. Why is there so many homeless people, when there's so many abandoned houses? You can turn these houses into something that could feed them, provide good hygiene, or just to keep them up. In the winter time, people don't care about the homeless. My advice to the world is to not be scared of change because some change can be good. Don't be afraid of change because change can bring about a good outcome." - Shauna, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/24/9zop1u55ue3gsjxmerx5s76z2nn6yf monthly 0.5 2018-01-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1516820443361-ZSHIKV1C7KIYP468ITFZ/Mone.+T%2C+California.jpg Stories "I used to get tattoos when I was playing basketball. Towards the end of my basketball career, I just started getting more of them. The more I got, the more I was around the tattoo shops. I was at a friend's tattoo shop pretty much everyday. I started off getting them here and there. I liked the atmosphere, the people, you know. It was a different feel and a social environment that I liked. I really wanted to be around it and it felt good, I can't really explain it. It inspired me in a way that I could actually do this. You know, I'm an artist and I can draw, I just never took it serious. When I was younger, I used to draw tennis shoes and stuff like that. When I was in college, I took an art class and my art teacher use to tell my coach that, 'Hey, this guy is really talented'. The coach would tell me what my teacher would say and all but I wasn't serious about it. If I would've known that I would be tattooing, I would have taken art more seriously and would have been an art major. But at that time, it was basketball. Now, it's tattooing. When you get caught up in something, you're not really focused on anything else. That's really how it came about. I dibbled and dabbled with it. Once I started talking to my friend, who was doing tattoos, I told him that I was thinking about pursuing it. He didn't think that I could draw, so I took a magazine and drew something out of it. He was like, 'Man, you can draw!'. I was like, 'Yeah, man, I think I'm gonna try to do this.". I started drawing everyday. I would go to his shop and be over there watching and drawing. I was real intrigued with tattooing. I knew it was something serious when I was going home to draw. I got into it and they started teaching me things. After a couple of months, I ordered my equipment and I was on track to start. I was so anxious. I took it to my house and once I started tattooing out of my house, the rest was history. I was in a shop within less than a year. That's unheard of. I never stepped foot inside someone else's shop to work as an artist. I started on my own and that's what created a monster. Once I got started on my own, nothing could stop me. I could do it. I always wanted to be a business owner but didn't know what I wanted to do. Especially with playing basketball, that took all my energy away from everything else. I wasn't thinking about it. You know how people always tell you to have a backup plan? I was like, 'Shit, I'ma make sure this plan works, first'. Fuck a back up plan because once you start thinking like that, you're out of there. Not saying that you're not supposed to have one, but for me, if I do that, it's over. Am I going to put that effort in? That mindset was already in me, when I started playing basketball. I didn't make the middle school basketball team and then once I got to high school, that's when it started. To be honest, my brother and my cousins were inspiration to me. I'm not gonna say that I was headed down a bad path but I wasn't on the right one. I wasn't a bad person, but I was doing typical stuff that kids do, like cutting school and doing different stuff like that. My brother and my cousins were in high school when I was still middle school. They were already playing ball and on T.V. I wanted to do that. I would get into it with the coaches and tell them that I didn't need them and that I would play when I got to high school. Once I got to high school, I was inspired by my brother and cousins. I wanted to be like them. I made the freshmen team and wheels started turning then. I come from Clarksdale, I was from the projects, man. Not saying that if you come from the projects that you can't be successful, but I didn't have those role models around me. I didn't grow up with a doctor in the house. I didn't grow up with someone that was doing something professional, that's embedded in you, knowing that you are going to do this and go to college. We didn't have that structure. In our house, we were only worried about what's going on right now. You're not thinking about what somebody else is doing. You see that shit, that's T.V. That's not real. We just didn't think like that. When I got to high school, that was a time for me. It got to a point where people started recognizing my talent and that felt good. With having the talent that I had and people noticing, it just felt good. That was my motivation. When I got to junior year, I had colleges looking at me and offering me scholarships. I never even thought that I would go to college. Once I got to college, I realized that playing ball made me who I am so I had to give all my loyalty to Spalding, that basketball. I was going to the league. Why not think about the highest level? If you're gonna do something, do it all the way! I wanted to take my talents somewhere else. That's where the basketball accolades came from, with the Globetrotters, playing professional in different leagues, and going over there to Mexico. College wasn't really for me. It wasn't that I couldn't do the work, I just didn't like it. For that reason, I had to make it happen, no matter what and I did that. I made it to the Denver Nuggets in '03. When I came out, I got a workout. I was with Melo, it was his first year. We were in rookie camp together. It was fifteen free agents that would practice outside the summer league team. They took three players from those fifteen that would practice with the team and I was one of those three. We were doing two a days. I almost made it to summer league. I came in when they were rebuilding and it kind of messed me around because they wanted experience. That's what I figured out and that's what the coaches were telling me. They were wanting to find more experienced guards. I had to understand that. That motivates me because I was able to accomplish something in my life that a lot of people will never get a chance to do. Even though I didn't get to play in the NBA, I made it to that point. So that tells you about my personality. I wasn't the best player that came out of Louisville. I had a good talent and I was athletic as shit but it was my mentality that took me as far as I went. There was a lot of people that graduated with me, in my class, and they didn't make it as far at all. They were gifted but didn't make it to where I was. Now this is a whole new arena for me. I didn't know what it took to be a business owner. I was in the trenches on my own. Basketball got me into the position to where I'm at now. It made me think that if you work hard, shit will happen. You know you hear that shit when you're younger but it doesn't resonate until you do it and then you see what happens after you do it. I was like, 'How do I translate that into business?'. I knew what basketball took. That's going to the gym and putting in work. Now, I'm trying to figure out how to do it in business. It's about how you outthink and outwork somebody by making things happen. You can't make anything happen if you're just talking about it. It's all about the idea, the plan and then you execute. I'm most creative when I'm not busy. I start to think why is my business slowing down. Is it me? Is it my shop? Is it my work? I just start going down the line and evaluate and make things better. I just re-did my shop last year. If you have a business, there's no way you're not competing. There's no way. I'm a competitor at heart. I gotta figure out ways to compete. I don't have another artist in here, right now, but I gotta get somebody in here this year. It will take a little more pressure off myself. My advice to anyone starting a business is to make sure that you love what you do. Make sure you have a passion for it. I got it tatted on my ribs. It says: Living a life without passion isn't living, it's existing. If you're living on earth and you're just working a job that you hate, you're living in hell, somewhat of a prison. Basically, somebody's telling you when to shit, when to eat and when to go to sleep. They're controlling your life. I feel like I'm going to live my life. I did it for so long. I stopped playing basketball when I was 28, so it's kind of hard to go back and work for somebody when I've been controlling my destiny my whole life. The longest I worked for somebody at a job was for about six months. I hated it. I hated working. That was the worst thing ever. I knew I was going to have my own business. Have a passion for what you do. You gotta love it. If you don't love it, you'll put it to the side. If you have a passion for what you're doing, you could be the best at it. You think P. Diddy and Jay-Z don't love what the fuck they do? They would do it for free. You gotta love what you do. If you don't, you won't be good at it. " - Mone T., Owner of Tat It Up, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/23/hodnmb11whsktkgs91quuw01u0hw3j monthly 0.5 2018-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1516721561510-7WH7SJSQHI7LHVHF7VK5/Bruce%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories "I've been apart of the West End community for about 20-25 years. The community needs better housing, more activities for the young people and less violence. Let's help each other and stop the violence. We're all in this together. Killing another person ain't gonna make it easier for you but make it harder. Help each other. Try to be a better world together, as a group." - Bruce, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/22/brpdo68dm9mdd5v9wou4316ld3r1vk monthly 0.5 2018-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1516642559397-U3OUEPZESSN09QEFZSWJ/Cam%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories "People don't really have much hope here. Us as kids, luckily, I have somebody that's always on me and I try to do that at the local community center that I go to. I try to give kids some type of motivation. I try to be a motivational speaker to them and show them that we all come from the same place and you can still make it out your situation and be successful. We all have seen death and violence and people getting locked up. If you see me doing something positive, I want you to see it and be like, 'I can do it, too!'. You can make it out your situation. It may not be the NBA or NFL, but you can get a college degree and make something of yourself. That's the motive. Always keep your head on tight and don't let nobody influence you to do something that someone else is doing, if you don't feel comfortable with it. Some people see all that money and the material things but they don't see the things that come with getting that money, like jail. Do what's best for you. If you feel that your crowd is into that stuff that you don't want to be involved in, then don't be in it! You can find a group of people that's on the same mission as you." - Cam, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/21/rwghdbq3l1ixlxf9otqy69jg3hnjd3 monthly 0.5 2018-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1516574521792-H3FG4XLQBWRLFLSFZYXG/Whitney%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories "The organization is called, Youth for Christ. It's an international organization and we are the only chapter in Louisville. So, we're on the campus and in the community. We're also in JCPS schools because we want to be everywhere the kids are. We have clubs and do different activities with the youth. We have middle and high school aged kids, which are 11-19 year olds. The organization decided that 'Yeah, we're on campus, but we're not reaching the urban kids', which is why we have City Life, which is located within the urban communities. Urban youth gravitate more towards their neighborhoods and surrounding communities, rather than their school. Urban youth may not have the basic needs, such as clothing and safety. They may experience drugs, alcohol, abuse, and neglect. We really just try to uplift the community and empower the youth to become believers of Jesus Christ. We also want them to be leaders for their communities, as well. We are holistic and have a holistic model that we follow with spiritual moral education and success. We realize that kids need to stay in school. If they stay in school, they can have better jobs with economic success. We focus on basic health and safety, too. Do the kids need glasses or food? We provide a meal and healthy snacks each day. We spend a lot of communicating and relational time with the kids. It's not a lot of programming, but it's a lot of talking and building trust with them. We're teaching them be leaders and great role models and to be good in school. I have a cosmetology license and I was working at Super Cuts. I became the manager at one of the largest stores in Louisville. I was going through a lot with my family, particularly with my children's father. I had just became a Christian and God was like, 'You need to stop having sex'. We have three children together and had just had our third one. So, I was going through a struggle with him. When I got to Super Cuts, I seen that there were a lot of issues there, as well. I felt a calling to work in ministry. I never really been involved in church like that. I was a fresh new Christian. I had left that Super Cuts and went to another one, but it was too far out. My car was messing up. It was just too much going on. I quit that job and stayed home. I told my children's father that he needed to get a job or we were going to have to get assistance, because at that time, I had broke my foot. So, I ended up getting some assistance. In order to get some assistance, you have to volunteer. I went through Power of Works and told them that I wanted to work with young moms and they thought that this would be the organization that I could volunteer at. I came here to volunteer for about a year and then they had an opportunity available for me to work for them. I started as the office facilitator. I was keeping the building clean, overseeing the volunteers, and then I just started pulling kids in. I fell into City Life. I understand the things that these kids have experienced. In a couple of years, I would like to run the Parent Life program because I still have a passion for young moms. We have an opportunity to change. The hope that Christ gives us inspires me. No matter what I do, I still have an opportunity to make it better. To know that I can share my testimony to make somebody else's life better. Count your blessings. Always write down and remember the things that God does for you because we often forget. Make each day better than the last. Don't forget to reach out to somebody for help and help someone else." - Whitney, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/19/jciwe9swrsx4geht9pnrs1slop1au2 monthly 0.5 2018-01-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1516382144146-JZEYTTZ3G95W4SZJB12C/Mike+%26+Mike%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "Three words to describe the West End, to be honest, it's all love. Now, let me elaborate on that. It ain't about the killings, drugs and stuff. That goes on in every city, every town, everywhere across the nation and across the world. So, we're not focusing on that part. I say it's all love because I'm not even from here but ever since I've been in this city, I seen the way that the love is displayed out here. The West End is where everyone wants to be. You got pros and cons to every situation but the West End is where everyone wants to be. Anytime something is popping in the city, they all flock this way. Anything that's great, going on with this city, has to do with the West End." - Mike (Left), Russell "Stay focused and stay positive. You can't let hate get to you. Once you're up, it's more hate. A lot of people are going to hate on you. You know but my advice is to stay in school, stay out the streets, and stay positive. The streets ain't for everybody." - Mike (Right), Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/18/5r04q1bgviy2pmhbpzs63ua6ps5y4e monthly 0.5 2018-01-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1516293694144-6FUSO0KKLTT3JRD0P0CX/Timmy%2C+Portland.jpg Stories "Go to school, stay out the streets and follow your dreams." - Timmy, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/15/0ofdfaob49lqz3clh4heqk4py5wg3n monthly 0.5 2018-01-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1516033800421-2E10Y6ZCHEA2JDI8VYM7/Tana%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "I was selling chips and candy bars down at the penitentiary. I was the store man at the penitentiary. It's the closest thing to what I was doing. It's like being in the mix of selling something and making something off of something. So, this is the closest thing to that. It's what it is. I don't work no cash register, turn a computer on, nothing. This is my calling, though. The grilling came after the store. I just needed a draw. I needed something to bring more attention. I can't get my liquor license or my lottery because I'm a convicted felon, so I needed something to bring more business in. That grill will do it. Find a garage or something. See, they ain't gonna tell us that it's that easy to start a business. You ain't gotta do nothing but get a tax I.D. number and make a name up and call it something. There you go. I didn't know nothing about starting a business. I ride past this shit, everyday, and think 'Damn, I gotta store and I'm the Store Man.' Get you a location and get you a building. You can put a name on a house with a tax I.D. number and it's a business. It's simple. It's definitely not hard at all. You gotta think about it, the other people ain't gonna tell us. They're hiding it from us. It's very simple. I'll go in other stores and they don't even know that I'm a store owner. I watch how they do their thing and in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, 'I'm ordering from the same people y'all ordering from, we got the same distributers'. I can tell them where they got it from, how much it cost, their percentage and all that. The people, customers, and the neighborhood motivate me. You gotta respect it. This is my neighborhood. I've been in this neighborhood my whole life. I'm riding around on my high horse, man. They don't even call me by my name no more, they call me the Store Man. I wake up, go hard and strive for it everyday to keep this. I got out prison in 2012 and that was the happiest moment of my life; the rebirth. March 1, 2012 was the rebirth. I got to start over. I had a murder case, I went down for murder. They handed me 50 years. I ain't supposed to be here. I ended up getting 12 and doing 8. Now, I'm back. Start being who you wanted to be. Start doing what you said you was going to do when you was in there. At least try it. This right here is a platform for me and all my homeboys. My partners on parole and probation don't have to worry about finding a job. It's alright, I'll hire you. I can put us on in a different way. It's good money. It's slow money but good money. The three things that the West needs is more black owned business, more respect from the police, and togetherness. Quit hating on each other. Come together like the bigger cities. We need more support from our people. This year, we getting more dough and we don't have to go to the penitentiary behind it. We're about to open up everything. I gotta kids clothing store coming. We're on a mission in 2018. We're not going to the penitentiary in 2018, we're going to the bank. That's the outlook." - Tana a.k.a. Store Man, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/16/kpn0cbua7qpedfwmfmcx0i2582s5v3 monthly 0.5 2018-01-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1516032062644-UTH1MTDN32A7P3TF2SI0/Tom%2C+Portland.jpg Stories "Do your best to enjoy life. I'm trying to do my best to have a better life than I had before. See, I'm a recovering alcoholic. I quit drinking in '97. I don't think about it a lot, but some days, even with 20 years, you still have them days. See, I already know. I done proved it to myself time and time again. Whatever the situation is, a drink ain't gonna make it no better. If anything, whatever the situation is, a drink is gonna make it worse. For a person like myself, I'm a stone cold alcoholic. All it takes is one and I'd be off like a rocket. I used to come to you drinking then pass out drinking. That was me. Take and make the most of everyday. Be thankful and grateful to God that you made it another day." - Tom, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/15/t29lqbaav8fsrhg54kh5tv0y33ei1p monthly 0.5 2018-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1516029942238-Z2V3PIXEXNNPNP579LM9/Pastor+Fortney%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories "The West End has a lot of potential. We have a lot of children out here that need some positive role models. They need somebody that can tell them the difference between people, places, and things to not try in life. I think that would start at a church or from somebody that was raised in the 50's. They need someone that would obviously be able to instill positive words, words of affirmation, words of encouragement, words that can enlighten one to do something different other than what they see being done and being exploited on television. So, I think it would start in church and through positive personnel. The children are confused. They need something to do and they have nothing to look forward to. The man has been out of the home and placed throughout the prison system. I'm thinking that positive character is what these kids need. A lot of them think that there's only one way but I'm here to say that there is another way. It says that, 'All things are possible through God who strengthens us.' I actually believe and spread that. So, if our children are around people doing something different, their outcome would be different. But if we keep shutting the door on them, then the same will come. They just want to be heard. Be in acceptance of the outcome of your actions. Whatever your actions are, you have to accept the outcome. I mean, if I had to use a biblical term for it, 'He was born to die, that we may live'. If it weren't for crucifixion, there wouldn't have been a resurrection. In order for something to live new in anyone's life, something old has to die." - Pastor Fortney, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/14/pgf3kqheiakulxfx3xixfj3t6nc5ju monthly 0.5 2018-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1515968380885-2X5PG2Z01TENZCGQW0ZX/Toya%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "I first moved to Village West when I was 18. I done been through trials and tribulations. I had my kids there. I had four kids but my son died. Now, I got three girls. I lived in Village and left Village. I got put out of Village and went to Park Hill and I resided there for about 15 years. I eventually came back to Village West and that's where I'm at, now. I just turned 45 years old but I didn't grow up until I was 35. I done lived a hard life. My turning point was when my mama got sick. She told me that I needed to get it together. I was working everyday and took care of my kids but I was out here drinking and all of that. I was dealing with a lot. I had to evaluate myself and made some changes and haven't look back since. It's a struggle, it's a whole lot of shit going on out here but you gotta keep your head up. Keep your faith in God and don't let nobody lead you wrong. Everybody gotta story to tell, you feel me? Some stories are worse than others, but you have to keep your faith in God." - Toya, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/12/sg5hkuyteov7t831z26zowda6p7ki6 monthly 0.5 2018-01-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1515787719724-K3AXKMCIYPHY5F7361IV/Tre%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "For me, I just stay out of the way. I go to college and keep on my grind. The past year has been good for me. I've been going to church, chillin with my family and my homeboys, and stay out of the streets. Stay moving and keep it low. Don't be out here, doing foolish stuff. Just keep on moving with your life and do good with it. You only got one life, just live it." - Tre, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/11/kh2ojdjk1zp2f7fyadwljxvs79e6f8 monthly 0.5 2018-01-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1515676642045-0P8LYPIVAJ5XCTBJICW5/Ted+%26+Bob%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "Man, this is my turf! I've been here all my life, born and raised!" - Men playing bones, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/10/2jsrzdg0k2j0pzkgrz7a231a1yxx1u monthly 0.5 2018-01-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1515601538439-MLF9XHK8XW77WKM3ULN8/Takesia%2C+Park+DuValle.JPG Stories "The West End has always been home to me. I grew up on 22nd and Osage. It's always been home and it doesn't bother me at all. I'm proud of where I come from. Growing up, myself and a group of friends used to go to Victory Park and hang out. We would ride bikes, play kick ball, and the type of stuff that kids don't do anymore. Always follow your heart and instinct because they never lie. The gut never lies. That's the best advice that I could give to the world." - Takesia, Park DuValle https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/9/p5b03aeumkwt0zzd0z2p1iab55vu4o monthly 0.5 2018-01-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1515508131382-QTB0MAVGC04IWZ3YZ4VG/Mr.+%26+Mrs.+Dishman%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "The reason why we opened our business is because my husband was sick. He went into kidney failure. He lost his kidneys and then he recently received new kidneys two years ago. He was a chef for a long period of time. We decided to make the menu to cater to people who are on dialysis. They won't have to worry about their phosphorus being high. If you have kidney failure you can't eat potatoes and cheeses. Then we found natural oils for different people with diabetes. I have neem and hemp seed oil and different stuff that you can used on your body that's healthy for you and all natural. I have black seed oil that's 2,000 years old and cures everything except death. You don't learn this in schools. I worked as a nurse for 27 years. I used all my savings to get where I am today. I still got a long road butut God's brought me through all the struggles. If you want to start your business, just do it. Don't procrastinate because you'll get older and then it's too late. You'll regret and you never want to do that." - Mr. & Mrs. Dishman, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/8/dut10pjbon4yonholskba3h7ucpov2 monthly 0.5 2018-01-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1515428988913-1012CGI7O5YIB3GC3OD7/Chris%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories "When negativity comes to you, find the positive to fight through it." - Chris, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/6/tdq4usmaq6j8htjt02hw9nuyn057ej monthly 0.5 2018-01-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1515260214906-8SJQT2YXNXMCZBEC6D31/Wendall%2C+Rich%2C+and+Tim%2C+California.jpg Stories "Be positive. I'm done with all this negative stuff, man. It's easy to get caught up but it's hell getting out of it. I don't know if kids realize that they giving them 50 years and you gotta do those 50 years. Is that life you took worth 50 years? They gotta start thinking." - Tim (far right) pictured with Richard & Wendell, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/5/l5terno2jrrhfrklsq8hldco10oykz monthly 0.5 2018-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1515155525234-BAUBQR9MKLEA1A8UUA17/Mark%2C+Parkland.JPG Stories https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/4/muwa3docf6136cdgsnnwon5cem42ts monthly 0.5 2018-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1515066395983-U8QHEE2J5ILI1UQHDRCC/Angel+%26+Kalia%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories "In 2018, they need to stop the killing, for real. Cause it's like everybody is dropping dead like flies. Like, I came from Detroit to get away from that shit but it's happening down here too. I just want the peace. I want people to be able to walk outside and not have to look over their shoulder every day, thinking that they or their child's going to get killed. Everyday isn't promised. So, everyday, I'm happy to wake up. For my 2018, I'm just trying to finish this year off in high school. I want to get a job and hopefully I'll get my own place." - Angel (right) with Kalia, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/3/kv94mh4ztp4f9ob9bns5nb2zjaigyq monthly 0.5 2018-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1514979663499-96167A98IHM40A8U9CJQ/Stephon%2C+California.JPG Stories "Follow God as much as you can. It's the only way you're gonna be happy, man. It ain't no secret, it's God, not money or that other shit." - Stephon, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/2/h5wmdgnsoekwk2hvvoxgbyttjjapvl monthly 0.5 2018-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1514904080478-AT96UIMUPYLRUQGC62N8/Andre+%26+Kehianes%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "My three words to describe the West are lovely, nice and beautiful. This is where I live and where I come from. It's my neighborhood, its home. I mean, there's a couple problems out here, with the young cats killing each other but other than that I love my neighborhood. We just gotta come together. All the communities within the West End should have a get together or something." - Andre & Kehianes, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2018/1/1/xduo9io2bwox5g675avq8ja4jtj7zt monthly 0.5 2018-01-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1514816046510-76URWN54YH0IB3D88MKY/Brian%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories "My happiest moment of 2017 is just staying alive. I'm just happy to be alive, man. You know, being able to see 2018 is where it's at. In 2018, I'm gonna work hard. I'll keep 2 or 3 jobs if I have to. I'm just gonna work hard and stay positive. What's negative don't make me shit, to be honest with you. It is what it is. My focus is to try to help other people. I'm not gonna be a selfish guy. If I come up, I'm gonna bring someone else with me. 'There's a job over here, come on, let's get this job.' People gotta stop sitting around, blaming everybody else for your fuck up. You got to be a man. You can't keep blaming the world for your mistakes. I'm at peace with myself because I know who I am. Once people figure out who they are and quit trying to be someone else, they'll be a better person." - Brian, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/29/fvgvtfqvkczl62tw8ihrbiih3x6aav monthly 0.5 2017-12-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1514562694083-3YCY25DPWPKLL4LDKSYH/Adam+%26+Kaleigh%2C+Chickasaw.jpg Stories "The key to happiness in a relationship is communication and trust. Oh, and keeping things new and spicy. We've been together for 8 months, now. We met at a show at Mercury Ballroom. We had a mutual friend who introduced us or whatever. I was on a date with some other girl. After 30 seconds of talking to her, I was just crazy about her. I was chasing her around for 5 minutes after we met. Three words to describe the West End community are real and family ties. Everybody is just really friendly, genuine, and open. Everybody says hi when you're walking. That was a play on words because we live right on Cecil Ave. and there's this little store called Family Ties and everybody shows up. It's like the party of the block. It's like family. It's the community and the name of the store kind of wraps it up. You drive by Family Ties and you're like, 'Yep, that's it right there!'. - Adam & Kaleigh, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/28/mhlgmjzn33xnr9nbypate4xl2jgcrp monthly 0.5 2017-12-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1514472985084-1MDRRX0CFS47G7LT57JE/Rich%2C+Snipe+%26+Kevin%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories "If my life was an album, it would be called 'Hidden Pieces' because we don't get the truth. At the end of the day, I feel like a lot of shit isn't being revealed but a lot of people are waking up. With the young black community, all they think that we know is drugs, guns and whatever but it's not. I know I gotta a purpose, so it's like I'm trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, myself, with the all the talents and charisma that he's blessing me with. Shit, I can go on but it's hard to explain. I'm on a pathway, so like you're feeling it and experiencing it, words can't really describe how I'm feeling. It's just time to fill in the blanks, like what you're doing. Feel me? Just fill in the blanks, bruh. With everything that you're doing in your movement, there's shit that needs to be done. That's why I say 'Hidden Pieces' because they hide the truth. They don't tell the truth and you gotta reveal it." - Snipe, Shawnee (far right) "My title would be 'Obstacles'. Life is an obstacle in its own. You know what I'm sayin? When you break it all of the way down, we got to understand where we come from. I mean, we got to really understand that we're 400 years behind. You got to have that mind frame that we're behind. So, if you know that you're behind, you need to always work hard to be ahead. There's going to be hurdles that you gotta jump. You gotta prepare yourself because you know they're going to come. Ain't no way around it. I ain't saying to be a rock out here. There's nothing wrong with a man crying because we're human and we're going to feel pain. We're accustomed to it; that's how he made us. With the obstacles, you gotta to prepare for the worst. I always tell people that maturity don't come with age, it comes with responsibility. Sometimes, you gotta step out and look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself what can you do to better yourself instead of making excuses. You can't blame them for not fucking with you or giving you different resources. It's like with our kids; if I got more time with my kids than you do, who do you think wins? We send our kids to school for about eight hours and then we spend two or three hours with them when they get out and then it's time for them to go to bed. We losing. We need to come together. We really can't because there's so much beef and everyone is for self. That's the obstacle. Sometimes we gotta get to the pencil and paper, get back to the basics. We got so much on our minds and so much going on that when we hop over these hurdles, we forget. The basics will do a lot of justice. Mind over matter. It starts at home with our kids." - Rich, Shawnee (far left) "I'm God's son. I'm an everyday man and I got that spirit in me that's sovereign. When I get in focus, nothing can stop me. My faith cuts everything negative. What are you gonna do to me? Kill me and I'ma still live forever. I'm everywhere. I'm in your face and you can't even catch me. I'm breaking it down simple and plan. The Bible is the basic instruction before leaving earth. Embrace technology but don't forget the basic instructions. Practice and preach that. Embrace the technology but hit em with the fundamentals through the technology." - Kevin, Shawnee (center) https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/27/u51rv9uy6i5hvyyhpbsjm3m2h6eacg monthly 0.5 2017-12-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1514393088103-M2ZBO3493LWX6LMQY3N5/DeShaun%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "Man, we got the potential. We just need guidance. There's just knuckleheads out here that just don't know." - DeShaun, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/22/p2d8t3yjtgomssl2qunwgar958jv04 monthly 0.5 2017-12-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1513959641283-ATN3JVXNXQ85HRSYIUQX/Brandon%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories "If my life was an album, it would be called, 'Ten Toes Down'. That's where I am, right now. I'm trying to get out of my situation. You feel me? I'm trying to stay down until I come up. I just got this little gig in construction but you know, life is stressful. It doesn't do anything but give me more motivation to keep doing what I need to do until I get out of my situation. One day at a time, day by day. That's all I know. Ten toes down. The best advice I could give somebody is to handle your business. Nothing else should matter. Do for those who did for you. If you gotta serious goal or dream, go for it. Don't just half ass go for it. Go for your shit. Right now, I be doing my music shit and I'm actually coming out with a mixtape. I get most creative while I'm walking to work. I'm in my thoughts a lot. So, it's easier for me to put my thoughts into my phone, in my memo pad, while I'm listening to beats. Some people do it for the image and some people do it because they really like music. I really like this. I'm trying to do it right." - Brandon, Parkland   https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/21/i2qs93tzcbhuln56tmbqnrjqebgald monthly 0.5 2017-12-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1513898384969-D27ITG7OHLOTW3HXHAGU/Ciara%2C+Parkland.JPG Stories Ciara, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/21/cp4c87u2lq40un28ys0ama9ebz836d monthly 0.5 2017-12-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1513898194753-CAO7R996WNKBRNKRJX9Q/Sara%2C+Portland.jpg Stories "I'm more spiritual. I didn't really have a good experience with religion as a kid. Long story short, it didn't make sense to me. I went to church but religion was never spoken of in my home. It was pretty dysfunctional and chaotic. I had two alcoholic parents. I'm in recovery, now and spirituality makes more sense to me. It's helped me get through a bunch of crap in my life. It's not as specific and you can develop your own spirituality to fit you. My advice to the world is to be kind. You never know where your help is coming from." - Sara, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/20/af7eat1vwefni2w9j1z48kkag6rjky monthly 0.5 2017-12-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1513788863641-XIO1IC2SQTXRUM5JJ4RL/Charles%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories "The West End is just a nice place to be." - Charles, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/19/in3fgbp7kmlbj2jrw7mbo3x5nljsve monthly 0.5 2017-12-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1513705435282-S4WGHW3SOTII67XX9QK5/Gene+and+Tay%2C+Algonquin.jpg Stories "The sun's always gonna shine when it rains." - Gene, Algonquin "Keep ya head up & be strong. You know, God gotta place for us. Work with what you got. You might turn out to have a whole lot more than what you think you got." - Tay, Algonquin https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/18/h7m2d0ey2y4znd2qihd2ad5tfj3pdl monthly 0.5 2017-12-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1513613388054-TTDYW8EAL6YP63TMIGIU/Sam%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories "I'ma keep it real with you. I just got back into God. I got three girls. Out of my three girls, my oldest one is still living. When I was living in Baltimore, one of my girls was 7 years old and got shot in the head. I came back to Louisville and my 16-year-old got shot in the head. My 40-year-old came back from Alaska and now she lives in Houston. I got four grandkids. I turned 60 on Friday and for a long time, I had doubts about God. You know, I lost my two girls, my father died in my arms and came back to Louisville and my grandmother died. I finally got to meet my mother, whom I didn't know for 25 years. I couldn't say that I loved her or liked her, and she died. I also had a sister that jumped off the bridge, so I had a lot of tragedy. I'ma keep it real with you. I was diagnosed with depression and suicidal, I get SSI. I had three suicide attempts, but for some reason, he's holding me here. I'm just keeping it real with you, it's my life story. Now, 12 years clean and sober, I don't do anything but walk this girl (points to the dog), that ain't mine. I stay with my sister, who is 20 years clean and sober. On April 7th, next year, I'll be 13 years clean and sober. I had a messed up life. Now, I'm getting God back into my life. I still have questions and doubts, but that's understandable, with everything that I've been through. For me, staying with my sister and my aunt helps me. I ain't been going to church every Sunday, but I go. As far as knowing the Bible, I don't know it but I'm getting to it. I'm dyslexic, but I'm teaching myself to get through it. My oldest daughter came back to life and that motivates me. I abandoned her, in the past. When I graduated from Drug Court, she was the only one that was there for me. She came all the way from Alaska for my graduation. As long as I talk to her once a week, I'm good. I don't associate with too many people. I walk her. She's a good therapy dog. She's not mean to anybody. This is my buddy. Be patient, things will change. I didn't think that it would. I had a gun to my head, rope around my neck and I had drunk some shit. He pulled me through all of it. When I knew that all the windows and doors were locked and I had a .45 to my head and somehow my cousin got in and knocked the gun out of my hand before I pulled the trigger. After my daughter was killed, I tied an extension cord around my neck and hung myself, but someone came in and cut the cord. I was really depressed. You gotta be patient and have hope. I've been patient and I have hope. I can handle anything, now. The difference between a good day and a bad day is your attitude. Keep it moving." - Sam, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/15/zsuu9vsqptlgm7xmkebq65ojkxtf0i monthly 0.5 2017-12-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1513349244823-UO2VP1RUVXKKBKSRGAGA/Jerry%2C+Portland.jpg Stories "Well, you gotta put your feet down and do what God's telling you to do. We gotta stop all this devil stuff and stop hating one another. All races should come together because God's getting ready to come back. That money ain't gonna mean nothing, after while. God's gonna turn it all around. They think that just because they have money, that makes them better. Money doesn't make you better." - Jerry, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/14/w8ttis8merg7s49fgi6qkjymso2ui3 monthly 0.5 2017-12-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1513268728943-Z061WQBJGV3IRKITRO27/Sandra%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "Follow your dreams and stay in school." - Sandra, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/13/b94lvzz4364kcfsejebmxigh7dlkco monthly 0.5 2017-12-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1513182097930-VVEXGO6Z1W8EETDLCDNN/James+%26+Shonda%2C+Park+Hill.jpg Stories "We've been together for 16 years. We started up here. We met up here. I was fresh out of the penitentiary. We done moved outta here, came back here, and moved outta here. My mama live up here, now. This is us. We're in a battle, right now. We've been railroaded by CPS. We gotta go to WHAS, this week. They're doing a story on us. I got Christopher 2X in my corner. I done talked to him for about an hour on my phone. We just went to court yesterday. We gotta go take a pee test today. They got us doing the drug screens. We've been clean for eight months. We just now getting back, you know. We've been in this struggle together. You know what I mean? We done went through the bad and we've been through the good, but this is a reflection of our former self. It's like looking in the mirror. When we got up and used to look in the mirror, we've seen addicts and alcoholics. We don't see that, now. We see us. Now, we're getting up and we're trudging. We're out here in the rain to go take a pee test. We just got our house. Everything is coming full circle, now. So the fact that you are out here taking a picture of us, is almost surreal. What you're seeing now, is almost due for a picture. You see what I'm saying? We've been through the storm. This is Pick Life. When you take the picture, use #PickLife. That's our motto. We got 9 kids and all of our kids have Pick Life. Two of my children got it tattooed on them. I'm very proud of that because back in the day, in Africa, that's what they did to represent their tribes. They would put their tribal name on them. Ours is Pick Life because our last name is Picken and we pick life over death. That's our choice. You know what I mean? We pick life. Hashtag Pick Life! Plus, she's a cancer survivor, so our story is big. This picture is probably gonna make you famous because we're taking it to the top. God makes no mistakes." - James & LaShonda, Park Hill https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/11/e7hl3cus5d5cfosdh16t6r34z9lw66 monthly 0.5 2017-12-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1512993025425-2CDCHCUR9H0EV2BC2TZZ/James+%26+Fred%2C+Russell.jpg Stories https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/11/6ns0bfncz9dh9i8umh54xl7d5fv9ny monthly 0.5 2017-12-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1512992268453-WHOYFV4RV0R8O2L5T0K9/Sivonne%2C+Parkland.jpg Stories "We need more activities for kids my age. I'm 18 but we still need stuff for people my age, like a movie theater, skating rink, something fun. They give us all of these Family Dollars. We need more stuff to do because we have to go far out and stuff. When people try to talk bad about the West End, I try to tell them that it's not bad. It's not violence everyday, it's violence everywhere. I just stand up for the West End. I feel like we get talked about the most, down here, but we have the least. I don't see what they expect, when the resources aren't here." - Sivonne, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/5/qi5dhkdrqbm26wigocqfvddxtzu6yg monthly 0.5 2017-12-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1512525771105-9NKEHYQNUGI2VMS5OU50/Bud+and+Trig%2C+Portland.jpg Stories "Right here in the West, we need more stuff for the kids, more jobs, and we gotta work on some of these houses." - Bud & Trig, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/12/4/oa6gdmkon9y90i2xlaslw4vtukar28 monthly 0.5 2017-12-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1512434749669-VQWF6OYS945XEVRRW4LL/Omney%2C+Shawnee.JPG Stories "Listen to old people. They know what they're talking about and they have been here long enough. Listen to old people, they have all the wisdom." - Omney, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/30/wumr0gmp6bau93jhe78msv0y6y3a31 monthly 0.5 2017-12-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1512085196845-PEKYXSUI00DWY3WPHR9W/DSC_0877.NEF+%281%29.jpg Stories "I done lived down here my whole life. This is my comfort zone. I'm not gonna lie, I tried to live everywhere else but I'm more comfortable here. Growing up in the West was fun! Young people don't know, but right on that corner was an amusement park. You would walk down this street and it was the Dude Ranch. We had something to do. It was something to do everyday. We had the skating rink on the corner and now we have nothing to do. When we was coming up. We made fun, like four square and shooting basketball. Now, there's nothing. We need resources. When we moved out here, it was all white. I lived down on 42nd and it was all white. They killed our dog within a week. Let's see, we started on 22nd Street but when that riot hit, we moved. We moved. I remember the day of the riot. I came home and my mother came and told me that we were packing and moving. They burned everything. I was there when busing started. I tell young people that they don't know how good they got it. There was places downtown that we couldn't go in. I enjoy it, now, except the violence. You get so used to it, now. It don't even phase people because it's a normal thing. If you don't hear gunshots, that's a good day. That is a good day. How to fix the violence? Not more police but economics. When we came down here, we had a Winn-Dixie, a drug store, and a bakery. We didn't have to travel. You just had to walk down an alley, turn a corner and you there. The grocery stores were on the corner. There was a hardware store right down there. You didn't have to go far for nothing. Everything was in the community. " - Darnell, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/28/7nv5b5khji5n692z2no2jmsv9lgont monthly 0.5 2017-11-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1511916362679-ARN5XHF3Y5M10PQGML64/Eddie%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "The last time the metro budget came out, there was a $20 million surplus. Out of that surplus, zero amount of money went to the West End, to deal with its problems with youth violence and lack of economic development. Now, if this is a compassionate city and there's a $20 million surplus and the highest crime rate is in the black community, it would make sense to tap into some of that money. The mayor said no. It's about political power and who represents your best interest and Louisville doesn't get it. The East End has small strong neighborhood associations, they get it. They control their board members. The West End does not. It doesn't control anything, but gets controlled. Proof of that, look at the Wal-Mart deal. Why didn't the Wal-Mart deal go down? It wasn't because of the people in the West End, on the street corner. It was East End liberals, who own and operate jobs with justice, trying to play the union card on Wal-Mart. Now, we're starving for jobs and they're coming down here, trying to tell us what's good for us. Intelligent people need to defend their neighborhoods. Look they're giving the West End away. To reverse all of that, it's with political power and education." - Eddie, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/27/3nohxbmq36zvykyqs6h387r43627ct monthly 0.5 2017-11-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1511827230072-38FNLWORD16206ZOF6CF/Critter%2C+Parkland.JPG Stories "This is my son, right here. I lost him in March. He was 22. Shit's hard out here, bruh. It gets real out here." - Critter, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/24/a6cey34hqliu01hmutwqy5ldg593fe monthly 0.5 2017-11-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1511562750232-EUE46G56JEGOLMLCJ9HL/Woo+%26+Brandon%2C+Shawnee.jpg Stories "We all we got. Everybody needs to stay positive and do the right things and hope that it spreads around. With all these killings and all that, we just got to come together. If we wanna move forward, we all got to come together." - Woo & Brandon, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/22/1sjy8zfpfdvlkv2ad2fkzhwz2afgha monthly 0.5 2017-11-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1511397847626-OJ5P2OXMNQ09LDGFRC5R/Cody+%26+Shawnna%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "A relationship is like this. You find a partner and you bring them up in places that they need to be brought up and you knock up them in places that need to be knocked down. You do it together, as each other, as one. It's not 'I got this and you don't'. It's either we got it or we don't got it. So, everything you do, you have to keep in mind that you're not just one person, you are two. So, it's not just you looking out for yourself. As a man, you're supposed to nurture your woman. You're supposed to make sure that she has everything that she needs. That's where you come in as two." - Brandon & Jess, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/21/y897ro639g3qps0gwfpksu2hgw1o4v monthly 0.5 2017-11-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1511312549517-VZSL0AHPQ15ZU6ZDV74U/Lil+Rollie%2C+Russell.jpg Stories "If my life was an album, the title would probably be 'The Struggle'. It's a lot. It's real out here. When you ain't got no where to crash at and no where to stay, it's real. Shit, I might as well say 'The Struggle' until I bounce back. My struggle, right now? I got a lot of them. I can't even talk, I don't know. I'm dealing with a lot, right now. I'm dealing with this court shit. I gotta find somewhere to stay every night. I gotta get a new job and shit. I don't know, man, it's crazy. That's why I'm out here, now. You know what I'm sayin'? I don't know. It's just been fucked up in the last two weeks. I can't be down. If you're down, that's down on your life. It's a point to be down, but there's no point. You might as well stand tall and do what you gotta do. Stay in school. That's true shit. Do what you do because that shit gets real. I didn't listen, myself. If you ain't out here, don't be out here. There's no point. Stay in school." - Lil Rollie, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/20/uo3zwicfpgm4cg03wez2gy651valwf monthly 0.5 2017-11-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1511226172042-RMY1N6CD2O3RGKXTHX5W/Will%2C+Shawnee.JPG Stories "My youngest son was murdered in Savannah, Georgia. My oldest son is in the penitentiary and won't get out until he's 42. So, I got at least 17 more years before I can see him. But that's what happens when a male grows up without a father. My sons were 3 and 4 when me and their mother broke up. I went back to Chicago and she stayed in Savannah. I lost my kids to the system, one in the penitentiary and the other one is dead. You gotta look at why people go through trials and tribulations. I can't blame it all on me, but I know that part of it is my fault. I know there's other kids out here that don't have have fathers and stuff. I might go to a baseball game with some kids from my church. I can't make it up to my sons, but I can possibly save another boy's life just by spending time with them. Where you live doesn't matter. It's about you. I can walk through here and not have a problem in the world. Nobody messes with me. If you stay trying to live like God wants you to live, your life will be so much better. I got $76 in my pocket and you know what I'm getting ready to do? I do this every morning, I walk from here to my job. That's at Floyd and Breckenridge. Every time I walk to work, I put my Tarc money, that's $1.75, and put it in the jar." - Will, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/16/ticstf9tbecwzb2kymjbuzamsoiobr monthly 0.5 2017-11-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1510881048080-LJWKLIODWFOXYGPYWL22/USW+Local+Union+Members%2C+Parkland.JPG Stories "They're wanting to take everything away. We've been out here striking for six weeks. Go ahead and take a picture of us and tell them that they're rotten. ." - USW Local Union Members, Park Hill https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/14/sjgnxzmd9xoujcdk557vqfg0a0q2ua monthly 0.5 2017-11-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1510706659076-IWZ5B7LP8957NN3BY1IR/Mr.+War%2C+Shawnee.JPG Stories "I was born here. We left here in '44, went to the Bronx and never came back. Then I came back here for a family reunion. My dad had to encouraging me to go to a family reunion. So, I came back in '85 and I said, 'I've never seen so much grass and trees in my life,'. We didn't have any trees in the Bronx. It was all concrete and steel. I lived on the 30th floor, paying $1,000 a month for a one-bedroom. Then I came here. You people have it good. You see those houses? We'd kill for a house like that. We came up during the rock and roll era. You know, it was right after jazz. We had the Coltrane people, Louis Armstrong, and all that. That came along in '55. Now, we have hip-hop. I don't like, I hate it. You go back to Al Green. It's not Al Green. You know what I'm talking about when I say Al Green. Oh man! They disrespect the black woman, the earth. We used to call black women the earth. You know? Now, we're disrespecting them and calling them everything but a child of God. Back in the days, with rock and roll, we talked about guys loving their woman. When a guy went to a girl's house, he'd have on his alligator shoes, a good suit and his hat cocked to the side. The girls' eyes would be popping out! Those girls, man, could make biscuits that you wouldn't believe. Man, with butter on top of them, they could cook! Now, girls burn water! That don't make no sense! When I met the Lord, he saved my life. I haven't always been a goodie two shoes all my life. People used to see me coming and they knew I wanted to smoke up that smoke, you know what I'm talking about? Man, I smoked weed like a steam engine. But the Lord put a cheap gene in me. I would not buy it and give my money to the white man, not even to the black man. Friends on my block would see me coming and they would go the other way. They'd be like, 'Nah, he ain't smokin up my stuff, today!'. It left me. Cigarettes left me. Vodka and orange juice left me. Now, all I do is go bowling, roller skating, and go to Kentucky Kingdom. Kids would look at me like I'm a dinosaur on skates. I'm 77 years old. I love it. " - Mr. War, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/13/z9qyeazdgnqqfnacurty4qk4f6c2g9 monthly 0.5 2017-11-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1510618179851-NALJ50QMHXGYX7JPX89Z/Faruq%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "Happiest moment of my life? Damn, that's a tough one because I've had so many happy moments. I'm gonna go with graduating high school. That was a major goal that I really wanted to accomplish and I actually did it. That was one the happiest days of my life. I made my mother and father proud. A long time dream I have for myself is to be able to provide and take care of my family. That's it. I want to be super successful to where we don't have to worry about anything, no more. I grew up worrying about shit, a lot. I just want to be that person to change all of that by being able to provide and take care of my family. That'll be a long time goal for me. With life you have ups and downs. You're gonna have good days and bad days. So, I accept the challenges. What you do with the challenges is what makes you afterwards. I feel like you can throw anything my way and I can overcome it. I've been overcoming a lot of shit so it's only making me stronger." - Faruq, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/8/emt93646v1bd4olv8b2p9bunve5z8k monthly 0.5 2017-11-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1510187897241-C36RCXL2A2IA23X8NZ11/Montez%2C+Portland.JPG Stories "Stay mentally focused. I'm easy going, I don't let nothing bother me. I just met you, we stopping and I'm coolin' with you. I'm easy going. I appreciate life. Appreciate the small things." - Montez, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/7/b1urlkh6143pzwjmeif89qebu232yj monthly 0.5 2017-11-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1510097413226-J96DSHSMWFB5BQRKZ2W3/Brittany+%26+Kevin%2C+Park+Hill.JPG Stories "I got married about a year ago and it's not going so hot. My lil husband is abusive and things. So, I got this job and it was going good. Then he came and made me quit my job. He's not working, so that leaves me to come to places like this to get food and clothes. I was born in the West End but I wasn't raised in the West End. Coming back was a little different. As a kid, growing up in the West End was fun. We used to run around in the streets and play. We would get in fights but the next day, we were friends. It was rough but it seemed like there was a lot of love. These days, it doesn't seem like there's anywhere. In the West End, it seems like the love is gone. If my life was an album, it would be called 'The Storm That Never Ends' because my whole life has been a bunch of storms. I mean, I've gotten through them. Let's see, my mother passed away when I was two. My dad left us at a foster home and we stayed there until I was four. Then we went to a family member and I had a lot of physical, mental, and sexual abuse that happened to me. Since the age of two, my life has been one big storm. My God and my three kids keeps me positive. I have my moments but when I get to that point where I'm going to do something stupid, God's like, 'Hey, now!'. Plus, I have a love for people. Like if I do something crazy, I may not be able to help the next person who is going through a storm and give them a smile or a hug. My long time dream is to be able to provide for my children. I also want to be able to be a service to other people and I want my music heard." - Brittany & Kevin, Park Hill https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/6/8nl96qf15gy98d5q71hxsj4lzm5vkz monthly 0.5 2017-11-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1510016135772-86UL4A93S2XE7OM79DEW/Larry%2C+Vashun%2C+%26+J%27Shaun%2C+Shawnee_1.JPG Stories "If my life was an album the title would be 'Cold Nights'. A lot of people don't understand the struggles. A lot of people from different races don't understand what we go through. I went through a lot of stuff in life. I remember cold nights and not having nothing to eat. I wasn't able to do things that I wanted to do, because it was a struggle. Everything's a lesson. " - Vashaun (center), Shawnee "I look at life like hurdles. It's always going to be hurdles, but you gotta keep jumpin' them. You gotta keep going. Don't let nothing hold you back. You gotta go out here and get it. That's what I'm trying to do and I'm not going to let nobody stop me. You know what I'm sayin'? I've done the bad and I've done the good. I'm gonna do the good. I got two kids, now. I'm trying to be a good example, so that's all I do." - Larry (far right), Shawnee J'Shaun (far left), Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/5/nqgr9rgyvqaxmk2821ebkwozcbli3w monthly 0.5 2017-11-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1509928990552-FEXRXYKAJT0EXOMNGEZV/Jay%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "Stay positive, bruh. Try to make some money and stay low. I'm 19 years old and I got my own crib, bruh. I go to U of L and I'll be playing football next year. I stay out the way because this generation, now, is on that bullshit, " - Jay, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/2/kld47jerhcg42flq2zxliuhgvy9l9z monthly 0.5 2017-11-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1509665351803-GDTHWN5Q62TEKJHF59LJ/Ron+%26+Tonisha%2C+Portland.JPG Stories "We was working together and she liked my swag!" - Ron & Tonisha, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/11/1/7nozwe86ju7mrg3wo2pt5egzi2yu0v monthly 0.5 2017-11-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1509582526269-1P3ZHAIPU1Y9TV7O1NAR/Treyvon%2C+California.JPG Stories "Link up, man. Stay together. We need to get organized and stay together. Be a unit, be one solid unit." - Treyvon, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/30/5i70lf9urkekvw619k59xh8j8lsqng monthly 0.5 2017-10-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1509407128932-X07FDP2I0X9BKHB65AT5/Mr.+Larry+Mosley%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "This is more like a ministry to me. I've been here for 34, going on 35 years. This is not like selling cars, jewelry, property and all. It's far from that. It's a big difference. It's the people that I meet. God's got some good people, down here, man. Good people, dedicated folks. You know what I mean? Real dedicated and I'm talking about to him. [points up] Most of them are seniors. The young ones, they're ripping and running. I have people that come up in here and they're ninety, and still driving! Still driving, brother. Not a lot of them, don't get me wrong. They come in here, from time to time. Several of them are in their eighties. It inspires me because they're sharp. They know what they want and what they're looking for. I ask them for their secret to a long life and most of them glorify God. That's the first thing they do. Then, they go on to those good home remedies. It's God and genes. He blesses those who bless and honor him. You worship God, he'll take care you. Find what it is that you really like doing. You may not be good at first. Keep on and gain knowledge and wisdom. You have to be dedicated. You can't flip flop. That's the reason why I said to find something that you like, that you're good at. It'll grow. Believe me, it'll grow. Just ask God and he sees, he knows. He knows the plans that he has for you. You may not know it. I didn't know it a long time ago. That's because I wasn't honoring him. He knows what the future holds. Find something that you like. I like books and I used to read a lot of these books, if not most of them. I don't do that anymore. Now, I focus on the Bible. " - Mr. Larry Mosley, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/29/dcfnu629zr32l27ibpw9blkwrdknma monthly 0.5 2017-10-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1509320432501-DQQDX31YOJE0H09AXRZ8/Destiny%2C+Shawnee.JPG Stories "My parents motivate me. I don't have my dad in my life because he passed away. Before he passed, he used to motivate me to do a lot. I kept straight A's and all of that because of him. When he died, it motivated me to stay strong and do what he always wanted me to do. I'm in college now, going for computer forensics." Destiny, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/26/dso6tmx7i0dahvbgz6zlyqgwgsisgw monthly 0.5 2017-10-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1509062057697-G1NMFNDK2U6J9T8T8P9C/Mighty+%26+Sydney%2C+Portland.JPG Stories "We met in middle school. She started it. She sent people my way. My cousin and a few females told me that 'Sidney wanna talk to you' and I was like, 'For real?" and we've been talkin ever since. It got realer and realer. I remember like it was yesterday. She sent somebody over to me. We was at Westport. I broke up with her for about two weeks and we got back together. Like I said, we've been together ever since. My favorite thing about her is that she's so uplifting. She keeps me going when I'm down. You know, she listens to me. She's my backbone. She's like my other half." - Sydney & Mighty, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/25/jp3fdey625cutoo9vhofsy2brf4e1a monthly 0.5 2017-10-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1508978612016-67SOWI0DMT2LJ7MW9Y7S/Joe%2C+California.JPG Stories "I will not allow my daughter to date. Absolutely not. Now, if she wants to go to the school dance, I'd let her go. There's a thin line between letting her date and letting her go to the school dance. So, I decided that I'd buy me a suit and a tie and I danced with her all night. I made both things possible. My proudest moment of being a parent is when I see the result. There's no certain moment, but there's a lot of those moments. When I see the result of the attention that I give to my children and see them trying everyday, that's a proud moment. When I see what they can achieve and what they can do, that's a moment. The next day I see another moment and the next day I see another moment. All those moments are so precious and you cannot explain it, you have to feel it. With my kids, it's always easy. A kid is a kid. They're pure. It doesn't take much. Just give them attention and there's no struggle. Do not let things add up. Take of care of every issue when it arises, not when it has past. I do exist in my kids' lives and they talk to me, so openly. They can call me, now. They're in Ohio, not here. If my daughter calls and tells me that she doesn't like the school lunch, today, I'll drive 3 hours to get her lunch. She knows it." - Joe, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/24/hyht1efeb72bh9be1ywo2994leyjq2 monthly 0.5 2017-10-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1508889068409-1ITT6X64X4YZHEY9UDHG/Larry+%26+Fonzo+Fee%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "Love brings happiness. What makes you happy is what you love. You love playing corn hole, you're happy doing it. You love making money, you're happy making it. You know what I'm saying? Do what you love. Stay focused. People always say that you can do whatever you want to do and be whatever you want to be. It sounds so far fetch that you don't realize that you actually can do and be that. Whatever you take the time out to do, work towards it and stay focused on whatever you're trying to do, you're gonna do it. " - Larry, Russell "It's all up to you to keep a smile on your face. Point. Blank. Period. Its all in maintaining and knowing yourself. That comes along with happiness. Everybody finds happiness in many different ways, though. Happiness can come in many different ways. Happiness for myself is like, I like to come out here and see this all the time and then I go over here and I'm always happy. Happiness is whatever pleases you. You have to know that. It takes knowing yourself to know what brings you happiness." - Fonzo Fee, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/23/ola5la8gkbusbgagkwct741yjfk02n monthly 0.5 2017-10-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1508804407774-1PKNFI2K1X0J4AA40RUW/John+%26+John+Jr.%2C+Shawnee.JPG Stories "I finna go play ball in a little bit. All that shooting out here, earlier, kind of really disturbed me. You know? I just really wanna have him safe somewhere. It really ain't safe no where, I wanted to him somewhere, where he can really enjoy himself. I walked from 28th. It's a good walk. My proudest moment of being a dad is being able to spend time with him and teach him stuff. I want him to see the right atmosphere of life and not going out here thinking it's about selling stuff to get by. I want to keep him motivated, as far as the sports that he likes to do. That's my boy, right here. I got two others and a daughter, but this is the one that wanted to be with me. So, I'm tending to his needs and whatever he wants. See, where I'm from, they used to have culinary arts. He was working and they would let them cook and show them how to cook and pay them every Friday. It was some different stuff that he was used to doing there, than here. Truth of the matter, we getting ready to get back up out of here. You know, he's not feeling it. If he's not happy, ain't no need in being here. If he's not going to be happy, I'm not going to stay. I have to make sure that my son's happy, that's the key. I like it here because of the jobs they have. But walking from everywhere, is the problem. I'm walking all over. I done walked the whole West. This is the farthest I've walked to this side. I done walked from the hospital to 28th. That's about thirty blocks. Whew! I was just telling him that. So, I done been all around through the West. I'm walking to Labor Works or whatever tomorrow. That's on 15th and Broadway. I'm trying to keep some money going, every day. You know, take care of things to get him straight and then we back up out of here. It's cool. I like Louisville, but they just doing a lot of killing, which is what they do back where I'm from. It's just that I'm not with the atmosphere around here. I'm not familiar with the atmosphere. I don't know the people. I gotta keep my eyes open more than I have to. I can get a job. A lot of places want me, it's just getting there. I just can't get there. What's the use of taking a job and I can't get there? His safety is my main concern. When he gets out of school, I'm looking to rush to my son. Now, I got him in the Boys and Girls Club and he plays basketball for this school. He got his first game coming up. He still doesn't like it here because there's nothing for kids to do in the West. That's a challenge. He's used to going to a community center and the race tracks, back where we're from. They need that YMCA down here. They need a movie theater down here, too! They need stuff for these kids to do."John & John Jr., Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/21/787su4nkg2scjjjzyour2s5xlux8tb monthly 0.5 2017-10-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1508634387830-JV2ZPIN2YMT8AN7XE25R/Dave%2C+Chickasaw.JPG Stories "One of the things that I like about the West End is that when people come together, in a really strong way, they really come together. I see a lot of good people trying to do a lot of good things. They're trying to make this community what it once was, like flourishing like it was. I see that uprising in this community, in the people trying to take back what is rightfully theirs and take pride in where they're from. That's what I like about the West End. Be persistent and be consistent. Have intention in everything you do. Never stray from what you truly know what's best for you. - Dave, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/20/8wrqksfse5qcfs86cgulu9y5y9s3m1 monthly 0.5 2017-10-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1508540551300-ZV52PF9IO2CP828Q3CL4/Don%2C+Portland.JPG Stories "I've been living here for 30 years. One thing I've noticed within the last couple of years is that they're starting to redevelop in this area, which is a good thing. From what I hear, the president and CEO of Brown Forman Distillery is wanting to build Portland up like it used to be, years ago. They're starting with a few houses on the end. They've completely remodeled them. A new business has opened up down there. I think what it is, is that they want to rebuild a little at a time, to see how it's going to work. They don't want to just 'boom' and invest all this money and then turn around and it'd be a failure. I can understand that. I think they're headed in the right direction. Like any other place, we've got a real bad drug problem, here. Real bad. It's everywhere, man. It's here. Maybe someday they'll get that under control. They've been fighting drugs for the last forty something years. Even back in the 1960's, when I was a teenager, they were fighting it. I think that if they really wanted to end it, they could. It makes you wonder sometimes. The government... I don't know how much you trust the government, but the government does what the government wants to do. I think they can get control of it, but like I said, they can do something if it gets serious enough. But yeah, they're starting to rebuild and build some new houses around here. Get the right people in these houses. Get some decent, hard working people that'll take care of them. The general rule is that if you own a home, you'll take better care of it, than if you rent it. A lot of people got the attitude, that I've seen around here, that are renting and will not take care of their home. You get good people in, you've got a good neighborhood." -Don, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/19/82p30wspw527z166h947qlxwyiuzwm monthly 0.5 2017-10-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1508453550169-MNMD9E944GYSDO4SWPN2/Ernest%2C+Parkland.JPG Stories "A long time dream of mine is being a zoologist and having my own Animal Planet show. I love animals, man. I start college in January, so I'll be working towards that. My Grandma keeps animals and stuff. She used to sit me down and read animals books and would take me to the zoo and shit like that. Now, I'm getting into it and going to school for it. One of my happiest moments is when I was in the hospital with my Grandma. They were doing some type of surgery on her. The doctors came out and said that she probably wasn't going to make it. After 2 days, I gotta phone call and they said that she made it through the surgery. I was overwhelmed. I was really happy. There was nothing else that could have made me happier than that. I don't know what I would've done if she would have died. So, I'm happy she survived and stuff like that. I'm taking care of her. I work, now, so I can take of her." - Ernest, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/18/jdvdn2pu9sb4golwqji3tl1yq8u9zz monthly 0.5 2017-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1508365280587-FACJ3XY8NTH8BZSXIWJD/Monsta+%26+Snoop%2C+Portland.JPG Stories "I'm actually a barber by trade. So, owning my own chain of barber shops would be a dream of mine. You know, eventually not working in them but just dropping by and checking on them, getting my money, or stepping in, if needed. I'm gonna take my state board test and once I do that, I'll be able to get into the motion for all that." - Monsta, Portland "I got shot by someone who was supposed to be my best friend when I was 19. He tried to rob me and shit. I'm from Tennessee. I moved here to start over. I was in a cast and couldn't really stand for over a year. My doctor told me that I would never walk again. I don't really walk, I hobble. You know, I get where I need to go. Only he [points up] know. I practice tattooing. Hopefully, I can get real good and open up my own shop one day. It's a new generation, so everybody wants to get tatted. Look at this tattoo, bruh. It says, 'Never Give Up'. No matter how bad my life has been, I never gave up. You can never give up. It's a struggle. He (Monsta) knows. He had to help me out the bathtub, this morning. That's my homie, my best friend. God has a purpose for me. Maybe, I can touch somebody and inspire them, you know?" - Snoop, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/17/65jissr8ujvqyb84fhyy8rd0afc2l1 monthly 0.5 2017-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1508284919068-6R26HLHC4AZRVHUMOOEG/Dave%2C+Parkland.JPG Stories "Listen to other people. Too many people, here, think they know everything. We have a lot to learn from other people, especially with empathy. I think it's the first step in coming together and understanding somebody else. I try to build my relationships that way. Especially, with the work that I'm getting into, as a counselor, it's really important for me to step into the world or somebody else. I can't help them until I can understand their world. I've worked for a long time, with students. I've had good training along the way but I kind of hit that point where I needed that extra degree, to be qualified to do the higher level work that I want to do." - Dave, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/17/mi0g1e2qvrqq8kovau2vkac801s09c monthly 0.5 2017-10-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1508282593054-THZ7X4IYEVS8C2W9CE2E/Ebony+%26+Tony%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "The world's crazy. It's a lot of violence going on. Everybody just needs to get along. That's something that nobody knows how to do, anymore. They think guns is the answer for all their problems, but it's not. I gotta 16 year old and it's a lot of parents who don't have their kids at that age, right now. So, I'm blessed, right now, to have mine, still. Everybody just needs to get along with each other. Everybody's mad at each other and friends turning on friends. At this time, people have no friends. You gotta start within yourself, first. If not, where you gonna start at? You wonder why these kids don't have guidance? There's nothing for these kids to do, no more. So, since there's nothing for them to do, they turn to the streets and they feel like the streets love them more than home. The streets are either gonna see you dead, hurt, or in jail. It ain't no resources for these kids. They're taking everything. The struggle's real. No matter how much money you got, you still struggle. I'd like to see a lot of people's kids move forward, but at the end of the day, they gotta put these guns down." - Ebony & Lil Tony, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/16/lcoovqnz1jbysov01zjllhrzfh2720 monthly 0.5 2017-10-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1508197788930-M8HZLYOSSX4VTV1KMNXI/Rodney%2C+Russell_1.JPG Stories "I wish there was more love than hate. The devil is really out here, man. You gotta watch his ass. If you see him, push his ass back. [Points up] Take that man, first. He's number one always in my heart, you know. I might not go to church, like I should, but I love the man. I've been asking him to do something for me. He work in mysterious ways. Look what he bring to me. I'm getting ready to go to the game tomorrow night and I need some money, you know what I'm sayin? Aye, he's good, man. Best man on earth. Shit, a long time dream that I had was to make it to the NBA but I messed up, man. I played ball, but I didn't go to school. I didn't want to go to school. You gotta go to school to get to college. I should go back to get my GED. It's never too late, bruh." - Rodney, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/16/e38ekl42k5eqkv9mh00w3ilsjihhoi monthly 0.5 2017-10-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1508196504581-BXWKPOKTLQI27LE28UDD/Lloyd+%26+Rochelle%2C+Parkland.JPG Stories "We met at the grocery store 12 years ago. Yeah, we met at Melton Food Mart, off Dixie Highway. I was selling body oil and asked him if he wore cologne. He said yeah and I sold him 4 bottles. Then he invited me to dinner and when I got his house, he didn't cook anything! Twelve years strong and never had a fight. My advice to younger couples is to be honest, don't lie, and be real about everything. Be in each other's corner. If you can't trust each other, ain't no need in being with each other. I'm the bitcher. I bitch at him all the time. He's more laid back. When I get to bitchin, he just walks out of the room. That's what he do. That's why we don't fight and argue and stuff. He don't pay me no attention. I be steady fussin." Rochelle & Larry, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/11/gerdq4d9ctfpj2b4diacjm4pws13qp monthly 0.5 2017-10-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1507765539994-529EFT3ZUEF1J2ZHBBPL/K.I.%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "Take a chance to learn exactly what people go through before you judge them. Get close to somebody you don't know. Meet someone who is of a different gender, age, that comes from a different place. Y'all can come together and learn each other's differences. If I could do anything for the West, it would be exactly what they're doing right here, building houses and putting people in them. Everybody needs a chance to start over. If they're messed up, let them start over. Get them in a house, get them a job, give them a new start. It's too much space, too much land, too many empty houses, for people to be running around here with no where to stay. There's too many jobs, put them in a position. They'll put us in jail quick. Put us in a job, quick. Put us in a house, quick." - K.I., Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/10/ofwr5i1kgzkeh1swbo6vtsx2p1n4xe monthly 0.5 2017-10-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1507679184113-IPEPDJDDISCL06OU32U6/Pat%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "My dad has been my biggest influence, all of my life. My mom passed at an early age and I was just a child. He raised 10 kids by himself, while still working. I put him on a pedestal. My mom passed when I was 7 years old and I'm the sixth child. He taught me to go out and get my own and never depend on anyone, just like he did. He was a self-employed, on the road truck driver. " - Pat, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/8/xdbylejea3mldmfo7mbjvgiygovhpg monthly 0.5 2017-10-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1507504883002-ORXQ20G90V78VY1DTN72/Sarah+%26+Danny%2C+Portland.JPG Stories "The happiest moment of our relationship is when he proposed to me at the Tech N9ne concert." - Sara & Danny, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/6/4o3y0zt2aut9zatdwn6yqx4ms8bj4d monthly 0.5 2017-10-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1507334299645-RL26UQN0DIJFP1LDDOIN/Dot%2C+Dre%2C+and+Ms.+Bad%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "It's grind! Don't ever sleep! Aye, I come from these streets, straight from nothing. I came straight from the streets. I had to bust my ass. My kids inspire me. White people's kids are inheriting stuff. I want my kids to inherit stuff when I leave here. I done worked hard, I done struggled ever since I had kids. When I leave here, this is my kids. I bust my ass to make sure that it's here, until I leave here. This is theirs. They'll have something to fall back on and I mean that. My kids inspire everything in me. That's my whole goal of getting something, is them. I do whatever I gotta do to survive, to make sure they're okay, whatever it is. I done everything. I done hustled, I did everything. Save your money. If you save $20 a day, it will add up to something. You got to save your money and you've got to work hard and never give up, to get you something. I tell all my lil cousins that when we was young, there wasn't no entrepreneurs. Nowadays, it's like everybody is doing something. Everybody's selling something. Whether they're selling strawberries, they're selling cookies, they are selling everything. You'd be surprised with just the little things that you know how to do. Take it and run with it and step out on faith. You can come up with something. People have been putting everything that they know how to do to work. You just gotta step out on faith and keep up with it. Dreams can come true. I got the first black owned hair store." - Ms. Bad, Dot, & Dre https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/4/cdq4jc2t1n2xe0ld2ug917vpb7s54v monthly 0.5 2017-10-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1507161003059-4S993L3F6JR60XSWY7KC/Ms.+Lee%2C+Parkland.JPG Stories "My grandmother spoiled me and I've always been spoiled. I told her that when I got older, I was going to take care of her and I did. She lived to be 90 years old. That's the type of person I am. I enjoy people, any kind. My grandmother was 80% Indian and 6'1. She was tall and the first person I knew that had a black and white afro. She taught me a lot of knowledge, a lot of knowledge. I used to come home and tell her that one of my friends didn't treat me right and she would tell me to handle them with a long handled spoon. That would mean to be close but not too close. You know, keep em' at a distance. She had ways of saying things. And then she used to tell me to get my own and it would always be mine. That means don't be borrowing, go on and get your own. I mean, I lived by what she told me and I accomplished what she told me. I did it. That's how I got well known in the music industry. I worked and I couldn't be bought. You don't go for the love of money. You go for the love of your word, your bond, and your respect. You earn your respect and you keep your respect. That's what I did all my life." Ms. Lee, Owner of Better Days West, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/2/xetuye6wjo8219lifm1jbvu2pfaoir monthly 0.5 2017-10-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1506986700720-R5CF64AJMTRURHG6ZWYW/Terrell%2C+Portland.JPG Stories "I'm grateful for life. Life, by itself. You know what I'm sayin? A lot of people get lost in the sauce and don't realize how precious life is. Man, you know? Everything can be taken away from us, with the quickness. You know, you just gotta be grateful for it. That's pretty much it, man. I'm simple. Enjoy the little things. Pay attention to detail. Don't be caught up in what's new and the latest fad. Be grateful. You know what I'm sayin? We can be gone tomorrow, you never know." - Terrell, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/10/1/3qjo826t3ocfejt3z76jy6z07o0hpk monthly 0.5 2017-10-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1506913446068-Y754X9ERN5GRYJ1Q4BN8/Rowland%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "The happiest moment in my life is when I surrendered and gave my life to Christ. You know, when I surrendered, not born again, I repented and gave my life to Christ. That is the happiest moment of my life. I had to turn away from the bad things and the wicked sins of the world. It was taking me down, down, down, down. So, God spoke to me and took it away, man. It's good, too. - Rowland, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/29/kl7w43dj715eo5z5h4hnkrvzt2atl4 monthly 0.5 2017-09-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1506729875599-DMUEDI4W7Y9VN1RI8CT7/Red%2C+Portland_1.JPG Stories "See, I did 30 years in prison, ya feel me? And I'm out here standing, right now, everyday. Hard work! And I'm never going back to that. Neva eva! And I ain't never took a life. I ain't never took a life. I wanted to be somebody that was never supposed to be. I was living a life that wasn't for me. This is my life, I'm free. Who wants to live a life, that you know, could cage you up like an animal? That's how I look at it, now. I'm so blessed, bruh! Pick up what I'm puttin' down. I gotta beautiful home and a loving woman. I'm sitting here, now, because she's doing somebody's hair, right now. She works but does hair on the side. And I work. I gotta job, full-time. And they love me. Them white folks love me on my job. If I tell them that you needed a job, I'd call them and tell them that you need a job. I'd start you off at $11.50 an hour. When I come and I'm 57 years old and work hard, I'd put a young motherfucker to bed. You know where I get that from? My mama. She's 77 and she'll put me to bed. She'll work harder than me. She worked 42 years in a factory. She worked 42 years at GE. First of all, you've got to say to yourself and nobody else, is this what you really want? Work on you. I'ma tell you something, bruh. The first time I went to prison, it was for a year. It was a walk in the park. The second time was for a few more years and another walk in the park. When they sat me down for 14 years and another 11, straight, I wanted to find a tool to set myself free. The whole time, I was the tool. I was trying to find something to make me better, but the only one to make me better was me. It was like, I'm free from the madness. Bruh, it's so much of a blessing for me to be out here, right now. I'm sitting here, chillin. This ain't my neighborhood. My girl's down the street, I live up on the Parkway. I'm just walking my dog. I ain't bothering nobody. I ran into my man. He said he gotta dog. I don't even know this brotha and he's alright. We just sittin over here, kickin it. He wants to take care of his dog and I'm just trying to tell him how to do it. We good and then you step up, bam! We're having a moment. We havin church! We havin a hell of a moment! Be the best you can be and work hard at it. Don't ever give up on life. The struggle's real, we know that. Let's keep it real. When I'm blessed with another day, I'm happiest. I'm cool with it. I don't care how rough it gets." - Red, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/28/fo000vkpbafixudci185u6anoyollr monthly 0.5 2017-09-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1506644294247-4IKI131LMBIV5IE0S3E9/Taylor%2C+Portland.JPG Stories "The thing I'm most grateful for is life. Being able to just enjoy life, in general. Whether it's a good life or a bad life, it's a blessing. God's grace is amazing. Finishing college is my happiest moment. It took me a while. I was in school for 11 years. But you know, it's one of those things you start and you change your mind a lot and you enjoy college a little too much. Finally finishing was great. As soon as I graduated, the job market was really bad and I ended up not using my degree, at all. It is what it is. It's a struggle everyday to try to find what you want to do in life & your purpose in life is. One day at a time, you know? The community gets a bad rap a lot of the times. But once you're out here and see what people deal with on a regular basis, all of that melts away. People that live out here are just normal people. Some people may just be down on their luck but they're just normal people. I mean, you see a lot of the same faces, so you get to know a lot of people. So, it's pretty cool out here, man. My experience, here, isn't a bad experience at all. Yeah, there are moments but there's moments everywhere. " - Taylor, Portalnd https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/27/e00suory2efn4vs9w22yc4kk44etcq monthly 0.5 2017-09-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1506556502395-I0E18Y9Q1H9RLYJ6PWYJ/Ol%27+Cool%2C+Shawnee.JPG Stories "You can put me in the album, but I ain't got nothing to say. If I had to say something... I love Jesus!" - Ol' Cool, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/26/vrgrp4vck5l1wi6nnfp6ujp7i9ho4t monthly 0.5 2017-09-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1506470173642-XJM5YQLMGN500BU0JBED/Charice%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "Being a dad makes you change your whole life around. I used to be in the streets, too, man. I had four brain surgeries. I got shot in the head and everything. It took for me to have them to quit the streets. It motivated me to do better and stay in a positive mode. You know what I'm saying? It's challenges, every day, cause I got 5 kids by 4 different women. So, everyday it's a challenge. You gotta keep your mind in a positive perspective and you'll be able to make it. Don't give up, man. Most dudes give up on their kids, because of the issues between them and their baby mama. But you know, I'm trying to be a better dad than my dad was to me. He wasn't there for me. My main goal is to be there for them as much as I can. So everyday I spend with them is a step closer then what my dad was trying to do for me. Like I said, I done had four brain surgeries. So, there have been times when I wanted to give up and come out here and sell dope and rob people or whatever. But when I look at my kids, bruh, I know that they deserve better. Like I said, most dudes overlook the life of their kids because of the conflict between them and their baby mama. To a young dude with kids, stay focused, man. Stay on your paper and never get on your baby mama's bad side." - Charice, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/25/16cnpzarzrdtnjqf6ft11mnsukyutd monthly 0.5 2017-09-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1506381923774-64GUSETU3I37COWIAOHA/Nike+%26+Eric%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "I seen her with one of my friends. They weren't dating or nothing. So, I stepped in and tried to see what's up, basically. I'ma say it like that. Advice on relationships? Let the petty stuff go & let arguments pass. You know, that type of stuff." Eric & Nike, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/24/exs7kk8j6b5wsnwb370aczriyax4ve monthly 0.5 2017-09-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1506296560442-21MDWU9VU0TR5N0NP4YJ/James+%26+Fannie%2C+Algonquin.JPG Stories "We've been married for 48 years. Our advice to younger couples would be to work together and understand each other. Oh, and pray a lot." - Fannie & James, Algonquin https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/23/kjt1xnispoh8gew83hkxrwq6y36noy monthly 0.5 2017-09-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1506208006575-K09FN4Z3MJBBJNA9SQZH/DSC_0585+%282%29.JPG Stories "The needs of the community is what inspires me most. This community needs somewhere to go to eat something good. There's not a lot of different places in the West End that sells baked goods. So, I thought maybe, let's give it a try. I've been doing this for 4 years. My other restaurant is on 18 & Muhammad Ali. I've been there for 4 years. Some of my challenges are trying to meet the needs of all the diverse people. In the West End, where I'm at, on 18th & Muhammad Ali, it used to be all African American people. Now, there's an influx of all different kinds of backgrounds and ethnicities. Also, you have to keep the business going. You got to create new things to keep the interest of the community, to keep people coming back. My advice to anyone that's trying to start a business in the West End would be that they would have to plan properly and be organized. If I could do anything for the West End community, I would give everyone free college education. I'm almost finished with my PhD, so I would give everyone in the West a free college education. It's important." - Pam a.k.a Sweet Peaches, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/21/52439i00tc4q7znmgb286ynvnvco98 monthly 0.5 2017-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1506035190585-ABTBF0JLY8X6QAV3RYJA/DSC_0484+%281%29.JPG Stories "I love the West End but the country life is better. My country experience was lovely. I wish everybody could experience no bathroom, no indoor plumbing, and no water. You'll appreciate the city. You'll appreciate the city life. My grandmother kept us, every summer, when were out of school. Loved it. We shared beds. We shared bathtubs. I was born and raised in Louisville, but my grandparents lived in the country. I was born in Newburg, but I moved to the West End when I was 5. I've been here ever since. I always loved 36th & Broadway and the Flaget Area. I loved all of it. I wouldn't trade it for nothing in the world. All of the elementary school friends and my high school friends stayed there. I loved all of them. I miss all of them. My advice to the world is that I need the men to raise their sons to be men and I need these women to raise their girls to be women. That's my advice. We want to keep the world going. If we want to keep the world going, skin color shouldn't matter." - Gary, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/21/z57syzvtnkqh3qhnhwrt6gnlqq2tpc monthly 0.5 2017-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1506034836601-5X5ANW3QZLUVWWQ9VIX0/DSC_0567+%281%29.JPG Stories EJ, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/20/hyjvd8a6gd6fvbf5e5bkvei9pzradl monthly 0.5 2017-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1505866999974-G0GPEBZZSBM0ZD2MMOOW/Slyvita+%26+Larry%2C+Algonquin.JPG Stories "Never settle and breathe life instead of spitting fire." - Sylvita & Larry, Algonquin https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/19/vop5juepm6jp8nk17akproyzh5xhmt monthly 0.5 2017-09-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1505862750603-CSVC710P99KMRK0J7ZHY/Ashley+%26+Eddie%2C+Beecher+Terrace.JPG Stories "Stay woke. Pay attention, out here. Stay in school because your future is everything. You know, and be positive. We in the West End, man. Be positive. Everybody needs everybody, you know what I mean? Not everybody's out here doing this and doing that. Everybody needs to stick together. Everybody's for themselves but everybody's together, too." Ashley & Eddie, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/18/ea9xgasdvunyygopyfbt13ghqobm1j monthly 0.5 2017-09-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1505776200457-JXH4OL3PQVYPXDFA729W/Michael%2C+Park+Hill.JPG Stories "I've been up here since October '89. You probably wasn't even born in '89. The biggest changes that I done seen, since '89, would be with the residents. Now, when I came up here in '89, the residents were more neighborly. You didn't have the issues and the problems with drugs and killings. I done seen a lot of changes. Since 1995, that's when I started to see the changes. When I moved up here, there wasn't no in between, it was just black and white. Now, you got Hispanics, you got Africans, you know, whatever. And then you've got all the different generations. It's different from when I first moved up here in '89. I can see it. These young people up here nowadays, man, they off the chain. Now, I lived back here, off this court, in 55 for about 25 years. I'm 70 years old. All the people that were down here, back in '89, either they moved or died, one of the two. Once that happened, that's when the new generation started moving in. I seen the change coming, just by the handwriting on the wall. Man, these ma'fuckin people are off the chain. They can't distinguish the right from wrong, or nothin else. They had me miserable back there, cause I didn't know what to do about it. It was an African lady, living right here, about 3 years ago. I was walking through this court, and I got right here. I looked over and she was sitting on the steps. She waved at me, every day. She would always say hi and I would smile. This day, I walked over to her and she told me that she was moving out. I went over to the rent office, that same day and told the lady that someone was moving out of 57 and could I get that. The lady said that she'll look into and guess what? I been here, ever since. They keep on claiming that they're gonna tear this damn place down. I'm like this, I ain't nowhere until I see the first brick fall down. I'm in, like Flynn. That's the documentary of the day. This right here is my empire. The other side is where my garden's at." - Michael D., Park Hill https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/17/d4oskq7dj97sv3vt91bqh5odi9r3cu monthly 0.5 2017-09-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1505687265866-B4QPIYGPBBXPR83XGCIV/Twan+%26+Tae%2C+Algonquin.JPG Stories "The happiest moment in my life is when we was playing in the L.I.T. We had gotten far, but didn't win." - Tae, Algonquin "My happiest moment is when I made my hydroplane. Yeah, a water hydroplane. I built it. I got 2nd place in a contest. You build these little water boat type things and get to race them. It was for a program I was in and we built them in school for a grade. " - Twan, Algonquin https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/14/553lpflayujz0a8k7c3xuh9xrid0pv monthly 0.5 2017-09-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1505432440478-CUUA7NZ4JKROEC8SOHUA/Robert%2C+Parkland.JPG Stories "Don't ever give up and have total faith in your ability. Block out the outside noise. Do what you want to do. It has to be a passion. A lot of times, we're out here doing things that we don't have a passion for. I come and do this, free. I just happen to make some money. It's something that I like doing and I have a passion for it. Whatever I make is a blessing. Have a passion for what you do. Don't do it because you want the money. You can go get a job for some money. Go work at Ford or something like that. Don't worry about the numbers but have a passion. People just see the finished product. They don't see the process. They don't see me buying the shirts, making the designs, getting them printed, and pressing the shirts. I'm staying up all night. They don't see that. It takes work and dedication." - Robert, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/13/02nq46y6a1ajhfjcqcz6mgwlartajr monthly 0.5 2017-09-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1505345628535-TKH3AJ3TKLJNBGN1C84J/DSC_0591.JPG Stories "My advice to the world would be to stay with God. If you don't know him, get to know him." - Rev. Senitha Hughes https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/11/3worw403na15iby1ecdw08rtp5fv46 monthly 0.5 2017-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1505172130499-V4QV2XD9OXW02KMVHX4X/DSC_0576.JPG Stories "I'm trying to get these kids off the streets and show them that you can sell CDs instead of selling these drugs. I be out here, everyday, doing it. They can do it the same way. You know what I'm saying? Someone taught me how to engineer, I ain't got no problem teaching someone else how to engineer. I ain't go no problem with it. I get more fans supporting me than I my own family. That shit's crazy. I'm staying positive and people don't like that. They don't like seeing you be positive and doing good things and helping other people out. I don't understand that shit. The most challenging times while getting my project out is having to support myself, for real. Moms, she's disabled, so she don't work. So, I have to work a lil bit, take care of the bills. I pay them in advance, then I go back to doing my music and stuff. My family don't really support me, it's just me out here. Don't get me wrong, it's hard. I be hearing no's. I can go back to my old ways, but that's the devil wanting me to quit. If I quit, I'd be quitting on everything and will never succeed in life. Believe in yourself cause ain't nobody gonna believe in you the way you do. Ain't nobody wanting to see you succeed the way you do. At the end of the day, you gotta look in the mirror and make sure you happy, for real." - Tay Tay Laflare, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/11/m1plmdd24orjvkz7eksb655ur5dm59 monthly 0.5 2017-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1505171259825-S2RJG8AMO5Q8VYEXQ2WS/Gladys%2C+Shawnee.JPG Stories "You read this shirt, right here? It's the most exciting time of my life. I'm 65 and still kicking it and I don't look a day over 56. This is the most exciting time for me! I want people to stop all that killing and everybody love one another, in the West End. You know, like it was back in the 60's. I'm for real about that. I don't know what ya'll doing, but I'm for real about that. Take it back to the black roots, where everybody's loving one another. And all those young mothers need to teach these young children how to love one another. That's all I've got to say. " - Gladys, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/8/bq9jscmcjv0us4sv8mdhpk90k2i8sf monthly 0.5 2017-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1504915337374-YQ1QQGRIPER95IBBVSEY/DSC_0547.JPG Stories "In 1983, they opened up this area and the first thing they put here was a McDonalds. This Kroger's only been here since 1983. The other Kroger was on 30th & Broadway, that was the first Kroger they had. At that time, Winn-Dixie was a store. I've been in the West End all my life. Down here, we done went from riches to rags. When the courts, downtown, started to take over responsibility of raising a family. When they said that there's time out. You can't correct your child and that's when stuff started going down hill. That's when the killing started. If you gotta glock on your side, it don't take nothing for you to pull it out and shoot somebody. Those kind of things is what sent our neighborhood down the hill. The West End is the neighborhood in this city. Anything past 1st St. is in the West End. Oh, yeah, 1st St. separates the West from the East. Let me tell you something, 6th & Muhammad Ali, blacks had the theaters and everything there. They had to eliminate all of that. It was Old Walnut Street. It was the urban renewal. They renewed, alright. The only thing they built back in that area is right there on 12th & Chestnut, Porter Funeral Home. They didn't put anything else there. I built my house in the West End. This guy come down and helped mess it up. I built a $250,000 house and he came down and messed it up. It's near Shawnee Park. I had a CPA come to my house and asked me why I chose to stay in the West End. He was like, 'Man, folks with guns are in the West End!, they'll kill you!'. That stuff happens everywhere! The TV stations only announce the bad things about the West End because that's what sells. They don't announce anything that won't sell. When stuff happens, they get the message wrong. The news said that there was a shooting at Chickasaw Park. There was no shooting at Chickasaw Park, it was in the Parkland area. They don't care. In 1960, I sold papers, right there on 26th & Broadway, on Sundays. Monday through Saturday, I sold papers where the riot started. The riot didn't start until 1968. Matter of fact, I was there when the riot started. I can tell you who started it. It was May 28th of 1968. The point is this, I was out there selling papers and doing the twist and they used to call me the paper boy. Everybody had a job, down here. People need jobs, now! We need to come together, as a group of people. Every time a brotha man makes it to the top, we want to pull him down. We want to pull him down and drag him beside us. Let them reach back and pull everyone up." - Lucious & Benny, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/7/61f890eo8wdv4jor0ywl5mphxhlu2b monthly 0.5 2017-09-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1504828811820-WO1S2BG1VKREHM8HP2W3/Terry%2C+Shawnee.JPG Stories "When I was coming up there was a lot of centers and churches that would sponsor basketball, baseball, and swim teams. You know, there was things for us to do. That's what I would like to see. When I came up, at 10 years old, we started playing football at the Ormsby Boys & Girls Club. I started playing baseball at Greater Salem. That was a church league. You see, they had churches that sponsored the baseball teams and the basketball teams. We don't have that no more. Everything we got now, like the basketball teams, cost a lot of money. Parents ain't got that kind of money! We didn't pay anything to play. They funded everything! I'd like to see that come back. The Boys & Girls Clubs did a lot of things for the community. You know, they always had a lot of things going on. Some churches got basketball teams, but I don't think they have them in the West End, today. I think that's long gone. There was a gym at the church on 38th and Broadway. Yeah, they had a gym and we used to play there every Saturday. They had free lunches with their program. There was another gym at a community center but they didn't let us play there, so we played at the church. When we came down here, my dad got money from being in the army, in World War II. They gave black soldiers money for serving in World War II. He took that money and came down here and bought our home. That's how we ended up down here. We been down here since. The West End is a good place stay. We can go anywhere in 20 minutes. We're off the expressway. There's just some bad in the neighborhoods, but the West End is a good place to stay. I don't care what anyone says, the West End is a great place. I tell you what, if you get rid of your property, people, from out there, will come back down here and get it. I wouldn't trade it for nothing." - Terry, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/6/zax4j5ctqm5jfbxaa7nyburiph83y8 monthly 0.5 2017-09-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1504742551737-P4TP5KXMADAFOMHHMXDB/James+%26+Anthony%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "I treasure my son and my wife. They're my heart. They're all I've got, for real. My mama's gone. She's been dead for about 5 years, now. She was my heart, too. Now, I'm out here, staying out of trouble. I'm staying away from the crowd. I'm 53 years old, so I don't have time for the ignorance. I just go to work and then I go back home. That's it. James knows me. I don't really hang in the streets. I wish it more things that people could do to keep them out of the streets. I think that if there were more stuff that kids could do, it would keep them out of trouble. That's why I think that Darrell Griffith doing what he did for the West End School, was one of the best things for the West End. He's a good guy, man. I played ball with him." - Anthony & James, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/6/ox5szwi9ce6kjj86kycnpnq5zx3wrq monthly 0.5 2017-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1504741897309-HKJGC0VR67QQUDX5VY2G/Russell.JPG Stories "Man, real quick because I got to get to work." -A King in Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/5/hsba0vjlvi78ddfxlkevg5dibp9f51 monthly 0.5 2017-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1504656786991-RJTFKRU12XDNJXPITU3K/DSC_0602.JPG Stories "Take care of your health and invest. Save your money." - Tom, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/5/kp2pmloitdiwvjytjjka26pgf38fx0 monthly 0.5 2017-09-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1504651224031-GYO2RFEON055BFTDCVW5/Brittany+-+California.jpg Stories "Growing up in the West End, I definitely appreciated the community being close. All of my friends and family were here, so it was nothing to be with them. I grew in the church in the West End, King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church, which I still consider my church home and my Pastor is still close. I remember running the streets, not in a bad way, but running the streets as a young teenager and hanging out with my best friends. I used to hang out with my older brother and sister's friends, all the time. I went to school, church, and home, all in the same area. The best advise that I could give somebody, living in the West End, would be to be proud of where you come from. When you see the West End and you hear about it, it's all bad, it's all negative. You got people, like you two, that have built a home and raised a family in the West End. We need more people like that to celebrate and to bring more people together. One bad apple doesn't spoil the whole bunch. I hate to hear people at my job talk about West of 9th St. They think that if you come down here and someone looks at you wrong, you're going to get shot up. That's not the case, at all. Yes, it's things that happen down here, but there's stuff that happens in the East End and Middletown. We're not the only ones that have to deal with crime and things like that. We're also trying to build up our community. We need people to support. We need people, here, to support the West End. Being a native of the West End, I still support the West End. If you are outside of the West End, broaden your horizons. Don't be so closed minded to what takes place down here. Everything down here is not bad. As you can see, the Russell neighborhood is coming up. They're trying to build some things at Shawnee Park, too. Even though NuLu is on the other side of 9th Street, it's still downtown. Let's celebrate that. Learn about it. Teach others about it. You know somebody that lives down here. If you don't, you know somebody that knows somebody, that lives down here and trying to make something happen. Support that. " - Brittany, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/4/m2d0oxjcai2xiu2gh8r5mcf6cy18y0 monthly 0.5 2017-09-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1504567870045-ST7FUVJ4FRKXDCK3Q7WA/DeVon%2C+Shawnee.JPG Stories "The basic fundamental premise that I have about improving West Louisville is that I don't believe that there are outside forces and outside resources that are going to come and save us, inside West Louisville. I think the solutions to improve West Louisville are ultimately going to come from the people who live in West Louisville. And so, I think it's counterproductive for us to continue to put so much energy into pursuing people, resources, agencies, businesses, leaders, from outside of this community, with hopes of them bringing those resources and ideas back to this community, don't improve it. I think that the solutions that we seek are right here, in our own backyard. I think that rolling up our sleeves and being committed to those solutions and being committed to being apart of those solutions has to be where we start. I think that we start by embracing that fundamental premise, then we get ourselves so much further down the road. I watch so many of us seek outside resources to fix things that I just don't believe will be addressed by people, from outside of this community. I just don't think it'll happen. That's the 30,000 ft level. The more granular level is this notion of us getting out of our homes. We are guilty of it, in West Louisville, just like many other people around this community, in large. We go into our households and we close the doors and watch television, and engage with our own families. We go out, we don't look people in the eye, we don't shake hands, we don't talk. We don't do any of those things. We don't function as neighbors, anymore. I sincerely believe that the solutions that we seek are going to come from us breaking those silos that we live in and doing more to support one another. So, when I think about all of these murders in our communities and these young boys killing other young boys, these are people, by in large, that don't have fathers in their lives and don't have parents that are highly engaged. I think that solutions to helping them improve their lives are going to come from people who complain when they sit down on their couches and watch the news and say that somebody has to do something. Well, they are the somebodies that have to do something! If we don't find ways to inspire people to get off the couches, to come outside of their homes, to adopt some young person, then these problems will persist." - Devone, Parkland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/1/mmsrm6brtkn1yhjclb4szc5tuvdpid monthly 0.5 2017-09-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1504312535651-7FC4X3CCK6E1ZDMHE9BK/Joseph%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "Have full understanding. We need to get together and become one. Unity makes strength, all the time, man. I came out of Brooklyn, coming from the islands, straight out to Brooklyn in 1974. In our building, we were the only blacks, everyone else was Chinese. We got along just fine. I lived on Lincoln Rd. and everybody on the block played together. The girls would jump double dutch and the boys would study Kung-Fu. The whole block studied Kung-Fu together. We'd go to Prospect Park, which was two blocks away. We did everything together. We'd have a block party together. If you were from another neighborhood and you was trying to chuck, it'll be trouble. That's unity, no matter what color the people or race. Here in the west, we need to unite and respect one another. I don't know what he was saying, when the governor said that we need to walk around the neighborhood and pray. Man, we've been praying. Back then, we were more together and everyone knew each other. We need that in the west. Again, we have to have respect for one another. The young people also need to have respect for the elders. You know what else? You don't see any vegetable or fruit stands. And guess what? All the chemicals in the food is killing us. They took the Pic Pac out and put in a dollar store. If you look at every corner, you see a dollar store. If it's not a dollar store, it's a pawn shop. If it's not a pawn shop, you see al liquor store. Young people are getting raised on a bag of chips and cookies. I say unite and change that. Love one another and show respect. I like the West End, man. I don't care what they say. I like being around my people." - Joseph, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/9/1/m7a0shyaa8mowx7barz2hg1ucwvftg monthly 0.5 2017-09-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1504310648083-2B8M97K35ILQMZ8MJAH5/CeCe%2C+California+Park.JPG Stories "The enemy doesn't attack people who are weak. Throughout all of my challenges, I still stay positive. Even when I don't know what to do, I still stay positive and give those positive affirmations. I reach out when I feel like I'm falling short or when I'm feeling weak, which is something that I never used to do. No one ever knew what I was going through because I never reached out. But since I've been back, I know me better and I know my purpose, I can reach out. I've been faced with a lot. I lost everything. I've been dealing with family issues that really bother me. Coming back to deal with this shit, I was faced with not knowing what to do. I'm always the person that has a plan when I'm faced with something. This time around, I had to sit still and know that I'll be okay and let God move. I lost faith, I was doubting my God, you know, but he surrounded me with people who show me that he got me. It's been a long summer, but God continued to place people in my life who feed me, you get what I'm saying? You know, we helped each other. I sat back and let him. Be still and know that I am God. When you do that, you see the blessing. That's how you know where it's coming from." - CeCe, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/30/rqiccqlj6hdnt1e4v9ily7k6vunjda monthly 0.5 2017-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1504133057593-45BPHNLI031EUGURYYXF/Bro.+Leonard+X%2C+California.JPG Stories "We need to get together and get our own. All we need is one bank, one school, and one hospital for the whole West End, and we're good. We would never need anymore money from the state. We need to get together. Instead of trying to buy gas stations and boutiques, we need to get a meat store. We wouldn't have to worry about going to Kroger and buying GMO food. Know what you're selling. I'm very health conscious, I'm in the Nation of Islam, brother. I ain't the guy I used to be. I wasn't always bean pies, papers, and incense. I used to be dope, weed or heroin. " Bro. Leonard X, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/30/by694l56qdw9svxe4tydepaheek5oc monthly 0.5 2017-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1504132375999-L31B2A9CR2WVES1WU83G/Sharrod%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "Take the pain of your past and make it an asset. " - Sharrod, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/29/g1fggvksgyq8rju25hkuxa5jacxbvh monthly 0.5 2017-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1504056308027-NOEVP6KU8QFS5OY3PGE1/PT%2C+California.JPG Stories "You gotta crawl before you walk. That's what I'm trying to do, crawl before I walk." - PT, California https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/29/9j55qs7ej2kpdrgxffdpblnh7xddy4 monthly 0.5 2017-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1504055182281-O96TBVXXI0X3I4DPNS7E/Chris%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "I was married for 8 years. That's back when I was in Evansville, IN. That's where I'm originally from. I came here to go to JDAC to get cleaned out. I just decided to stay. I ain't gonna lie, I like Louisville. I had a little trouble. I've been jumped by some guys. That's why I carry that cane. I don't need that cane, I carry it for protection. They put eight stitches on top of my head, blacked my eye, didn't break nose, but bloodied it. Bruised my ribs. I just came from Labor Express, but I didn't make the cut. I just got those stitches out of my head about a week ago. They said it has to be completely healed before they let me work. I'm lucky they didn't break my skull." - Chris, Portland https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/28/ufqz6z89l9xtxewhhzek5mo8db348w monthly 0.5 2017-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1503974773195-B0NA7PCKUZWMISGY4P8N/OG+Juan%2C+Russell_1.JPG Stories "I'ma give you 9th Street goin' down & 9th Street goin' up. I ain't gon give you side to side. First of all, be you. Second of all, real is real. If you ain't real, you can't be nothing else. You fake, you fake. You shady, you shady and you won't be around me. OG Juan from the Da Ville. It's been goin for a minute. Love ya'll! Be you, follow suite. Just like spades, follow suite. It's gonna pan out. I'ma give you what's real. That's why you love me, now. Keep lovin' me, cause I love ya'll back." OG Juan, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/28/vexxa0h9k5dfn73m1jt3tbyel6ol4o monthly 0.5 2017-08-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1503959499521-4NT3MHE5O0C6N9NJTYQ9/Candra%2C+Park+DuValle.JPG Stories "Gain knowledge of self. Like, know what you really want, know how you react, know yourself. Complete understanding of self is complete understanding of others. I can't really understand and relate to you, if I don't understand me. If I know me, I know that certain situations that come my way won't be an issue. The less problems that I have with myself, the less problems I'll have with anyone or anything else. Knowledge of self makes that outside world so much easier to deal with, on a peaceful level. A lot of the times, confrontation comes from whatever a person has going on inside." - Candra, Park DuValle https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/27/l89101yyxo19b762nn5x9z1otb1u61 monthly 0.5 2017-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1503852819748-TBJDWVY7DLWGF1AFWKPJ/Brothers%2C+Russell.JPG Stories "If there was anything that I could do for the West End, I would rebuild the parks and the Boys & Girls Clubs back up. Man, when they took the Portland Boys & Girls Club and they started taking a couple more and shutting them down and stuff, like the community center over here, that killed the hood. It just kills it out. Instead of the kids going to the summer classes, they out here running around, doing whatever. It's crazy." - DeBrion & Cevon, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/27/5l419ca3ufneb6cw0wcgelqq4aslh0 monthly 0.5 2017-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1503843427635-RJ64AWW5DAEWZBUJ78F8/Queens%2C+Russell_1.JPG Stories Beautiful Queens, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/24/ov4b5pzn5bl9yeb6q3jdk3415lfzhn monthly 0.5 2017-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1503631907744-X7H8FFHBKDPLYPJ89ZJF/Ms.+Love+-+Parkland.JPG Stories "One of the happiest moments of my life would be an Amped moment. I'm from Birmingham, Alabama and I have gone through a lot of death within the last couple years. Three generations of my family died in a very short period of time. So, me and my babies moved and are here by ourselves. Amped made me know what community was. Even in the midst of my struggles and trials and tribulations, it was my birthday and they came in and surprised me with birthday cake and gifts. The whole entire Amped was singing happy birthday. That was my best Amped moment. It made me realize that I have a family here, within the community. I know that they care about me." - Ms. Love, Chickasaw https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/24/mt90qaaw1oyhfyv57aj347hj3k8etp monthly 0.5 2017-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1503631804329-IDMHBRDO1U1JXLIQ9ZEA/18th+Street-+Russell.JPG Stories King's One-Hour Dry Cleaners, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/24/e8usaggj0dsok1kh7f7bqcdnpmmewr monthly 0.5 2017-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1503630618883-1UCBJG2CW06EXP1JYUDM/Family+%26+West+of+Ninth+527+%282%29.jpg Stories "February 11th, 2012, my son came into the world and gave me another level of happiness and reason as to what my outcome in life is going to be in his eyes. My daddy always told me to go to school, keep a job, or go to the military, so I can figure out what I needed to do with my life and stay in my lane. He raised me himself, right there at 4214 Greenwood, until I graduated high school. He raised me to be a man." - Mr. Winston, Park DuValle https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/24/t67u244g6qqvnotdbc607n67g0iqfy monthly 0.5 2017-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1503629144016-H199H6WAM7TA1MHTJUOJ/West+of+9th+%232.jpg Stories "In May of 2016, I went to the Healing Place and got sober. I've been sober since then. Recovery is strong, especially down here in the west end. In Louisville, period, there's like four hundred fifty something meetings a week. It's like the recovery capital of the country. It's a big deal, man. It's a lot going on, down here. Heroin is such an epidemic, you know what I mean, so why wouldn't it be? Homelessness drove me to recovery. My family told me that I couldn't come around because they didn't want me around their kids and around their stuff. I got tired of sleeping on the street, sleeping outside. I wanted to do something different and get my life back in order. I'm 28 years old. Being homeless for the past 3 years, I had a life before that. I had a house. I had a 5 bedroom house in Bullitt County. I had a wife, I had the kids, I had everything, man. I was doing it. I gave it all away for the dope. I gave it away, it wasn't taken away. AA and the Healing Place taught me how to see my part in this shit, man. Our Father's House is like an extension. It's teaching me a lot about myself." - Robert, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/24/glb8viixyzudicl5ne8ybtq66z2192 monthly 0.5 2017-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1503630281785-PXEZYJCI28T40MUVGR5S/Family+%26+West+of+Ninth+521+%282%29.jpg Stories "Stay outta trouble. Stay out the way. As far as I know, this city is the trenches." - Adrian, Russell https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/18/qzfmnxq52bmjo7y0tvnrd9cyzh33wz monthly 0.5 2017-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1503030253668-DHKV8ET2QRSA1U1KCFT9/Walter+%26+Pernilla+-+Shawnee.jpg Stories "We've been here for 47 years. We love the area. We're right next to the golf course and near the parks. We really enjoy the area in which we're in. We met at the movies. That's when he let me know that he knew who I was. I didn't know him We were in class together, in college. He was in my math class, clownin! I was afraid of him and I made sure that I sat in the front. He was in back in the back with his friends and they gave the professor the blues. I was poor and dignified. I was a poor girl but I carried myself like a lady." - Walter & Pernilla Smith, Shawnee https://www.westofninth.com/blog/2017/8/18/pyqdon2bdnizxpnej46x7cjqcd5ytk monthly 0.5 2017-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58713d201e5b6c9fdaa2eeed/1503030138782-53VRONCWZ00QCIRYJZRF/Eflen+-+Russell.JPG Stories "Love the next person because you're never guaranteed to live the next day, you might as well love everybody you know. Simple as that. I love everyone I encounter, everybody I work with, everybody I know. That's all you got to give to people other than money. 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