My quest to improve my community with better homes initiated from the place I go to just about everyday….Instagram! Instagram can be a massive driving force for many things, and one of those things that stood out the most for me was the need to invest into my community. There is a movement happening now called #buytheblockwhere people of the community come together and make a conscious decision to buy the block (their neighborhood block) back. This movement is so powerful to me and I wish everyone would join in and decide to make a difference in their own block.
I am originally from Norfolk, VA which is minutes away from the well known tourist city of Virginia Beach. If you walk down a street in a black owned community, you will notice overstuffed trash cans, disabled parked cars, boarded up buildings, and even eviction notices on some homes. I hate to see things like this, especially for the people in my hometown.
We can do better! We need to do better! There is so much history in a lot of these buildings and communities that many don’t know, or don’t even want to know about. We drive pass these buildings and homes on a daily basis without thought. Who used to live there? Why did they move? What are the real circumstances in the surrounding neighborhoods? What can I do to help?
There used to be a Boys and Girls Club in the middle of a black community in Norfolk, VA that served as a place of refuge for kids for after school and even during the summer. Unfortunately, the Boys and Girls Club was shut down and it is now being turned into a condominium. The reason that this center closed down is unknown for me, but I feel that the city or even the community could have stepped in and saved that place for the young people. Everyone wants to holler about gang violence, a rise in crime, and shootings in the black community but never get down to the actual cases of it. In many cases, these young people don’t have anything to do with all that extra time and they usually turn to violence out of boredom.
I want to change that around! I want to save my community, save these young people from going into a life of destruction, and stop gentrification in these communities. One way that I will do this is by saving the homes in these areas. I plan to purchase homes that have been foreclosed and boarded up and turn them into affordable homes for the community. I want to hire the people in the community to help fix up these homes, which will definitely give them something positive to do and maybe even affix their minds into starting their our affordable homes project. I want to make a difference and help out those who may be less fortunate than others and show them a better way of life. One step at a time!
How you can help
I have started a GoFundMe account where I am planning to raise money through crowdfunding to purchase homes and save the community. I am planning to start with two small homes, hire people in the community to help me fixe them up, and rent them out to a families. I want to be able to buy more and more homes and even apartment complexes, fix up the neighborhood and parks, and give the black community a place where they feel welcomed and loved!
With your help, I will be able to accomplish all of this. I want my people to be able to enjoy their neighborhood and live their best life! I have so many dreams and plans for this movement that out of excitement I just can’t compose myself sometimes. I believe in the truly genuine kindness of people and with your help the Affordable Homes Initiative will be a great success!
View my GoFundMe campaign here
Giving is not about making a donation, its about making a difference.
