REFLECTION: Walk #20, McKinley and Millbrook, walking neighborhoods to the south until we bump up against Hwy 180.
We parked in the parking lot of Trinity Christian Fellowship with the permission of Joel. Thank you Joel! Walkers had never heard of this church, but it is a beautiful property with multiple buildings, playground equipment, grass areas, and office/living space. And from the cars in the parking lot and the sign announcing services, they have a lot going on here. I asked Joel if people from the neighborhood attend the church. He said that some do but many commute to this church from outside this neighborhood and from up north. As we walked way, Joel told us to be careful. The neighborhood streets between McKinley and Olive are nice older homes, most maintained, but many struggling. A family of about 10 people were loading two cars with picnic supplies and camping chairs for what seemed like a day out somewhere. We exchanged greetings: Buenos dias.
A very interesting street is Floradora, with railroad tracks going right down the middle island of the street. Weeds and trash have accumulated so it doesn’t seem the tracks are used. These tracks are just feet from sidewalks and front yards. Not many people out this morning, but those we saw were south-east asian, or hispanic, or black, or caucasian – a mix or mostly racial minorities. I point this out because walkers have talked about how racially segregated neighborhoods are. De facto segregation.
Once we crossed Olive, there were many more boarded up houses and duplexes. The most I have seen on any one walk. JD Rentals has signed posted on most of these. There were at least 3 burned out houses. A couple with fences and locks, but one or two were open.
Walkers asked these questions: How must it feel to live next to boarded up, abandoned properties? How must it feel to walk by your neighbor’s house that is burned out? How must it feel to walk by a pile of disposed household furniture and items? At least a dozen front yards of boarded up houses were FILLED with garbage and large furniture.
A walker commented that some things about the house might indicate the trade/skill of the person who lives there: Landscaping trucks and trailers, a taxi parked in a front driveway, luxury cars with dents and damage, a beautifully polished heavy wooden front door on a dilapidated tiny house.
At First and Clay we walked through a Vietnamese market. We could have been in Vietnam or China. Two men were up early getting the place ready to be open for business.
Like almost all neighborhood walks, there were some churches. Two were boarded up. One was Seventh Day Adventists and the parking lot was filling up. We walked by Yosemite Middle School which is very nice and well cared for with green lawns, shade, courtyards, and playgrounds. It was completely fenced in with locked gates.
We met Cary who was test riding the motorized bicycle be assembled. He said he could hook me up with one (see photo). We met Luis and Caesar showing off their remote control car. They seemed proud to show it to us.
We met a women and two children in the flower garden around their house, clearly taking great care in their yard and beautiful flowers. The mother only spoke Spanish but the children spoke to us in English and interpreted for the mother.
Walks are increasing empathy between the walkers and the people of Fresno. These are our brothers and sisters sharing this space of Fresno. All of our lives and our futures are tied up together. And somehow that perspective increases understanding and decreases blame. And with understanding, relationships can be reconciled and healed. Fresno needs healing.
