What Happened to the Park?

Last month, I took my youngest son to Rodney Cook Park. I am very familiar with this park because about four years ago, my wife was commissioned to paint a mural there. The park is fairly new, only four years old, and I haven’t been there since the mural was unveiled. So I decided to check on the mural and let my youngest son play at the playground. The park was originally beautiful when it first opened up; the playground looked fun, the splash pad was awesome, and everything was fresh and new. The murals done by my wife and other artists were a great finishing touch on the park. Fast forward to today, there have been multiple shootings at or around the park, the playground has a considerable amount of trash, and the family-friendly park culture has diminished. What happened in that short period of time? We happened. I’m not saying all parks are like this, but I’ve seen many parks, some named after our great civil rights leaders, have been misused and abused. Why aren’t we using trash cans? Why are we perpetuating violence? Why are we exposing our children to drugs and lewdness, and in turn allowing them to practice it? As I stood watching all the activity around me and observing my son, I felt a sense of sadness. I wasn’t irritated or angry, but sad because I remembered the park when it was brand new. The park represented a safe place for generations for gatherings, fun, and growth. Whether it's a family reunion, block party, or just playing tag with the kids, the park represents a place where healthy relationships can be cultivated. Now, many urban parks have turned into deplorable situations, and we need to speak up about it. I understand that crime and bad exist in the world, and parks aren’t excluded, but neither do I think allowing issues to run amok is an option. We need to hold our community responsible for the state of our parks. Rodney Cook Park is named after an Atlanta politician who fought for African Americans to live in better areas, and the park is located in Historic Vine City, where Dr. King’s family lived in the 1960s. My wife’s mural near the basketball court is one of Magnolia Ballroom of Vine City, an event center where Ray Charles performed and Malcolm X spoke. Does the average parkgoer know this, let alone have respect for these people? I’m afraid our people don’t know or care. This isn’t a call out of my people, but a call up. Let’s address the problems we face together and work toward solutions. It starts with us having respect for ourselves and the environment we grow up. Adults need to hold each other accountable for the issues happening and, in turn, hold the children and teens accountable. Pick up after yourself if you have trash. That’s simple. Let's be mindful of what we are saying and doing around children because they are emulating us at the playground. We don’t need children cussing out other children. Let's raise the moral attitude and emotional intelligence by being examples. It is up to us to make the change because it is our park, our neighborhood. Certain other ethnic groups don’t frequent urban parks such as Rodney Cook, and one of the main reasons is that they are judging the people and the activities there. (Disclaimer: Judging the people and their environment without knowing all the factors and the systemic prejudice will leave a person uninformed and unhelpful.) I too was vigilant over my son, and I kept looking back at my vehicle because individuals kept walking past it slowly. But I was moved in a way to be positively active. The narrative of black people can’t have anything nice is getting annoyingly old, and I want to be a part of change. I want to see parents instill a sense of pride and value in their children, where they are having fun at the park, not tearing each other down verbally and physically. As competitive as basketball is, our young men shouldn’t be fighting over trivial matters stemming from a false sense of masculinity. I believe we can structure proper and consistent role models through community oversight. It is the community’s responsibility to reclaim the dignity of the parks. Allow the city to maintain law and order in the park, and allow us to maintain morality and dignity. If we want to see change, we have to take a step forward individually and work collectively. My first step is not running away from my people or the park. I have to run towards the park, just as my child does.