Community Residents Take Un-Orthodox Site Seeing Tour

12/16/11

Community Residents Take Un-Orthodox Site Seeing Tour

After numerous attempts to bring the Carlisle Development Group to the table to make sure they remain accountable for doing sustainable developments in the communities of Northside, Brownsville, Liberty City and Overtown. After repeated refusals to meet every time from Carlisle, The Miami Workers Center, Low Income Families Fighting Together and Power U along with residents of these communities boarded a bright red Double Decker Bus with signs, banners and their voices to take a sightseeing tour of these communities. Over the past ten years Carlisle has received 1 Billion dollars in public funding for such developments.

Past developments without accountability have led to disastrous results time and time again. There would be construction done without hiring those in the community, a lack of institutions that are sustainable for the community and destruction of longstanding businesses and buildings that were integral to community. “The Children should not have to suffer for the lack of opportunity for their parents in any community” was the passionate cry of resident Matthew Bird. Bird continued, “What we need is better jobs for residents; opportunities, affordable housing, better environment and second chances for felons!”

The communities have been adversely affected by developments from the past. On the bus tour the organizations, residents and press were told story after story of how vibrant and powerful the communities were at one point and then how they lost that vibrancy and power over time.  There was energy of restoration amongst all on the Bus as the Double Decker slowly went through the communities passing Carlisle sites in various stages of development.

“I wanna fight to make sure that Liberty City and all the other communities return to their days of glory,” said Emma Ladson in a very loud resolute voice. This was met with unanimous approval; the only seat where sound was obviously not coming from was that of Carlisle CEO Matthew Greer, which had a picture of him in his place.

The final stop on the tour was in Liberty City where long time resident Mr. Tyrone Green got a chance to tell the story about Liberty City using the fate of businesses and people made homeless over time. In response to this he started the chant “It ain’t going down like that!” This chant was repeated by all and was met with a powerful energy from all in attendance.