Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / June 27, 1985, edition 1 / Page 14
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Opinions In The Workplace Is There A Feeling Of Community Among Black People In Charlotte? When you stop to think about it, the word “community’’ implies a sense of togetherness or unity. The word is often used to refer to a particular area or to a group of people with something in commonm such as "church community.” In the Post, we often use the phrase, "black community,” to re fer to Charlotte’s ' black popula tion. Is there a sense of com munity, though, in the Queen City? Do people work together? Can they count on one another? Employees at the North Carolina Mutual office on South Blvd. were asked this question: “Do you feel there is a sense of community among black people in Charlotte?” Here is how they responded. GERALDINE HAIRSTON, an MDO clerk, resides on Rockwell Blvd. “On a whole, yes,” she re plied. “Being black and being in several black organizations and working for a Mack company, I would say blacks as a whole tend to stiek together. I think they could improve in the area of solving pro blems together. Some blacks don’t come in contact with Mack street people, and I think we could get more invoTvecT in trying to help them.” DONNA ELLIS is office man ager. She lives on N. Poplar. 4,I fed there is,” Ms. Ellis began. “The church plays the largest role in community activity. At our church CMt. Carmel Baptist, pastored by the Rev. Leon Riddick), a lot of people come for aid with college or utilities. We have a committee set up to help people in the community." Ellis, who came from Ohio, has lived in Charlotte for three years. “I’ll never go back North to live,” she declared. ‘‘Here, people are so warm, friendly, and congenial.” MARY HINTON, of Wynbrook Way, is a sales representative. 44I do . not fed that there’s a unity among 1 Macks in Charlotte,” she stated. “There's too much envy and jea ; lousy among our people when they feel someone is doing wqll. They try to pull you down rather than hdp yop succeed.” Ms. Hinton has also lived in Charlotte for only three years. Before that, she lived in Gastonia, but “it’s even worse there,” she noted. She thinks the problem exists because “Everyone is concerned with themselves. When they get to the i»int where they’ve reached their goals, they’re afraid someone will take it all away from them.” She thinks' Mack lead ership has something to do with this. “With Martin Luther King, we pulled together. Since then, it seems we forgot what we were fighting for.” With some gains made, Ms. Hinton remarked, “We forgot the struggle. We need to get : back and work toward where we really want to go, which Is equal ity, to be looked at as a person, not as a minority.” WALLACE GREEN, an agent, lives on Farm pond Lane. Green’s initial response was simply, “There is.” Having lived in Ohio W.W. Twitty ."People cooperate" rr~* a ■ » Wallace Qreea ."Week together" tjJ Mary Hinton . - * ...“Too much enyy” before coming to Charlotte seven' years ago, Green noted that “there’s more of a sense of humor here. In Ohio, people bad a ‘don’t care’ attitude. Here, people get along much better. They work together to solve common problems, and they solve problems more quick ly than other places I’ve been. The church is very important in that regard." DALTON JOHNSON JR., a Grimes Street resident, is sales manager at N.C. Mutual. Johnson’s reply began with “Yes, but..." He added, “There should be more com munication than there is now." He advised “trusting one another and knowing that the only way we can get ahead is to work with one an other. (Me way we’re not work ing together is in business. We’re not patronizing ode another enough or .', getting ideas from one another." A Charlotte resident all his life, Johnson feels that “We’re definitely losing our sense of community. As I was growing up, we had a sense of looking out for one another. Neigh bors were closer and could inter vene as parents Now if you do that, you’re almost looking for a flgto with the parents. It’s the same way in the schools. Parents used to support teachers. Where we’re real ly messing up is in losing family ties. Now, everyone has their own identity.” W. W. TW1TTY of Madison Avenue is acting manager. “I feel a sense of community in Charlotte. * fr 3 Donna Ellis ' .“Cliurch plays rote" Dalton Johnson Jr. .“Losing community” People cooperate very well There are instances when 4 appears ' they're not cooperating but overall, they are.” Twitty has lived in Charlotte off and on since 1996. He believes there is a greater sense of community now than there used, to be. “Greater opportunities for Macks have caused us to work more closely now than in the past.” He pointed to the fact that more Macks are being elected to public office and ; more are going into business. “Blacks support black businesses,” he said. "I have supported Mack businesses. You’ll never find 100 percent of whites supporting whites or 100 percent of blacks supporting blacks, but on the whole they do,” he added, “There’s room for improve ment, though.” Ahhhh, the decisions of life. 11mm gradnatos of the Irwin Park Day Care center arc already having to make (hem. As they progress to kindergarten, parents and teacher* will have a major rale In bow they perceive Uielr edoeatlon hot the final decision to learn will be op to them. Pletnred shove are, l-r, Subscribe To THE CHARLOTTE POST 't - ^lJnS-7 -HT •* *■' Call 376-0496 Lb. WHOLE 19-23 LB. AVG. WGT. OR SHANK HALF Smoked Ham 68° Lb. _ SANDY MAC y; . . Boiled Ham SOUTH CAROUNA SWEET . Ripe OO^ Peaches . -»WW Open 8 AM to Midnight • Open Sunday • am to 9 pm ••"aww* "Knar ""zntr ~ ""anar* -HS« ”■?«? w .. __LZ6_212*—_8lvfl *t p»rk to i«t sis mi , ASSORTED VARIETlfeS B ' C *:*A> fTV/r^3 T. L.! Get your advance discotlm tokos’" t^ Hot Rod Supercruise . ,• exclusively at Kroger! 1 Charlotte frtotor SpeedwayJuty m h.k*
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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June 27, 1985, edition 1
14
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