Change Can Happen

Before I get into the text, I want to say how much I enjoyed reading Jonathan Kozol’s “Amazing Grace”.  This text was extremely eye opening and almost unbelievable.  I cannot even imagine living in the circumstances he writes about at any age at any point in my life.  But, the sad part is, you never know if you could end up in this predicament. 

Kozol writes on living life in Mott Haven.  Mott Haven is known as the poorest and most racially segregated town in our nation.  It consists of drug dealers, prostitution, crimes, and innocent people trying to survive on a daily basis. 

In this poor town is a church on St. Ann’s Avenue called St. Ann’s Church.  It is said that the men, women, and children who come to this church are the “poorest of the poor” but, “In one of the most diseased and dangerous communities in any city of the Western world, the beautiful old stone church on St. Ann’s Avenue is a gentle sanctuary from the terrors of the streets outside”(6).  Even with the lives that these individuals live, they are still praying and looking for hope to brighten their day, week, year, or life.  And, as Kozol speaks with a few people who attend the church he is able to see this exactly.  Whether it is Cliffie, the seven-year-old boy who sees the bad but looks for the good, or his mother who is proud of how her son is living his life despite their circumstance.  This one instance speaks for the many individuals who try to escape the outside world of their dangerous and scary lives by coming to the one calm place they know and treasure.

Although Kozol saw Cliffie’s life while inside the calm church he then also sees it while out in the dangerous neighborhood he calls his home.  Kozol has Cliffie show him around and asks him questions on the way.  One instance that really opened my eyes was when they were walking by a vacant lot.  In this lot were old parts along with needles and crack containers.  As Cliffie points to these objects that not every seven-year-old would recognize he says, “The day is coming when the world will be destroyed. Everyone is going to be burned to crispy cookies” (10).  This honestly broke my heart.  First off that he even knows what needles and crack containers are is devastating.  Cliffie understands that these objects are bad and that they are ruining not only others life but his as well.  This young boy is having to grow up way too quickly and should not need to encounter these types of incidents. 

Along with Cliffie and the other members of the church, Kozol also talked to Alice Washington and her son.  Them too felt unsafe in their own home, and overall in their lives.  Mrs. Washington was sick and had much difficulty with the hospital.  She felt unsafe in the hospital that usually is considered a “safe place” and also in her own house.  While staying home and hoping to get better she struggles with the heat and staying alive, “You know it’s dangerous to do it but you got to go outside. You either go outside and take your chance or else you roast inside the house” (19).  Since it was summertime, the heat and humidity built up and made it difficult to breath within her home and with her illness.  But, she was afraid to even open her window to get some fresh air.  Mrs. Washington again explains the difficulty of living life in Mott Haven.  Basically, while trying to stay alive, she is risking her life. 

Overall, through “Amazing Grace” by Kozol I received a new perspective on how some people struggle everyday to stay alive.  From such a young age to such an old age these individuals are struggling no matter how hard they try or what their lives may have been like before.  And the upper class people are not helping at all.  Whether they pay no attention, dump their trash in the poor towns, or send whatever they do not want to the poorer sections of town, it is only making life worse for these innocent individuals.  

Above is a picture of a Mott Haven backyard when this article was written in 1995.  I feel as if this may just sum up the living conditions in this part of town.  

News Article from 2011

This news article from the New York Times was written sixteen years after "Amazing Grace".  I found it very interesting to read on how Mott Haven is doing nowadays.  From this article the changes are seen.  Although it is still considered a little challenged it is filled with potential and seems better than before.  It consists of new residents who are only looking to make their new home better than ever.

Below are some more recent pictures of Mott Haven.  From these, you would never expect the stories from "Amazing Grace" to have occurred here.  But, they did.  Imagine what these exact spots may have looked like sixteen years ago!!!

CHANGE CAN HAPPEN!