Homes are inherently historical; they come with memories, and memories come with emotion. As we interview homeowners in preparation for the upcoming Community Powered Revitalization blitz, however, it’s become clear that men and women in this community experience the past in different ways. Some of them are fleeing from thoughts and feelings they never invited…

Read More

Community Powered Revitalization requires an intense amount of planning. Every blitz sees hundreds of volunteers at dozens of work sites, each with its own set of specific needs and tools for the job. So when heavy rains delayed the Fall event in 2018, we were worried. Pushing back, even by a few weeks, meant juggling…

Read More

Most of us get to choose the life we live. Our parents might set us on a certain path, but we decide where it ends; what twists and turns we walk along the way. Barbara and Lewis didn’t always get that opportunity. Their education was shaped by a national conflict; their careers decided by cultural…

Read More

Every square inch of Selma’s house shouts that three generations share the space. Toys, water tables, and a trampoline take up patches of the overgrown backyard. Multiple sets of muddy handprints adorn the wall above the water hose. The porch is littered with scooters and athletic shoes. The bathroom counter is a sea of pastel…

Read More

It’s hard to imagine a more unassuming City Hall than the simple rectangular brick building in Everman. Mayor Ray Richardson is ready and waiting in the lightly appointed entryway when I arrive. Craig Spencer, the city’s Director of Emergency Services, follows right on his heels. Both men have agreed to give a driving tour of…

Read More