ESSAY: THE TRIAL OF A CITY: CAMDEN

 

THE STORY OF THE POSTERCHILD: THE LEGEND, THE CURRENT, AND THE FUTURE AT HAND.

 

"PEOPLE GET READY"-

CURTIS MAYFIELD

 

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THE BADGE: NEW EBOOK

IN THE WAKE OF THE REPRIMANDING OF NYPD'S STOP AND FRISK:

THE URBAN CRY LLC PRESENTS  A NEW GUIDE EBOOK BY FREELANCE JOURNALIST RECORDING ARTIST ZION ANTONI ON URBAN AMERICA AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

"This ebook is written as an offering to aid in the understanding of roles, protocols,

and progressive change for the betterment of all peoples within the

aspects of this conflict. Criminology is the main interest of law

enforcement. But a man’s general legitimate livelihood should not

be the interest of law enforcements harassment. This issue is

weighed in the balances.. to whom it may concern.. apply your

weight." -

zion

THE URBAN CRY LLC 2013

WEIGHED IN THE BALANCES: DRUGS, THE AFRICAN DIASPORA, AND URBAN AMERICA

NEW EBOOK BY FREELANCE JOURNALIST/RECORDING ARTIST ZION ANTONI. A FIVE ARTICLE DISCOURSE ON THE INFAMOUS DRUG TRADE AND URBAN AMERICA.

AVAILABLE AT PAYLOADZ.COM

(CLICK PICTURE)

THE CORNUCOPIA : CULTURE SPEAKS

                                

      

           

Spending one weekend in Delaware, among my rounds I visited a Nanticoke Indian  heritage Museum. Humble in appearance, bordered by two large rooms divided by a deluxe sign in book, and lobby, filled with this Native American tribe’s relics, and elements of lineage.  On business with Family, I learned of business, land history and demographic, and the politics of the reservations thereof.  In my native American studies, I understand, fundamentally that all native Americans, as African Americans originate from the eastern hemisphere.  The east, where culture is the defining principle, the cream of society.  In one cubicle of the museum I stopped and saw a model scene, as to where, it was a fairly 19^th  or 18^th century depiction of an Indian village. Chief, elders, Brave’s engaged in rites of passage, squaw’s in development of womanhood, beauty and traditional practice.  I saw streams circle the village’s borders, and the village’s meat; host of cattle, spiritual ceremonies. The village’s bread, wheat, and husked corn. Standing there in admiration  I summed up, this scene, of this moment in time as a standard fundamental maintenance, of society, community, culture, a people.  Though this  societal standard I socially, politically, and culturally rally for, I am realistic. I acknowledge realities of history, economy, criminology and sociology.  I speak of our urban America. Our urban America is and was no utopia.  I ask for a call to struggling Families, Religious institutions, the grassroots, scholars, community advocates, urban studies departments,  schools and other resources to re iterate the cornucopia; the breadbasket.  A rally for our communities to refute the bread that exploits us, stereotypes us, degrades us, leaves us in lack, and profits off of us via industrial method.  This cornucopia, this bread, this harvest must come from within, to feed, nurture, and educate the community.  Fundamental enrichment is, cultivation.  A drill, past our current social ills to apprehend deeper roots.  I’m   willing to drill past our cemented communities, as phrased by Artist Sylvester Johnson, our “Concrete reservations” to find fortune; to cultivate a cornucopia to feed, us.  Systems, Industries, institutions, have only provided, to leave us, to perpetuate lack.   I state a clarion call for you, to re invest in your future, dig for the cornucopia for the next generation.  The cornucopia will feed. Urban America...eat to live.

Consciously yours,

Z.A

THESIS/EBOOK RELEASE

4 PAGE EBOOK/THESIS BY ZION ANTONI RELEASED 8/12. FREE COPY AND DOWNLOAD.

GENTRIFICATION: URBAN MIGRATION(ESSAY)

" Gentrification and urban gentrification denote the socio-cultural changes in an area resulting from wealthier people buying housing property in a less prosperous community.[1] Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size decreases in the community, which may result in the informal economic eviction of the lower-income residents, because of increased rents, house prices, and property taxes. This type of population change reduces industrial land use when it is redeveloped for commerce and housing. In addition, new businesses, catering to a more affluent base of consumers, tend to move into formerly blighted areas, further increasing the appeal to more affluent migrants and decreasing the accessibility to less wealthy natives."-


Wikipedia



"Ill never turn my back..ill give the slums a 'try"-


The Honorable Robert Nesta Marley O.M

Its no wonder to see inner city communities, from Chi-town, to Maryland, New York to the slums of camden and philly undergo serious transformation. Execptionally minorities have witnessed the elements of their communities change. From seeing the social conditioning of corrupt public schools, drug corners, speak easy's, number houses and community centers slowly become major million dollar food, clothing, and industrial chains. The slow burning process of gentrification didn't really hit me until i seen the shutting down and evacuation of some of the most corrupted housing projects in philadelphia, and the changes on some of the old blocks i spent time on as a child in washington heights, NY. The most recent i seen was the building of new complexes, and garages in Camden NJ, on and close to some of the more poorer surrounding neighborhoods, where some of the residents are in the process of slowly populating neighborhoods like Cherry hill NJ. The process of gentrification is always the same: prepared or not, the current residents eventually have to leave. In america, the saying is still true; among the powers that be" the richer get richer, and the poorer get poorer". From a bird's eye view of the culture, from talent, and business moves i couldn't see blacks, latino's, and other nationalities limited to section 8, housing projects etc. But putting their minds together, to secure their communities, and pursue entrepenuarship.

In american inner cities the "paper chase" is still real: and relevent to political monopoly. In most cities, through gentrification some poor regions are bought by the government, proprietors, and major businesses; while some of the poor sections stay the same, for years. These sections usually benefit corrupt law enforcement and politicians that make profits off the destruction of these communities through drugs. In my years of living in and understanding philadelphia's ghetto's, and studying the urban plight, Gentrification is one issue in the lineup that's relevent to minorities. I hope this essay encourages awareness to the American class system, the good, the bad and the ugly. Peace.

Consciously Yours,

Z.A

THEE URBANPRIESTHOOD GROUP LLC 2010