BUFFALO, N.Y. — Sustained support for this community is something that relies on many different things... especially making sure we never forget the lessons that have come out of tragedy.
And that hinges on the adults of tomorrow.
Local author and educator, Dr. Silvia M. Lloyd, put together a book and curriculum geared at exactly that, it is called "The Buffalo 10 Massacre: Spoken Word Poetry for Healing and Understanding.
Dr. Lloyd is from Buffalo, not far from the Jefferson Avenue Tops. She knew she needed to do something to help her community, and communities like it across the country.
Here is an excerpt from her book:
Resilience on the East Side
Perhaps the most untold story of all time: Resilience on Buffalo's East Side. How do they do it? They wonder. How do they remain dynamic and full of Joy? When city planner's abandonment and disinvestment programs proved to be nothing but a cunning ploy.
Businesses strategically redirected to more affluent neighborhoods Enacting white flight all because WE were misunderstood.
But we just continue doing our thing. Minding our business, up in Cold Spring.
Further down the road, still on the East Side, neighborhoods long abandoned by the weary blue-eyed.
My grandfather purchased several properties in the Fruit Belt when access everywhere else was denied.
All different classes of the Black community living side by side Professionals and blue-collar workers, all Black, all redlined.
Teachers, lawyers, doctors, and Bethlehem Steel workers, don't you be surprised!
Oh, we thrived! We owned our own houses, cars, boats, RV's, we were more than satisfied.
Church every Sunday. Peeps up and down the block. Neighbors so friendly, they'd nod and smile every time our eyes would lock.
Just a beautiful display of humanity.
Because nine times out of 10, they knew your whole family.
Yet, every weekday, bright and early, the white faces would drive into OUR community,
And look down on us like WE were their enemy.
-Written by Dr. Silvia M. Lloyd