On A Lark

Manchester Boulevard is the jewel of Morningside Park; we simply need to shine it up. When I walk along Manchester Boulevard and I
see the cute shops such as S & S Boutique and Sa’brak and the state-of-the-art medical facilities of Smile Studio and Skin Essence, I see the potential of Manchester.

I see the potential for Inglewood to do commerce better and smaller. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like big box stores. These multinational corporations bring traffic and trash, and they take away from the character of the community. I’m not saying we shouldn’t have them, but Century Village should be the end of practically free rent deals, “no taxes” and giant stores from out of state.

We need local stores. We need local business. We need to encourage entrepreneurship. Inglewood has approximately 700 non-profits. The median income in Hawthorne is less yet they only have 289 non-profits.

Why? Who are we helping?

We need to encourage people to come to the community that reflect the demographics of our community. My neighbors have jobs and businesses. I don’t need free food or free healthcare or free anything else.

I’m happy that those services exist for people who need it, but they need to be where they are appropriate not just in spaces where we have intentionally empty plots. Those empty lots can be community gardens, pocket parks, outside libraries or public art.

I work and pay for things.

And I’m done with being silent about the 700 nonprofits within the nine-square mile area of Inglewood. It makes no sense for those of us trying to make Inglewood the “City of Possibilities.”

I’m taking my city back; please join me.

Let’s take our community back from the media, from the exploiters of stereotypes, from the people who don’t live here and won’t respect the beautiful history of our wonderful town.

Let’s make it hard for people who want to use and exploit the community for profit; let’s make it easy for people who invest their own money, time and sweat into bringing the structure of Inglewood in line with the people.

It won’t be easy, but spring cleaning is always a little bit challenging.