WeCanChangetheWorld

　　I’vebeeninmanyneighborhoodsthatwereuglyandmessyuntilonetimein1992whenwemovedtoFlorenceandCentral.WhenIfirstsawthisarea,Ifeltscaredandsad.Iespeciallyhatedtheblackgatethatmadeourstreetseemlikeaprison.Theworstthingswerethebadneighborhoods,drugs,violence,andhomelesspeople.

　　Onthefirstday,Icouldsmellthearomaofoldgarbagemixedwithbeerandspoiledfood.JustonesniffofthatdisgustingdumpmademevomituntilIhadnothinglefttoexit.Allthestreetsweredumpedwithpiecesofgarbagesuchasuseddiapers,usedsanitarynapkins,anddeadrats.Thestreetswerecleanedeveryday,butattheendofthedaytheyweredirtyagain.Onedaywhilewalkingdownthestreet,Ifoundadeaddogthatwasthrownawayliketrash.Ifeltsadsincethatanimaloncehadlifeandwasprobablykilledforthefunofit.

　　MynewblockwasadisasterandIneversawanypeoplearound.Theonlypeoplealivetherewereretiredpeople.Theretiredpeople'shouseswerefortifiedwithmetalbarsandhightechalarms.Theywouldn'tcomeoutoftheirhouses.Theywouldjustpeekthroughtheirwindows.Itmademeevenmorescared.Iturnedtomyfather,whohadthebrightideatomovehere,andIbeggedhim:"Dad,pleasedon'tmovehere."Heturnedaroundandsaid,"Honeywewillbringsunshinetothisplace."Afterthethirdweekoflivingthere,Ijusthatedtheplace.Isawtwogangstersinjectingdrugsandsniffingawhitesubstance.Thenextday,Isawabouttwentyusedneedlesthrowninthealley.ThenIturnedaroundandsawtwogangstersinbackofmewithbikes.Theyfollowedme,andIwalkedasfastasIcould.Mylegsseemedliketheyweretwooldturtles.MyheartwasbumpinglikeaD.J.,andthebloodwasracinginmybody.Ifeltlikedyingrightonthespot.WhileIwasinarush,Isawapolicecarpassingandthegangstersdisappeared.Ineversawthemagain.Ialsowitnessedayoungmotherforcingherchildrentobegformoney,soshecouldbuydrugs.Sheinjectedherselfwhileherchildrenwerecryingforher.I'dneverwitnessedanythinglikethatinmylife.

　　Theviolencewasalsobad.Everyday,Iheardgunsbeingshotandpeoplebeingbeatenandkilled.Forexample,anAfricanAmericancouplewereshotintheirheads.Howcanthesethingshappeninthislonesomeplace?Ifeltreallyscared,andIfeltsorryforthetwochildrenleftaftertheirparentsweretakenaway.Iwonderedwhatkindoffuturewouldbewaitingforthem.Theweirdpartwasnoonesaworheardanythingeventhoughthisincidenthappenedaroundseveno'clockatnight.

　　JustwhenIthoughttherewasnohopeleft,thesunshineappeared.In1999theblackgatewastorndown.Thealleyswereclearedfromgangsters,homelesspeople,andsmellytrash.Theblockwasbeingrebuiltandnewneighborswerecomingtobuythehouses.EverydayIsawdifferentcars,kids,andpetsmovingin.Greenplants,roses,andtreesembellishedtheblock.Thedrylawnsbecamefreshandalive.Theblockdramaticallychanged.Allofasudden,thestreetswereremadewithnewcement,andtheywerepaintedwithprettydesigns.Thestreetbecameachild'sfavoriteplace.FlorenceandCentralbecameagreatplacetoopenabusiness.Forexample,wenowhaveKFC,TacoBell,PizzaHut,McDonald's,andsmallshops.Wealsohaveapostoffice,laundromat,library,anddonutshops.ThebestshopthatIloveisthedonutshop.ThefirstthingsIsmellwhenIleaveinthemorningaregroundcoffeeandfreshdonuts.Theblockhasbec