Old Fourth Ward Research Project

Moving to the Fourth Ward neighborhood in Atlanta has been like stepping into a rabbit hole that has expanded into a wormhole.  The more I explore this area of the city, the more information, history, and resources accumulate and swirl around me.  It’s like every wall that I touch melts and unleashes a deluge that overwhelms me.  At this point in my adventure, so many starting points have blossomed that I’m finding it nearly impossible to pick one.  

In sensing my indecision, the universe seems to have picked a starting point for me.  While working with my good friend Ricci, we stumbled upon the nation’s first “Negro-owned” radio station, WERD.  With synchronicity working its fateful magic, we later discovered that the station was housed on the floor above his salon/museum.  So, I’ll be spending the next five days compiling research in advance of a block party that we will be throwing at the end of the month.

At this point, one of my primary goals of creating community gardens and a weekly flea market are just a hop and a skip from the powerful community leaders who can facilitate the manifestation of these concepts.  Only now am I really beginning to realize what the words community, value, sharing, and growth mean.