This is Germantown

by YahNe Ndgo

Photos

Top: Antonia Rodriquez.

Second: Young men with planters.

Third: Welcome to Our Block.

Fourth: Marianna, junior block captain.

Fifth: Hope Campbell, block captain.

Sixth: The Blacksons.

In the ground and in planters Coleus, a flamboyant red plant, was found at the threshold of almost every home along the unit block of West Rockland Street.  “These all came from one plant,” explained Aine, one of three block captains who inspired the neighbors to answer the landscaping call when they signed the block up to receive plants for their gardens this past Memorial Weekend.  Emaleigh, Aine’s sister and fellow block captain described that day. “We planted all day, instead of barbecuing, or going to the beach.”

And again on Tuesday, October 4th, they are pulled together as they put the last touches on their homes, grabbed trash that has blown onto their street, and adjusted the boards and signs on their porches from which they fastened balloons, fully prepared to be judged as entrants into the City of Philadelphia’s, Philadelphia More Beautiful, Clean Street Contest.  Just for entering, they were given $150.  But if they win, they will have earned up to $1000 for their block.  They are also in the running for the City’s Transformation Award.  The mood is one of excitement, but even more dominant is the pride as the neighbors recount the steps that got them there. 

“This used to be an organized block,” recalled Cora Blackson.  She and her husband Paul have lived on Rockland Street for 38 years.  In the good old days they had block captains who organized block parties, fashion shows, dance shows, cooking classes, and tutoring by students of Bryn Mawr and Haverford College.  Next door, Antonio Rodrigues, a 40 year resident, raised six children on this block.  His daughter Carmen Rodrigues, a teacher at Logan Elementary School, moved across the street, four doors down from Ada Pullet, also a 40 year resident.  As Emaleigh showed pictures of the street’s transformation, Ada waited to share her pride: pictures of the Silver Stars, the old drill team for whom she and other neighbors would sew costumes, raising money for hats, boots, batons and drums.  “Then, all that stopped in the 80’s,” Paul Blackson lamented, remembering the passing of some neighbors, including their former block captain.  Others lost their homes through foreclosures, or just moved away, and when new people moved in, they didn’t become engaged right away.  Cora recalled that the block changed, and many neighbors barely spoke to each other, because they didn’t know each other.  So how did those red plants end up in everyone’s garden?

“It started with the poop.” 

Aine explained that by about three years ago, as they saw the deterioration, she and her sister realized they were at a crossroads.  “We had to decide that we were going to do something,” said Emaleigh, “or we were gonna have to move.”  They decided to stick around and reconnect with their neighbors, and together they took on projects to improve their surroundings.  One big project was an empty lot at the bottom of the block.  Enlisting their neighbors’ help, they went to clean the debris and trash, including construction waste, mattresses, furniture, drug paraphernalia, and these clear plastic bags.  When they got in there they realized that those bags were full of dog poop – all identical and thus compliments of the same person.  “There were literally over 200, 300 bags of poop in the lot,” Emaleigh remembers. “It’s incredible to me that someone picks it up and then throws it in the lot.”

Once they got those 300 bags of poop out, more people joined in and they began to have regular clean ups.  At the same time, Hope Campbell, third block captain, also known as Aunt Anan, began to distribute lunches for the kids, and to regularly rope the street off after having it designated as a play street.  They began to participate in the sprinkler system, which allows hydrants to be turned on with a special sprinkler supplied by the Philadelphia Fire Department when temperatures exceed 80 degrees. 

Karen Briscoe painted hop scotch, dodge ball and king ball courts on the street, and Hope cleaned a lot across the street from her, and next to Mecca Bey’s vegetable garden.  She transformed it with plants and flowers because she likes to “have [her] coffee and look at something nice.”  She also sweeps the top of the street every morning, and partners with Al Robinson to plant and maintain a garden for Ursell Mangum.  Al no longer lives on the block, but goes every day to help his mother and take care of her garden.  Ursell lives between Hope and Al.  Although she doesn’t have a green thumb, “she does a lot,” including fundraising for the children’s activity.  As the transformations progressed,  Rockland began having regular clean ups, and have now participated in the Philly Spring clean-up for three years.

When the block captains signed Rockland Street up for the Grow this Block program, and over 30 households participated last Memorial Weekend, many starting gardens for the first time, Mayor Nutter caught wind and days later, showed up on the street.  He learned that many exciting things were happening, but that they were plagued with some problems, including two dilapidated, abandoned houses adjacent to the lot.  Shortly thereafter, Nutter sent a crew and the homes were torn down.  Now, the three combined plots form a mulch lot.  But they have plans to partner with neighboring organizations to make it a community and a teaching garden.

Marianna Leonard, the nine year old junior block captain plans to help with that.  With the help of her sister, Tia White, she reminds people not to litter, encourages other children to refrain from fighting and rough play, and assists along with her peers in the gardening.  Marianna’s Canna plant has now grown as tall as she, and is on display as the centerpiece of her front yard, ready to be proudly pointed out to the caravan of judges, when they arrive.

“The Clean Block Contest is intended to motivate and excite block residents, recognize them for their achievements, and to hold them up as an example to the rest of the City (City of Philadelphia Website).”  Well, Rockland Street residents are excited, and have exemplary achievements as well.  The street and lots are cleaner, the curbs, porches, doors and windows freshly painted, and the gardens more developed.  The children have a safe place to play and are engaged in their community. 

Roz Rahman loves the increased appreciation for the elders who have been here for 40 years, and that renters are engaged in the revitalization, and not just home owners.  As demonstrated by the Coleus found on the porches and in the yards, these efforts have brought them together.  Says Rahman, “This isn’t just a block, it’s a community.” 

Hope Campbell echoed that sentiment.  What meant the most to her was “to see the block come together and be one.”

This, is Germantown.