Construction Workers in Gary Don’t Look Like Us
Photographs were taken by Versie C. McClay Chatman. All rights reserved.
In driving around Gary, Indiana, I could not help but notice that there is a considerable amount of construction going on. In addition to that Gary, Indiana is a predominately African American city. That being said, these Construction Workers don’t look like us. In other words, they aren’t black and/or African American.
Before I go on, I know they say the truth is the new hate speech, but here goes the truth. Call it what you will.
As I stated above, Gary, Indiana is predominately African American or Black. However, oftimes when you see major work, construction workers aren’t African American. They literally line our streets with white workers, including white Hispanics. These Construction workers, don’t look like us, and oftimes they don’t even speak English fluently. Only Spanish. In Chocolate City, a/k/a Gary, we speak English.
Photographs were taken by Versie C. McClay Chatman. All rights reserved.
We have a community lined with corner gas stations, all owned by Arabs. Hair care stores owned by Asians, and now white Hispanics. Economically we own nothing. Yes Black lives matter, but equally as important is a black economy. Just like everyone else. If we even venture into Hispanic, Arab or Asian communities, how many Blacks work in their communities? Zero.
But … and there is always a but. . .
Everyone comes into the black community for jobs. Venture down to DCS and go on the top floors, and the workers are no where near predominately black. DCS workers are predominately white, including white Hispanic, Not predominately black, and after they get off work, they fast forward to their communities outside of Gary, Indiana.
I ask you again, how many African Americans work in non-African American communities? Even if we go into white community whites, including white Hispanics outnumber African Americans by 10 to 1.
Now white hispanics can even work in Gary government, without so much as being a resident and live in Lake Station. Go count on one hand if this would ever happen in predominately Hispanics Lake Station. Nope. Nada. Never.
If you venture into Save More on Broadway in Gary, and so happen to go in; the butchers are all white Hispanic and proudly speaking Spanish. Oftimes they can’t even answer a question in English. They don’t understand it. Go fucking figure.
Photographs were taken by Versie C. Chatman McClay. All rights reserved.
So why do we continue to let this happen? I want someone who is qualified to go and apply for a government job in Lake Station. A black person, and see how far you get with that.
Gary’s unemployment rate is in the double digits, and it will always be in the double digits until we build a black economy that can employ black folks, and especially men and our youth. We have to come together and build a fund to help acquire black businesses because lord knows, any monies earmarked to start a business, are not going to be given to black folks. We don’t qualify, still don’t after 4oo years. We don’t have a fighting chance.
While the white Hispanics work inside, business is as usual on the outside, where a black man tries to pick up pennies on a dollar in asking to help you get your groceries to your car. Go freaking figure.
Photographs were taken by Versie C. Chatman McClay. All rights reserved.
