Have you ever heard of:
- Wrong side of town
- The other side of the railroad tracks
- The poor neighborhood (hood)
- The ghettos (my least favorite and most racially charged)
- The streets
- Disadvantaged community
- Working-class neighborhood
- Slums (another bad one)
- I could keep going but I’m not gonna
What is the stigma around these communities? What is the intent behind these descriptors? Is it to remind us of our place and that we should want to be somewhere else? Is it classism? Is it racism? Why is there a wrong side of town to flee?
I am talking about communities that work their ass off to keep what they have, stay alive, and try to prosper. Sounds noble. That is the goal for everyone, right? To live long and prosper.
As you go through your week think about how you view different communities. Marinate on it.