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Last Updated: Oct 21st, 2007 - 09:55:08 |
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I just want to say: that I moved to San Luis Obispo County roughly 11 years ago. I had always dreamed of moving to San Luis Obispo County. Like so many, as a child I would come to this pristine area to fish and camp with my family. My granddad, who was a construction contractor, came to this area during the 1960s and was involved in various building projects. I regret that my family back in then did not choose to purchase property here because, back then, the land was dirt cheap. But due to the negative experiences my family encountered in ‘the Deep South, they chose to stay away from long term rural commitments.
This area has been a magnet for attracting certain types of individuals. For a very longtime, it was seen as a very prosperous and producing land. So many came here as oil drillers, miners, dairymen, fishermen, and more. All these professions were focused on taking from the land and ocean. These White settlers originated from Norway, Sweden, Italy, Spain and Portugal by way of the deep South. I should also mention the Mexican and Filipino component. Many of the various ethnic groups have learned to stick together in this county. There is a matrix of support groups developed along cultural lines but the Black community here falls short in support. There are, however, various families who are well-established in this county who provide support to those people in their immediate circles.
I just want to say: that over the past century, African Americans have contributed greatly to this area. We have designed a major dam; Lopez Lake, we have owned motels, stores, and been involved in the economic uplift of this county. We have a history in this area. It seems to me that at some point there has to be a real insurgent of African American Pride in San Luis Obispo County.
From World War I until the mid-90s, this area prospered from the military industry. A good amount of San Luis Obispo County's Black population migrated here through the military. The military has generated many jobs but the military also has created many environmental nightmares. They have polluted many, rivers, lakes, pastures, mountainsides and the ocean. The prison industry has also produced various economic opportunities for this county Blacks. But the correction industry employees are used to lock up people of color . Unfortunately, this industry encourages a certain type of mentality that does not respect diversity, or those same people of color. In addition, this industry has also contributed to a negative environmental impact on the ecosystem. There are various other industries such as a major university, which produces some degree of diversity but does not seem to encourage free thinking or a challenge to the status quo.
Nowadays many African Americans are locked out from benefiting from the economic prosperity in this county. We find ourselves not able to sit at the table of opportunity. We're not connected to the land. We're not major players in any economic arena. We have one token political leader with no power. Our Black churches have become out of touch with the youth. There is no legal support system in place. We have no newspaper or radio station. We are stuck in a reality that is stagnating and very repressive; somewhat like the Deep South 50 years ago.
The social fabric has gaping holes— there is no collaborative effort made to solidify the middle-class and the lower class. When I came to this county 10yrs ago, I was a member of the middle class. The reality today is that I will leave as a member of the lower class. I did not come to this county broke, injured or a criminal. But yet, because of my outspokenness about our social ills— affordable housing, appropriate healthcare, legal disparities, academic access and more, I have been labeled an outcast by the local bigots. I find in doing research that there have been many who have come to this area with a desire to assist the less fortunate but, like me; they found themselves up to their neck in crocodiles. There is a deep rooted hatred towards anybody who wants to shake up the social fabric in this county.
Over the past 20 years there has been an increasing migration of retirees. A lot of these retirees are part of a "White flight" aiming toward a "designer community" like San Luis Obispo, whose cost-of-living is so ridiculously high that it inhibits most people of color from existing here. These retirees have been one of the major influences on jacking up the price of living here. Many of them bring their close mindedness and mean-spiritedness to this county.
I just want to Say: I have not given up on this county. For the majority of my life I have always seen this county as a special place. I must leave this county so that I can obtain appropriate healthcare. I must leave this county so I can obtain the proper coordination of my rehabilitation services. My goals are to complete my requirements for a master's degree within the next four years. Unfortunately this county does not create a supporting, nurturing environment for an African American with a backbone. I'm constantly encountering levels of institutional racism and incompetence. When you speak up about the inequalities, you get retaliated against. There's no watchdog, no oversight, no accountability, just outright corruption. I must relocate to a place that will provide peace of mind. I am a middle-aged man who still has resources to share. If I can find myself in a better place four years from now, I would love to come back to this area as a property owner and as a director of a viable nonprofit. I just cannot see myself beat-up daily, falsely accused; being relegated to living as a second-class citizen any more.
So after 10 years of constantly trying to be a positive influence in this community, I to must do like so many African Americans and leave this place, which is so dear to me. I cannot survive on the beauty alone. I must have cultural support as well as healthy relationships. I believe over the next five to 10 years this area will change for the better. I believe that some of the various mean-spirited individuals will pass on. I think the future is with the youth. I think if we can reach the next generation; things will become better for all.
I just want to Say: The Central Coast, San Luis Obispo County, is an experiment that may take some time. I will have to put it on a back burner and let it simmer for a while. I was born in the city but spent many years in the country. Some people used to call me a country boy from the city. I take pride in the urban experience but I do believe there has to be an effort made to reconnect African Americans back to rural land. I think the concept of township is so important. We have to learn as Black tourists to these rural areas to target our Black dollars. There are so many fledgling African American rural communities scattered nationally. They are in need of economic lifelines. They are in need of legal support systems. They are in need of appropriate medical care.
It is important for us to read the teachings of Col. Langston and Col. Alansworth, these visionaries were the forefathers of The African American Townships Movement. There has to be a redefining of the African American experience in rural areas!! No longer should we be just bystanders. We have to become players in the rural experience. Too many of us have become locked up in the urban experience. There is an important paradigm involved in connecting the Blacks in the city to the Blacks in the country. I will dedicate the remainder of my life to reconnect my contacts in big cities to my contacts in small town settings. Black people must reconnect to the land!
I just want to Say: to my brothers and sisters I will be an advocate for the African-American in the small town as long as I am breathing.
I will create an institution that will continue long after my death;
'The Timbuktu Resource Center'.
Thanks for reading what I had to say!
On the Frontline,
Reginald A. Fagan
© Copyright 2006 SeeingBlack.com
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