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It’s Time for the Black Community to Come Back Home to South Phoenix
Posted On 26 Feb 2018
Written by Tremaine Jasper, Owner/Managing Editor of PhxSoul.com
If you asked me before the year 2015 if the Phoenix metropolitan area needed a predominantly Black neighborhood, I would have said, “No.”
Although racism has been alive and well in Arizona for decades, I felt like there has been a lot of harmony among people of all races over the years. I was born and raised in Phoenix, attended predominantly white schools and only dealt with a few minor racial incidents in my life. Nothing that scarred me. I still love all of my old friends!
However, the last few years of President Obama’s term in office proved that racism and police brutality is at a boiling point in America! It’s not safe for Black people to be out on an island!
It’s HIGH TIME for Black people in the Valley of the Sun to huddle up, protect each other, educate each other, do business with each other, love each other and LIVE TOGETHER in the same community!
BLACK PEOPLE in the Valley of the Sun … it’s time for all of us to return home to SOUTH PHOENIX ASAP!
We need to buy homes, rent apartments, buy land, buy commercial office buildings, open our businesses, host our events and invest time/money in our schools in the South Phoenix area!
For those who don’t know, South Phoenix was historically known as the home for African American residents. In the decades prior to the 1970s, South Phoenix was the only part of the city in which homes were sold to African American and Latino residents, due to restrictive covenants on housing. We’ve also had strong roots in Mesa (Washington-Escobedo neighborhood) but South Phoenix was where we really planted our flag.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Black residents started spreading out to other areas of the Valley such as Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, Glendale and even Scottsdale. In more recent times, we’ve moved to Gilbert, Peoria, Surprise, Avondale, Goodyear, Tolleson, Queen Creek and even Anthem!
Many of the non-Black residents in those suburbs have struggled to adjust to our presence. There have been countless racial incidents in those communities!
We will only choose to list a few recent examples:
- In January 2018, several white San Tan Junior High students were recorded on video shouting “F*** All N*****” at an off-campus party in Chandler. Black parents wanted them them punished, the Chandler Unified School District denied that request.
- In June 2017, several Black community activists revived a crusade to get Arizona’s SIX confederate monuments removed from public land. Those removal requests were denied. Arizona Governor Ducey refused to do anything.
- FYI, Arizona was not even a state during the Civil War and was not a party of the Confederacy. Many of those monuments were erected within the last 30 years.
- In February 2016, six white Desert Vista High school students wore shirts that spelled out the word “N-I-*-*-E-R” on campus and took a photograph which was posted on social media. The girls were finally punished after a major public outcry.
- In January 2014, a fraternity at Arizona State University hosted an MLK Black Party where members and guests dressed in basketball jerseys, flashed gang signs and even drank from watermelon cups. The fraternity was permanently removed from campus after a major public outcry.
The worst part about many of the racial incidents in Arizona … you rarely see any remorse from the white people involved! What’s even worse, our numbers aren’t strong enough to make those people feel any real pain for their actions! Our numbers in the suburbs are just too small to influence change for the better!
Black people have taken too many losses by thinking that we won by “moving out of the hood!”
If you’ve moved to Fountain Hills, Queen Creek, Buckeye and Surprise, how many times have you gone at least three or four days without seeing another Black person (outside of your family members)? You think you’re winning by NOT interacting with people who share your cultural heritage?
We also weakened ourselves politically by leaving South Phoenix!
In 2013, the Black community lost our foothold on the POWERFUL District 8 City Council seat in Phoenix! Why? Because the Black population was no longer the majority in South Phoenix! We didn’t have enough voters to elect the Black candidates! It’s a shame because we had a Black city councilman in that District 8 seat for DECADES before 2013! DECADES!
I can guarantee you that District 8 will NEVER see another Black city councilman unless our numbers grow significantly!
Why are we sprinkling ourselves around the Valley when we could have a STRONG, INFLUENTIAL, UNIFIED CONCENTRATION in South Phoenix?
I am resident of South Phoenix and I know there are many positives to living here:
- We still have thousands of Black residents in the South Phoenix/Laveen area.
- South Phoenix has beautiful views of the entire Valley.
- We still have many Black business owners and several Black politicians in the South Phoenix/Laveen area.
- The South Central Light Rail extension, which is set to open in 2023, will create jobs and economic development for the community.
- The struggling Roosevelt School District in South Phoenix has one of the most diverse student populations in the state. The educators, administrators and board members will benefit tremendously from an ENGAGED influx of Black parents who want to make sure their children are receiving the best education possible! Great opportunities for Black parents to become board members as well!
- South Mountain Community College, South Mountain High School, Cesar Chavez High School, Betty H. Fairfax High School and the various charter schools in the South Phoenix/Laveen area will be able to partner with African American parents and professionals to provide enhanced Afrocentric learning opportunities.
- South Phoenix is close to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, downtown Phoenix and major highways!
- South Phoenix has great community centers, parks, libraries and other facilities to host festivals and other events.
- South Phoenix has plenty of office and retail space for Black entrepreneurs to grow their companies.
- Broadway Road in South Phoenix may permanently become Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard in the near future! We should be here for that!
- We can renovate older homes and buildings on the cheap! We can fix what’s broken!
This isn’t a call for SEGREGATION, this is a call for EMPOWERMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PRIDE and UNITY!
Black people complain that we have NO unity and NO culture because we don’t have an all-Black neighborhood in the Valley! It’s time to change that now!
Do you understand how much easier it will be for us to create Black Wall Street or our own WAKANDA in Arizona if we all live in the same space?
We will be able to support own businesses and recycle our dollars among our people because we will be near each other! You can’t expect someone who lives in Queen Creek to make a daily drive to patronize a Black business in Peoria!
Information-sharing will be so much easier if the majority of us reside in the same vicinity! People of ALL races will have a better communication with the Black community because they’ll know where to locate us!
We will be able to love each other because we will be familiar with each other!
Black People in the Valley! Are you tired of complaining that we don’t have a Black neighborhood here?
If you say, “YES,” then do something about it!
It’s time to COME HOME to SOUTH PHOENIX and make Arizona overall a better place to live!
Check out our Move Back to South Phoenix Facebook Group!
Great article! We would like to meet with you to discuss our plans and views for the south side for our people. We can be reach at JPrealtysolutions17@gmail.com
You can also check us out on our Facebook Page @Jprealtysolutionsllc.
We look forward to speaking with you.
We’ll be in touch soon
Very moving article. I’m a recent resident from the Midwest. Currently in west Mesa being gouged by apartment complex (beautiful but not worth the charge). Love it here, want to stay. Looking to rent a house in a matter of months, but had no direction– until i read this. Would love more neighborhood insight. Btw, if there’s a church seeking a musician (& u know how WE get down, lol) I’m seeking that too. 😉
This is awesome. I live in Maryland and has been doing research on Arizona. I would like information on middle and high school and jobs in the health field. Love these stories and want to be apart of this journey in South Pheonix.
Hello my name is LaTanya and I am looking forward to seeing this great vision in action. I am willing to volunteer my services in any way that may be beneficial to my community. Keep pressing forward and most definitely are community will support this effort.
As a new resident to Phoenix, I have wondered where to locate our people. It wasn’t until accepting a new position in the South Phoenix area that I found that bliss. I am contemplating relocating to this area from North Phoenix and would love any info provided to assist in this transition.
This is really current…I live so far north in Phoenix that in two steps, I am almost in Canada…*joking of course*…HOWEVER, I ROUTINELY drive 40 miles ONE WAY to just see a FEW black people, find myself looking at houses in “South Mountain” area, marvel at the diversity, the spaciousness, the SCREAMING OPPORTUNITY at every turn from Broadway to Baseline, from 45th St to 45th Avenue. My optician is in SOUTH PHOENIX, my business partners are in SOUTH PHOENIX, my favorite houses of worship are in SOUTH PHOENIX, my go to spot for fried chicken is in FRYS Supermarket in SOUTH PHOENIX, as well as MOST of my friends….So for those contemplating buying or renting, head to SOUTH PHOENIX and give me MORE reasons to drive 40 plus miles to visit you…YOU PAY FOR GAS
I Beverly just want too say,your words of wisdom is so true,My grandfather came too South Phoenix in 1940.I am from Phoenix ,you right we all need to come back where we Belong,the Southside,and yes we can make things happen for the better and the Future.
Hi my Doc told me to move to Arizona Retired Love Oregon but need better weatherSo I hear south Phoenix has a good space to start
Hi my Doc told me to move to Arizona Retired Love Oregon but need better weatherSo I hear south Phoenix has a good space to start my three cats need a house or duplex with yard and garage lol
This is an awesome article. I was born and raised in South Phoenix. Both parents taught in the Roosevelt school district.My mother for 30 years plus. I am still within South Phoenix and will always be. I have always loved my community. It has grown so much. I do miss the days when I had a Black principle, teacher, music teacher, p.e. teacher in elementary school. I grew up in the predominately BLACK south Phoenix. And it was AWESOME! Seeing people like myself everyday and everywhere was beautiful. I’m hoping more of us choose to come back to South Phoenix!
I really like this article! I’m looking a relocating to Phoenix, Arizona with my two sons who are young men. I want to move to an area where I’m comfortable and they are comfortable. The South Phoenix area seems wonderful. Can you refer a real estate agent? I will be looking at being in Arizona at the end of April.
Great idea! I’m all for it! I moved here October 2016 from Houston, TX lived there for 17 years! I always wanted to live in Phoenix from prior visits. I have attended some events in South Phoenix and I love to be around my people more often and have some good neighbors! Definitely will consider moving that way me and my sons already discussed those plans when we can afford to purchase a home.
Below is a link about affordable new homes in South Phoenix Village and they are offering down payment assistance for first time Home Buyers!
https://www.fsl.org/affordable-homes-for-sale
Wow! This is all I can say is I feel more personally offended then I did before in regards to racism and prejudiceness. As I disagree that one race of people and culture is not required to all live together and be segregated. This is 2018 and we as a Black culture have a right to live wherever we can afford and be as equal as any other culture, race, color or creed! Regardless if they approve or not! It is our appointed duty and legal right under the Constitution of the United States! We as a Black culture must understand, even though we live in various parts of Arizona, it does not mean we cannot unite, communicate, patronize Black own businesses, reach out to one another and be supportive in every way. When you try to suggest that all one group of people (Black) move, relocate to one area of Phoenix, Arizona, it means you give the White culture plus just what they want and you feed right into their hands. We are as equal as they are! I for one will stand up for my equal rights and yours if need be as a Black strong leadership to all as a Black woman coming from Illinois. I know what it feels like to live in a segregated area born and raised from the Southside of Chicago, IL and yes as I’ve gotten older, graduated from college, started having a family I relocated to the North Suburbs of Chicago because yes I wanted better for me and my family and there was nothing wrong with that opportunity. Living among White people or any other race, color or creed meant nothing to me as I was color blind during my 27 years of living in the northern suburbs of Chicago before relocating to Arizona and living in the West Valley. I am still color blind but with a voice to be heard whether they the White race or any other race like it or not! I have worked in Illinois in the legal field for over 25 years and many times I was the only Black woman in my office or firm or company and also with an extensive healthcare background, I became one of the first Black women to handle over 460 physicians credentialing for Joint Commission and yet I was hired by the White race and I proved myself beyond a reasonable doubt and proud of it! Even when I first relocated to Arizona, in my position, I was the only Black overall and have and was always treated with the utmost respect. Now, its time for me to speak up and speak out in Arizona as I have lived in the West Valley of Phoenix now for over 4 years. Yes they (the community) have tried to shut me up by violating my rights to privacy but they will be in for a surprise for violating my legal rights by restricting me on Peoria Elementary Next Door because I had an opinion and once they found out I was Black they suspended my account (that I had been on since 2016) without “just cause” trying to force me to shut-up my mouth by violating the First Amendment – Freedom of Speech and the Fourth Amendment – Rights to Privacy. My rights to privacy meaning I should not have to divulge my last name or address as there are many cases of identity theft, people who will stalk you, rob you, burglarize your home and also have malicious intent. Yes, I will admit there are some in my area I’m sure that don’t like my family and I being here but if you “redline” that is violating the law as well. I had people stopping by taping their name and telephone numbers on my doorbell and they would not even allow my son to be on Peoria Elementary Next Door so I later found out how racist this particular social media was, I advise no one to be on it as it is a cliche. I have also been subjected to racism among doctors and hospitals in the Arizona area and so has my family where you have doctors who refuse to touch you, treat you and so forth because you are Black! I am a member of the NAACP and I often wondered why there is not an office in the West Valley? My son who has been gainfully employed near South Phoenix has been overlooked, passed over and then some from his employer and why because he is a Black man but they will promote White and Hispanics in an instant. I have found since living in Arizona for the past 4 years plus because you are Black you are suppose to be I guess “stupid” but that is not the case as many people from all walks of life are relocating to Arizona for a better life and opportunities. I’m not intimidated by White people or any other race! I present myself in a very intelligent fashion but if you present yourself to me in a negative fashion I will not dignify myself with a verbal response but a written one. I try to get along with everybody and sometimes you can have your race be prejudice against you for no reason. Where I come from in Illinois (southside of Chicago) is Black on Black crime but when I grew up there it was the nicest and most pleasant place you wanted to be. So in summarization of this your home is where you lay your head and that can be anywhere it does not matter the color of your skin you are an equal. Yes they here in Arizona (White race) adopt and get use to Black people becoming higher in positions of running for city council, congress, etc. as many of the old timers can’t swallow that yet. However, in due time it is coming and will be here. I’m for one will continue to speak out on issues that matter and if I can be of any assistance, then that is where and what I want to do.
12/19
I lived in So.mountain/phx 4yrs.
Other cultures have infaded the heart of So.mountain.
Off the backs of US Blacks/AA
these businesses
R taking advantage of the poor with overpricing, their
mean & extremely rude.
news flash, they don’t live in So.Phx
mountain.
So.Phx is drugs/drugs
druged invested w/high crimes, murders,
robbery’s & rapes.
(crimewatch type in your zip).
I left So. mountain in 2018.
I’m happy, safe, love my new hood
& neighbors.
it’s clean, lots of diversity, a variety of malls, shopping, metrorail, busses,safe walking or bike riding.
So.phx is very disturbing, extremely poor & dirty
neighborhood
you will see
hopelessness
homelessness
(a major issue) & despire.
the homes & businesses R not well kept.
I will never moved nor recommend So.Mountain.
Great article, I moved to Phoenix from Norfolk VA back in 2009. I bought my home in South Phoenix (19th ave & Southern area) and always loved the fact that I saw a diverse population and people of color. We were recently thinking about buying a place downtown. After searching we decided to just renovate our home and stay put in South Phoenix. We are only 5 minutes from downtown and didn’t see it worth the new loan when we have plenty of equity in the current home. In short SoPho is a great place to live.
Hello I just recently moved to Phoenix from Dallas and I’m very interested in building the black community. I would like to start purchasing real estate in our command help build up those who share my culture, vision, etc. I believe South Phoenix is a great place to start! I’ve noticed we don’t have many black owned stores (hair stores in particular), restaurants, etc that cater to us and I want to help change that! I eventually would like to extend this to South Dallas which is seeing the same shift as south Phoenix. I love my people and want US to have better and DO better.
I agree with everything stated in this article. I’m from the south side and have noticed the gentrification of the years. I am planning a monthly event called Urban Arts Market that focuses on maintaining the culture of South Phoenix and giving local artist a medium to highlight their work! It will be from September through April from 10-4!
ADDRESS: 5644 S 16th Street, Phoenix AZ, 85040
If you are looking to vend, sponsor, or have a food truck and would like to come out please email info.urbanartsmarket@gmail.com
Hope to see you all out there!!!
Hello, I am looking to move to Arizona from Ohio and open my business there. We have the same problem here in Columbus, Ohio and when I come to Arizona I want to be part of the community there. Please share with me the best zip codes for housing and business in South Pho. Thanks
Please join our Move Back to South Phoenix Facebook group if you haven’t already: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2050556921883993/
Feel free to post your questions there so our members can respond.
However, I would recommend 85040 or 85041 along Baseline Road.
Sherita,
Just curious if you ever made the move to Phoenix. My wife and I relocated here in 2019 from Columbus, OH. We love it!
I live in south phoenix and I see its potential and it is greater than ever. If you don’t get in now you won’t be able too get in. Move near the mountain for the property values as they are already becoming out of reach for most people.