Local Photos

I had/am having dinner with a friend tonight. He showed me some photos that he had posted online. He had some great photos. I love seeing photos of the area because they catch a moment in time that we typically miss. Maybe we need a flickr TrinidadDC group. We also talked about one of my photos that I really like (more for the context than for the actual photo) from a walk through in Langston Terrace.

But I do like this photo. When I first posted it I called it "The Guardians." That was because of the stance that I saw them take. One cradles a football and another clutches a metal pipe. Immediately before I took the photo I had spoken to these kids about the public art located a few feet away. At least one of the kids (the front one) appears in one of my other photos from the series that I shot that day. The walk through was prompted by a series of shootings. A week or two before this photo was taken some school children found a body within 20 feet of the elementary school. This photo was taken in late 2006. My dinner companion (who used to work for Child and Family Services in DC ) tried to play theoretical where are they now based on statistics. His stats were grim. I have no idea where these kids are now, but I wish better for them than what he forcasted. If anyone does know where these kids are now (or if you are/know them and want a copy of the photo) drop me a line. At the time that I shot these photos I was writing a long paper on public housing and Langston Terrace was once of my subjects. This is one of my photos that I look back on fairly frequently.

On a related note, I was at the Trinidad Rec with the same friend. The Rec recently received 4 (only 4?) basketballs for play but no pump. My friend donated a pump, but I think this illustrates an important issue of undersupply/under-smartsupply for local recs. I'm not saying this is the fault of any politician. I think it's DPR, but regardless these recs need supplies. A basketball costs between 5 and 10 dollars. Can we not provide more than 4? And can we not provide a pump? Trinidad is not Cleveland Park, but I think we can step up on small stuff like this even if it mean citizens speaking out at meeting, or donating some money. We can spend millions on rec centers with indoor, and outdoor basketball courts. That's awesome, but it won't do shit if the kids don't have basketballs.

STEP UP PEOPLE. If you play basketball, or soccer, ect. (even a little) VOLUNTEER. The recs need all the help they can get. If you don't play sports you can still volunteer for other activities, or donate to your local rec. Our community needs all the help it can get. Email inked78[at]hotmail.com to find out how you too can get involved.