Perhaps, I will survive

I have a love hate relationship with C-town Mo thugs. Growing up, I spent summers here having a fabulous time. But when I was forced to move here with one year left of high school, all that love shit stopped. I hated Shaker Heights HS (yeah, I said it). A school that prides itself on being 50% black and 50% white, and is segregated as Montgomery, Alabama in 1965. All of the students grew up together, and I was the new girl who supposedly thought I was better than everyone else because I was from NY (Keep in mind, the only thing I ever said about it was "I'm from NY and I miss my friends) You want to see the discrepency among how black children fare in school versus others ( the N&N syndrome shout out to DP) on display, Shaker is a fine place to see it. Only a few black students were in the AP and honors classes with me--all the same ones all the time. The rest, many who came from money, (cause Shaker ain't cheap) spent time driving nice cars, getting C grades, and hanging out on the black side of the school. They were in lower level classes, and were too busy trying to pick the "right car for the image" . Now, I know Shaker tracks kids, and in the Black cases, higher level classes sometimes have to be fought for, but it seems that some of the Black parents where expecting their children to be successful through osmosis. Needless to say, when NYU came calling, my behind was out like a scout on a new route.

But, my fam is here. So, I have come back to Cleveland relatively regularly--the obligatory twice a year( Christmas and Thanksgiving) But this year, I have been in Cleveland 6 times and now am here for a summer internship with a bank that is in community development. As a community development nutcase, It is probably i one of the best opportunities in Community Development Lending for me, so I couldn't rightfully turn it down.

in my first week, I have learned so much. I have spent time looking at properties in the worst parts of town--blocks and blocks of abandoned structures and blight. And my boss has bought me lunch everyday. What more could a fool like me ask for?

So, stay tuned. I'm sure the drama will be comical.