The Trenton Times guest opinion column published the following piece on October 27, 2013. To read the full opinion, click here.

Opinion: Clean-up block parties could be contagious in Trenton

By Times of Trenton guest opinion column 
on October 27, 2013 at 5:16 AM, updated October 27, 2013 at 5:17 AM

By Pastor Pearlie Murray

Would it be nice to wake up one morning, regardless of the season, and find that all the streets of Trenton were clean — garbage-, trash- and crime-free? I am not talking about any superpower that would suddenly appear out of the comics of Marvel Comic Books, but from the sweat and hard work of the residents and their amazing power to overcome the stigmas of Trenton.

A month ago, concerned residents of Garfield Avenue were invited by East Ward Councilwoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson to walk through the neighborhood with Police Director Ralph Rivera, Inspections Director Cleveland Thompson and Public Works Director Luis Mollinedo to point out problem properties, both vacant and occupied.

Having targeted properties that were in poor condition and an eyesore to the community, the Garfield Avenue Civic Association held a meeting with the residents and they all agreed to host a block clean-up.

Past block parties worked and they were a lot of fun. Residents of a neighborhood would host a party for the entire street by blocking it off. Everyone would eat, drink, dance and play games. There were no disturbances, shootings or profanity. Everyone was social. It was a function that engaged the whole family.

If we could lay aside our differences and take a real look at our communities and take a stroll down memory lane — which every neighborhood has — we will see that it was not the city that swept in front of our houses; bagged our trash; mowed our lawns; painted our porches, steps or houses; planted flowers and gardens. It was us.