It was standing room only at a discussion between representatives from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Africatown Community. Community members went around the room voicing their concerns about flooding & drainage problems in Africatown’s Historic Cemetery, stormwater runoff, environmental pollution & loss of land problems due to industries in the area, a traffic problem due to bridge and road expansions, overflowing sewage and neglect by the City of Mobile and the Mobile County Environmental Management Agency. This meeting in Africatown is one of only 10 such community meetings conducted by the EPA & HHS in the entire country where the results of their question and answer period will shape government and community involvement for years to come.
Africatown was chosen as one of the 10 communities to interview because of its many various forms of negative things happening that has resulted in a negative effect upon Africatown’s residents. In addition, it is nationally known that Africatown residents won’t bite their tongue and will say what they feel about any question asked and man, did they have a lot to say. The meeting was supposed to end at 7:30 but the lights had to be blinked before the crowd started to leave at 8 pm.
The EPA section of the meeting was especially informative because of the way the EPA rep described how “dead set” the EPA is about getting millions of dollars directly to the communities. Direct financial community investment is where the money can do the most good to help under served communities improve their quality of life.
The meeting was hosted by a collaboration of Africatown organizations C.H.E.S.S., MEJAC, The FOUNDATION & Yorktown Baptist Church.
Dr. Major Joe Womack USMCR (ret.)
251-404-9558
Leader, Doer, Storyteller
