Picture this, you’re 12 years old (still in grammar school) and hear an announcement saying school is suddenly shutting down in the middle of the day, It’s a random Wednesday and you’re told to get home safely to your parents. You walk home and see people crying, everyone’s confused, and there’s tons of cop cars flashing their lights. Yellow tape crowds the streets and you find out by your mom, the lady at the corner store had been robbed, shot… and left to die. The same store you went to for “Quarter Waters” and Swedish Fish your whole life! As a kid, these were the streets I played in and where I went to quench my thirst on hot summer days.  Not only did it hit home, it was less than a block away, so it was home.  For many Jersey City natives, this was (and still is) reality. I know on October 30th 2006, it was mine.

Fast forward a bit, and going to high school meant walking through metal detectors daily. Fights breaking out left and right, the school being on constant lockdown, and a constant, “Wow she’s pregnant, too.”  But to me, it was one of the greatest experiences because it’s not about what things are, but about what you decide to make of them.

I’m not here for pity parties or anything else you may want to facetiously offer me. But an open ear, a sound mind, and overall positivity will fare much better. I wasn’t asked or told to write this article by anyone but myself and if there’s anything I want you to take from it, it’s that Jersey City, we gotta DO BETTER!

I don’t think I said this before but Hi! My name is Tarol! If you know me personally, then Wazzzzzzup. And if you don’t, allow me to introduce myself, My name is HOV oh!  H to the O V.

No but seriously I’m Tarol and, I am a…

Jersey City Native (Born and Raised) 

African American Black and Latina Female 

Woman who, too, suffers from unaffordable housing in the city she was raised. 

For some, I hoped that checked off enough boxes that weren’t previously met month ago. Although none of the above contributes to the bigger picture Lynn touched upon here. I may write articles like “Babes of JC” and “Top places to do for xyz,” but as any Jersey City native would tell you, issues like this hit home. OH and of course “It’s my city, I was here first and it means more to me than anyone else.”  But does it, really? Granted, it’s a touchy subject for us all but issues like violence are not new to Jersey City and are still very much prevalent even in its gentrified state. So to all those “This Land is My Land” natives out there, it’s time we let that go. Instead of sitting behind some screen attacking an organization with some words, ask yourself, what have YOU done to be the change you want to see? And more importantly… what can we do to BETTER SERVE the problems we’re all worried about? Because it’s going to take more than using the ChicpeaJC platform as a punching bag and to make change happen. It’s time for New School and Old School to merge the hostile divide.

So for those with opinions I ask, Have you…

Thrown any community outreach events?

Donated to any local non-profits?

Attended any City Hall meetings or attended any city hall events at all?

And more importantly, did you vote in the last election?

You don’t need a 20k follower platform to do any of the above.  We all have our opinions not to mention angry and confused but it’s going to take more than spewing negative opinions to get results.  Instead, I propose finding ways to *ahem* come together to share ideas as to how we can keep people off the streets, keep kids in school and make things better. As Lynn expressed;

“There is so much the Mayor and members of council can do. There is so much they can control on any given day. As they say, it takes a village. Sitting on social media and sharing negative articles isn’t going to help anyone. Seeking out those who need help will. Whether it’s local shelters who need supplies for the winter, youth mentorship programs who need mentors, volunteering to be a Big Brother or Big Sister… there is so much we can do. There are so many incredible local organizations who are making a difference. But it’s not just about volunteering and giving back, it’s being aware that these things are happening around us.”    

Lynn write the above quote as part of her “The Real Jersey City” article in which she decided to talk about the issues she faced around her.  I am lucky enough that this blog creates a platform for people in our community like myself or anyone else, to write what they’re passionate about.  With that said, we encourage you to reach out.  Maybe the last article was too little too late.. but to those who feel strongly  you could have very well beat us to the punch. Platforms are created, not given.

Lynn has one major motto that she recites almost daily. “Get Shit Done.”  So for everyone with a concern let’s put aside the b.s and ask ourselves the real question …. How are we going to come together to “Get Shit Done?”  No attacks, no complaints just actions.  Whether you like the work done on this blog or not is irrelevant but starving children, poverty, violence and The Real Jersey City are indeed dark subjects which need light and positivity.

We don’t have the answers, and writing about it is where we choose to start. So let’s get the conversation going.  We don’t want pats on the back or high fives, we want to shed positivity, awareness and more importantly work towards results. All constructive ideas are welcome!  Good Day!