There is a flowerbox in front of our house. From it, morning glories struggle to take hold of the wall and a few basil plants stand tall against the beating sun. This evening, I walked out to pick some fresh basil, smelling every leaf as I picked it. I have a thing for scents. Walking back in the door, I realized some guys in a car where watching with a seriously inquisitive look. In front of them, a young man in a white T-shit is selling dope. I can hear parents screaming at children and cars racing through the street. Camden is a city that immediately fills the senses, often putting them into overdrive. Here are some that have dominated my days.
Taste
Cookies: One of the team’s favorite parts of the projects is the culinary school that is run by Respond. Students create meals that are delivered to all of the schools for lunch and they also sell their baked goods from a display case in the center. We love the Camden Cookies: dark, milk and white chocolate chips baked in a cookie until perfection.
Touch
Soil: The difference between dirt and soil is the life that is contained in the later. Soil is warm and earthy, full of microorganisms. We have been working on gardens in schools and parks. We planted seeds in a grow lab, flowers and vegetables in a children’s garden and prepared beds in the local park.
Smell
Paint: We have been painting all over the city. Today the team was totally split up with two people painting signs in the Auto Shop, two decorating flowerpots with school children, and four more painting flower boxes to distribute in the area. Next week we will be painting a huge underwater mural in a school
Sound
Gunshots: Laying in my bed on the first night here I heard gunshots down the street followed by a child’s scream, a woman’s voice directing someone to call the police, and a car speeding down the road. It was a serious awakening to the environment that we had just entered. The volume of the city is disproportionately higher than most places. My heart breaks when I hear adults yelling profanities at young children, but I hear that every day.
Oscar: Our neighbor Oscar is a kind hearted man who sits on his porch and watches the world, or at least this little corner of it. He is part of an organization called My Brother’s Keeper which, from what I understand, is a home for recovering addicts. He wishes us good morning from a loudspeaker that he will later use to let the street know that food is ready. They pass out lunches and other treats to the local families.
Sights
Murals and Gardens: At first glance the area does not seem to have any aesthetical value. The streets are full of litter. Users and dealers stand on almost every corner and most houses are run down. There are however many beautiful sights under the surface that can only be seen after closer inspection. The garages on 4th street proudly display an elaborate mural painted by a previous AmeriCorps NCCC team. A row of houses on State Street were painted in a Cape May style, full of color and charm. A community garden is carefully tended by those who do not have such a space of their own.
It is easy to drive through a place like North Camden and quickly pass it off as a bad neighborhood, locking your doors as your search for the quickest way out. Perhaps you are headed to more inviting destinations like Philly or Atlantic City. If, however, you are lucky enough to spend some time here you will likely find Camden to be incredibly captivating. It’s the people that draw me in. Every day, they fight to take hold of the community that seems to be slipping away from them. It is a worthy fight, one that I am proud to be a part of.
Taste
Cookies: One of the team’s favorite parts of the projects is the culinary school that is run by Respond. Students create meals that are delivered to all of the schools for lunch and they also sell their baked goods from a display case in the center. We love the Camden Cookies: dark, milk and white chocolate chips baked in a cookie until perfection.
Touch
Soil: The difference between dirt and soil is the life that is contained in the later. Soil is warm and earthy, full of microorganisms. We have been working on gardens in schools and parks. We planted seeds in a grow lab, flowers and vegetables in a children’s garden and prepared beds in the local park.
Smell
Paint: We have been painting all over the city. Today the team was totally split up with two people painting signs in the Auto Shop, two decorating flowerpots with school children, and four more painting flower boxes to distribute in the area. Next week we will be painting a huge underwater mural in a school
Sound
Gunshots: Laying in my bed on the first night here I heard gunshots down the street followed by a child’s scream, a woman’s voice directing someone to call the police, and a car speeding down the road. It was a serious awakening to the environment that we had just entered. The volume of the city is disproportionately higher than most places. My heart breaks when I hear adults yelling profanities at young children, but I hear that every day.
Oscar: Our neighbor Oscar is a kind hearted man who sits on his porch and watches the world, or at least this little corner of it. He is part of an organization called My Brother’s Keeper which, from what I understand, is a home for recovering addicts. He wishes us good morning from a loudspeaker that he will later use to let the street know that food is ready. They pass out lunches and other treats to the local families.
Sights
Murals and Gardens: At first glance the area does not seem to have any aesthetical value. The streets are full of litter. Users and dealers stand on almost every corner and most houses are run down. There are however many beautiful sights under the surface that can only be seen after closer inspection. The garages on 4th street proudly display an elaborate mural painted by a previous AmeriCorps NCCC team. A row of houses on State Street were painted in a Cape May style, full of color and charm. A community garden is carefully tended by those who do not have such a space of their own.
It is easy to drive through a place like North Camden and quickly pass it off as a bad neighborhood, locking your doors as your search for the quickest way out. Perhaps you are headed to more inviting destinations like Philly or Atlantic City. If, however, you are lucky enough to spend some time here you will likely find Camden to be incredibly captivating. It’s the people that draw me in. Every day, they fight to take hold of the community that seems to be slipping away from them. It is a worthy fight, one that I am proud to be a part of.
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