Chalk this one up to wishful thinking: Over the weekend, the Fifth Ward CRC, led by a pair of interns from Rice University, hung a basket of chalk and this chalkboard on the exterior wall of a vacant corner grocery (with an awning seemingly inspired by Charlie Brown’s T-shirt) at 4101 Lyons. One of the interns, Heidi Kahle — who’s minoring at Rice in “Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities,” a brief bio states — says that the idea’s for Fifth Ward residents to compile a wish list for their community by completing the sentence and filling in the blank: “I wish the Fifth Ward . . . .” As of yesterday, the project’s blog adds, all the blanks had been filled in, with such wishes as “Prosperity” and “Nonviolence” and “Overflow Blessings.”
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- The chalkboard is up! [I Wish Fifth Ward . . . ]
- Fifth Ward coverage [Swamplot]
Photos: I Wish Fifth Ward . . .
So far, all the lines have been used up, with such wishes as “Prosperity†and “Nonviolence†and “Overflow Blessings.â€
So it really is just a “wish” list instead of a community call to action….
I wish 5th Ward “blight was leveled and redeveloped”.
Too harsh? Too much of a reality check?
All “feel good” projects like this have one thing in common: Accomplishing nothing.
Hope only has one ability…to do nothing. Actions are the only way things change.
Aren’t all of those wishes responsibility of the residents of the community?
There are no minors at Rice.
I wish alot of poster on here would shut up.. I swear all the majority of people on this thing do is bitch about something.
heyzeus, minors have been available at Rice since around 2006/2007:
http://registrar.rice.edu/students/majors_minors/
This is a great opportunity to promote a book I’m [thinking about] writing titled “ROI: College Degree versus Debt Degree.”
The foreword goes something like this:
Wow, you can actually major in poverty now. :)
@ Brandon, we come here to bitch, this is what SwampLot is for. Show me a better Houston real estate complaint blog and I’ll certainly take a look, but I like this place.
@mek ju, a college degree has always been an easy way into upper middle class, not so much these days. I think personal drive plays an even bigger role than a degree, although personal drive AND a degree is unbeatable.
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I’ve met many people with advanced degrees who can’t explain a single concept outside of their narrow field of study.
I’ve learned something here today, Rodrigo! I guess now that tuition is $36k, the ol’ alma mater had to offer a little something extra.
I’ve not only met but worked for people with advanced degrees who can barely SPELL!
MarketingWiz, us engineering graduates cannot spell or perform good grammar either.
@Mr. Clean: Then I’d ask for a refund.