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Reflections by Rev. Dr. Mariah Britton Mitchell, MPH

There Was a Time, There Was a Place

 

Angel Ibañez’s images possess sensibilities of a neighborhood, revealing a group of people, not only bound by a particular urban location but also by a special spirit. It is a combination of hope, safety and joy that speaks throughout the collection, There Was a Time, There Was a Place.

 

James Weldon Johnson Houses in the early 1970’s was where I came into young womanhood. It was where my siblings, friends and I played, gained a sense of identity and pride for who we were. All of the parents knew each other, they watched out for the kids in Johnson. Our parents shared values that were born from their migration to the north. Their optimism for us was rooted in a belief that the next generation would make a mark, would do better, and would continue a legacy of hope. 

 

Angel’s photos show a community and its children at play, contemplating life, resting, competing in sports, dancing, and working. It was a time when we had little worry about the predatory clutches of urban life. We benefited from the JWJ Community Center which was the hub for the youth in the neighborhood. We enjoyed summer day camp, after-school activities, raising funds for community projects, block dances, festivals, little shows and exposure to the theater. It was a place to hang out and have fun.

 

Sure, there were tough times, violence to guard against and ravages of drugs that were pushing hard through cities across the nation. It was our regular activities in the community center that helped define our use of leisure time, safe-guarding against these temptations. One can almost point to the closing of the community centers to see how gangs, substance abuse and early teen parenting began to increase in our neighborhood. I know that my rites of passage work with teens today as the founder of The Moriah Institute is greatly influenced by my experiences as an adolescent in Johnson Houses. 

 

The people, the expressions, the moods in Angel's work reminds me of the many friends from “the projects” who are now making valuable contributions to society, raising their own children, keeping steady jobs, volunteering in their own neighborhoods and struggling with the challenges of life. 

 

Often, when I return to the Johnson Houses Reunion Day, I hear people remark how the spirit in the community and especially the activities in the community center was a haven for so many. We look at Angels photos and know how blessed we were.

 

There was a time and there was a place and I am glad Angel Ibañz has captured the essence of that beautiful era in his wonderful collection.