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MAY 2021 | Number 05 | NEW ENGLAND EDITION | Price: FREE
THECOMMONTARGET:BLACKBUSINESS

Sorry Son, The Mayor’s Vision of Downtown Springfield Doesn’t Include Us

By Andrew Keaton number of levels. When a mayor
In June of 2016 Springfield’s speaks of a vibrant walking
Mayor, Domenic Sarno joined downtown, the question of “for
Lieutenant Governor Karyn who” has to be asked at some
Polito for a tour of Springfield’s point. As Black residents ask
Transformative Development themselves, why must we always
Initiative (TDI) District. The TDI have to patronize businesses run
District is a MassDevelopment by people that don't like look me?
program designation, which How does one explain the
targets redevelopment efforts in connection or representation to
the historic commercial center of what goes on downtown or where
downtown, Stearns Square. our dollars are spent to Black
youth Mr. Mayor?
During the tour the mayor spoke
about making downtown
Springfield a walking city as he
outlined a series of planned city
improvements to the district to
complement the efforts of
MassDevelopment, the
Springfield Business
Improvement District,
DevelopSpringfield, and the It is time to remove the barriers
many local property owners and and give Black business owners
businesses that are participating an opportunity to thrive and
in the effort. access the opportunities and
funding like everyone else.

stories of being Black and owning economies across the glove, they community to build their
a business downtown still exist. get that, however, this city’s potential downtown, but again, It is time to re-assess a Mayor,
The post antebellum obstacles downtown has been historically there is a history of falling for the who has built his mayoral career
established in this country pre- stale, pale, and status quo. It’s smoking and mirrors. off the backs of Black votes every
sixties is still omni-present in a doubtful that even a world time he uses the often repeated
city with a Mayor who claims to without covid could have As writer Melissa De White once quote: “I don't care what type of
not care about creed, color, changed that. wrote: A summer of protest establishment you run what
background etc etc. following the tragic death of creed, color, background, as long
Fast forward to May 2021, five George Floyd, Breonna Taylor as you want a reputable and good
years later, and still the whispers Try being Black for a day and and other Black Americans; establishment, I'm [running a]
about the Springfield Exodus attempt and to a.) find a realtor white supremacy on full display very business-friendly
which happens daily between 4 willing to lease to a Black during the riots on Capitol Hill; a administration.”
and 5:30pm. Still the barren business owner b.) finding a raging pandemic
streets after 5:00pm. financial institution willing to disproportionately affecting
work with said business c.) being communities of color – events
Non-residents who fill a strong held to much higher and rigid over the past year have only
percentage of Springfield jobs - standards by Sarno’s business- underscored how prevalent
people who work downtown but friendly administration. Not to systemic racism and bias is in
leave Springfield daily, jumping mention the code enforcement Black business owners question America today. Last year’s
on the highway heading straight terror squad used heavily by the daily the limitations placed on protests exposed more than
to their destination aka home. Mayor to prevent businesses their ability to establish questions about police brutality
The same people we run into from settling in and getting themselves and enjoy the and systemic racism, it exposed a
from time to time, who often go comfortable. opportunities their White city government and a mayor
on jaded tangents about how colleagues were given. that have very limited This is America, where target
dangerous Springfield is and why understanding of the term voting is far more effective than
they can’t wait to leave this horrid Worthington Street was systemic equity. Systemic Equity begging and showing blind
city. Many of these same people supposed to be the Bourbon allegiance to those who fail to
work for the municipality or a Street of Western Mass; now it Systemic equity is the complex open doors to promise as Black
city related agency, but that's looks like a ghost town with combination of interrelated residents sadly drive by empty
another story. numerous abandoned elements consciously designed to storefronts, a city hall that
storefronts and buildings like an create, support and sustain social repeatedly fail to include Blacks
If you build it, they will come, old Western town. One would justice. It is a dynamic process in economic development plans,
wrote MassLive writer Douglas think Jesse James and the gang that reinforces and replicates procurement contracts, along
Hook from an article written in Many find it interesting that swooped through and said not on equitable ideas, power, with very limited access to
December of 2019 where he when the fight for MGM was in my watch. As insane as it resources, strategies, conditions, community development block
quotes the mayor stating, “I progress, the CEO at that time sounds, one would have to ask habits and outcomes. grants. Combine that with active
always wanted to bring more of Mike Mathis and the Mayor themselves, well, who would redlining by real estate
an eclectic mix to downtown pledged heavily that Springfield Jesse James be in this day and developers and banking and no
Springfield. I don't care what would be a walking City, age? entities to provide the oversight
type of establishment you run everything will be in sight, the and accountability to ensure
what creed, color, background, as visibility and diversity will propel Could it be a Mayor and his opportunity and real equity.
long as you want a reputable and Springfield into the Small City “ b u s i n e s s - f r i e n d l y ”
good establishment, I'm that never sleeps. Fast forward a administration swooping in and We’ve be been taught in our
[running a] very business- few years later only to discover stealing the dreams and nation’s schools that Change
friendly administration.” that Springfield is now the small aspirations of the Black business comes with voting . To finally get
City with a hangover. community? After all the the safe spaces and walking city
It’s May 2021 and the presence of rhetoric used to garner the Downtown Springfield is not that residents have been
diverse Black owned businesses Most residents understand and support of the Black community reflective in any capacity of Black promised, perhaps it’s time
are still very rare in Sarno’s acknowledge that the elephant in to lure MGM one would think life. The products, services, reassess and change who the city
b u s i n e s s - f r i e n d l y the Room is the Covid-19 that has there would have been dining, nightlife, etc. Business has been voting for to ensure
administration. Yet, the horror been ravaging lives and opportunities for that development is critical on a that the city is for all of us!