Page 42 - Provoke Mag Vol6

Tevar Watson
Hamilton Park - Restoring Greatness
How many people do you know that are seemingly average? And I use that word ever so lightly. WE are all seemingly average people, but I had the pleasure of sitting with someone who took his normal capabilities and expanded them into something so significant, it has done almost everything except be ignored. Here is a snippet of why I pride myself on being an interlocu- tor.
Tevar Watson grew up in the North Dallas com- munity of Hamilton Park. The first community of its kind built up by and for upper-middle-class blacks. He smiled as he reminisced on the glory that was blocks of doctors, lawyers and business owners in the bud- ding community. However, sometime after misfor- tune came knocking when the generation that was supposed to keep this tradition and livelihood going, became victims of what was considered the crack ep- idemic. This tragedy brought with it, the loss of black fathers and most children resorting to gang violence. Most of us know the storyline. Ends are not being met, mother quite possibly addicted or too busy working to keep the lights on because the father is in the streets or prison, just like so many other black communities across the United States after crack was unleashed in the streets. A lot of things shifted. Coming back to current day, he says, I want to buy back our block and motivate and encourage others to do the same. It’s a fight against gentrification because the neighborhood is filled with prime real estate. He aims to restore it.
There are two ways into the neighborhood that make the location ideal. Entry from the front end as well as the back you have access to the major interstates of highway 75 and I-635. No to mention the approxima- tion to shopping centers, and high-end malls. There are lots available as well, and they are currently asking for around 100K for them.
In a push to buy back, he has partnered with and started talks with Exodus Advisors who finances, builds and assist with the knowledge to get their tax- es paid up and maintain ownership of their properties
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that were originally there. With credit scores of only 500, you can receive a personal loan that will catch up your taxes and update your home so that you are proud to live there. Tevar is familiar with the mortgaging side of the industry and plans to assist heavily with the introduction of knowledge for the people in the community. He added that ninety percent of the streets in this area are named after historical black figures and it is considered a histor- ical area. Not only are they helping people to keep their homes, but they are also developing a platform to ensure that those individuals who are ready to sell can give the first chance of buying to members within the black com- munity seeking to purchase, first and foremost. This is an all-around push to keep the neighborhood in the right hands.
He says that he is working diligently to get the public- ity required to source a big crowd to fund all the efforts. The financing has primarily come from his pocket, and then he ended up getting donations via Go Fund Me. He got excited explaining that the city councilman was also a big help in his efforts, ensuring that he got his 501c3 cre- dentials in record time. He played a major role in secur- ing the plans to build an 11-million-dollar recreational center in the area and is currently scouting layouts and how things they would want the facility to include. These are proud moments for him, and it has all added to his confidence and belief in what he can make happen in his community.
Not only does he help adults make moves that are nec- essary to ensure a fruitful future, he is a little league coach that takes it to the next level. He takes kids in as his own as necessary and smiles when he thinks how many have reached out to him after they had to move on and thank him for the value he added to their lives. You can see the pride in his eyes as he details how he gets to interact with them and create trust. He is teaching them the game of life while playing the game of football. He reflected on times that some of the little guys who are in single-parent homes feel whole when they express to their moms that they have “her and Coach T.” I had specific questions for
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