This Episode is quite powerful as I met up with Irene, at the Philadelphia Airport who was travelling from L.A returning home to Deptford NJ. Irene is retired and had just visited her son in L.A. In this street vibe, Irene shares some poignant insights on L.A., Philly and Deptford NJ & How Life & Politics is Changing in America Today. In fact, although Irene resides in Deptford, she is originally from Philadelphia, but ten years ago, she moved to Deptford, NJ. Deptford NJ is a quiet, clean and relatively affluent neighborhood. Irene, who works as a partner at a Jewelry store, shared how she had recently lost her husband to COVID towards the end of the pandemic in 2021 and how it was a very sad time for her and her family as his passing was sudden. So, this trip to L.A. was supposed to help provide catharsis and therapy as she continues to grapple with the love of her life's death. Hower, while the trip to L.A. was wonderful, she critiqued that it was also disappointing, because some of the places she visited were depressing and scary compared to Beverly Hills where Tyler Perry and Adele's live whose houses, she also had the chance to visit. Moreover, she made a very recommendation to our political leaders and technocrats about how Philly is changing and that if only we could "clean up the streets... you can't just spend all that money Downtown or near the casinos". Further, as we vote in America today for city, state and some congressional leaders, she question whether her vote counts for anything given all the deterioration and decay in certain places in America and that so much money is spent on adds and campaigns but that very little is being done to help may depressed and vulnerable places. Irene retorts, "does my vote even count?" Nevertheless, she paused a bit, sighed and said, I will vote though as it is important, in a way indicating that it was part of her civic duty.
The episode with Irene was very insightful and refreshing as it provided another perspective about life in America especially in L.A., Philly and Deptford NJ from viewpoint of a retiree who is white, yet concerned about poor black/brown, vulnerable and poor communities and cities to the point that she is now questioning whether she should vote considering the ineptitude of our leaders to do anything about these communities.
Rev. Renaldo C. McKenzie is the author of Neoliberalism, Globalization, Income Inequality, Poverty and Resistance, and is working on his second book "Neoliberal Globalization Re-Considered" set to be released December 2022. Renaldo is a Doctoral Candidate at Georgetown University and graduated from University of Pennsylvania with a Master of Philosophy and a Master of Liberal Arts. Renaldo is also an Adjunct Lecturer.
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