What Makes a Neighborhood a Community
By Lucille Leydon, 10th grade, The School for the Talented and Gifted at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center
Since the beginning of quarantine, I have started going on daily walks in my area, Northaven Park, reflecting on what makes a neighborhood a community, and two of my former neighbors who changed my outlook on life.
Brenda Stubel was a passionate architect and musician who lived across the street from me.
I remember knocking on her door and being greeted by a Pekingese, Dora, and a poodle, Sophie. In the belly of her eccentric, mid-century modern living room, I marveled at her art collection and the magnum opus of the space: the grand piano. As my legs dangled from her cream-colored couch and my eyes traced the refracted rainbows from her crystal figurines, I couldn’t help but feel like Alice in Wonderland.
Brenda was one of 4 women in her graduating class from the University of Oklahoma. Being one of the first female architects in Dallas, Brenda paved the way for the future generations of young women. She designed the Italian glass tile murals for the Sanger-Harris facades of the Six Flags Mall and the Valley View Mall.
When she was diagnosed with cancer and started to lose her hair, my sister and I went to Macy’s with my mom and spent an hour picking out the perfect headscarf. She died on September 26, 2017.
Brenda was a role model that I looked up to; her resilience showed me how to be persistent and passionate about the things that want to achieve.
Christine Elliott and her son Wilson lived next door to my family. At age 18, Will was in a car accident and suffered traumatic brain injuries.
After Will’s mom died at age 92, my family took care of him for almost a year until we helped move him into a nursing home. Will’s unsteady hands and speech distortion, or as Brenda used to describe it “the music of Will’s voice”, initially scared me as a child. However, as Will retold colorful stories from his life of mischief and adventure, I was fascinated by his spirit.
Before Will died, my family would go on regular Walmart trips with him, buying his favorite candy, Hershey nuggets, that resembled little bars of gold. During the holidays, my parents would string lights across his terrace, and my sister and I would decorate a small Christmas tree in his living room, while Will watched TV and silently enjoyed our company.
Grappling with Will’s situation exposed me to the harsh reality of how sometimes bad things happen to good people. We must care enough to withhold judgments and try to understand the perspective of people different from us.
Elizabeth Garrison, a resident of the Northaven Park area, described our neighborhood as “multigenerational”. As she explained how “different generations can learn [from] and support each other” I began to reflect on the meaningful values and perspective I gained from both Brenda and Will.
Bryan Shahan, the President of the Northaven Park Neighborhood Association (NPNA) said, “What makes a neighborhood a community is people’s willingness to love” and “share life with one another”.
Everyone has their own story of pain, and it’s important to be, as Nancy Cain, a resident of the Northaven Park area expressed “empathetic and compassionate” — especially to those in need. Rather than looking for our differences, we should look for the similarities, and oftentimes those you choose to help will end up helping you more.
The current state of our world has made me realize the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment for all. Getting to know your neighbors is the first step in building a better community and overcoming adversity.
So go outside, take a walk, talk to a new neighbor, and notice the beautiful things in each other.
