Secret Millionaire
I typically do not watch the ABC reality show "Secret Millionaire" because it airs in the same time slot as the CBS reality show "Amazing Race." (Yes, I admit that I do like my reality shows.) But, tonight, I tuned in because the secret millionaire was visiting Gary, Indiana.
The media typically portrays Gary as a rundown crime-infested city with a high unemployment rate, high poverty rate, and and a declining population.They make it seem as if the city has no hope. I worked in the heart of Gary from 1997-1999, and I was able to see a different side of Gary.
Gary was once a thriving city on the shores of Lake Michigan, built on the backs of the major steel mills. At one time, it was the second largest city in Indiana and was the major retail shopping area in Northwest Indiana. You can drive down Broadway and see the shells of what were once fancy department stores and boutiques. Driving through some of the city's neighborhoods, you can envision what were once grand homes on tree-lined streets. Marquette Park, with acres of beach on Lake Michigan, was once a crown jewel of the city. When I've driven these streets with Grayling, I wondered how a city can fall into such disrepair over the course of 30-odd years. Several factors played into the city's decline. In 1967, Gary elected it's first black mayor. At the time, Gary was predominantly white. Soon, white flight started to erode the population base as white residents began to move out into suburban areas. The steel mills began to experience increased competition from foreign companies. Unemployment was on the rise. City services began to suffer as the tax base steadily declined. As homes and businesses were vacated and vandalized, there were no resources to rehabilitate them. A city doesn't fall apart overnight, rather, it dies a slow painful death.
The amazing thing I learned during my time working in Gary, and what tonight's secret millionaire learned, is that Gary is still full of amazing, dedicated, humble individuals. People who have more faith in God than I personally could ever imagine. People who are welcoming and accepting of everyone...even a white girl from Iowa. In a city that faces sometimes unimaginable despair, lives resourceful and committed individuals who band together to continue to rebuild the community and to make it a better place for their children. In Gary, I learned to not make assumptions about people until I have stood in their shoes. And, I learned to be grateful for the smallest gifts in life. And, I learned that sometimes a kind word can make all the difference.
Some of the best tacos I've ever had came from 5th Avenue Tacos in Gary. South Gleason Golf Course in Gary is my go-to course when I'm in Indiana. And, attending a high school basketball game in Gary is an experience that can't be duplicated just anywhere! Go West Side!
The media typically portrays Gary as a rundown crime-infested city with a high unemployment rate, high poverty rate, and and a declining population.They make it seem as if the city has no hope. I worked in the heart of Gary from 1997-1999, and I was able to see a different side of Gary.
Gary was once a thriving city on the shores of Lake Michigan, built on the backs of the major steel mills. At one time, it was the second largest city in Indiana and was the major retail shopping area in Northwest Indiana. You can drive down Broadway and see the shells of what were once fancy department stores and boutiques. Driving through some of the city's neighborhoods, you can envision what were once grand homes on tree-lined streets. Marquette Park, with acres of beach on Lake Michigan, was once a crown jewel of the city. When I've driven these streets with Grayling, I wondered how a city can fall into such disrepair over the course of 30-odd years. Several factors played into the city's decline. In 1967, Gary elected it's first black mayor. At the time, Gary was predominantly white. Soon, white flight started to erode the population base as white residents began to move out into suburban areas. The steel mills began to experience increased competition from foreign companies. Unemployment was on the rise. City services began to suffer as the tax base steadily declined. As homes and businesses were vacated and vandalized, there were no resources to rehabilitate them. A city doesn't fall apart overnight, rather, it dies a slow painful death.
The amazing thing I learned during my time working in Gary, and what tonight's secret millionaire learned, is that Gary is still full of amazing, dedicated, humble individuals. People who have more faith in God than I personally could ever imagine. People who are welcoming and accepting of everyone...even a white girl from Iowa. In a city that faces sometimes unimaginable despair, lives resourceful and committed individuals who band together to continue to rebuild the community and to make it a better place for their children. In Gary, I learned to not make assumptions about people until I have stood in their shoes. And, I learned to be grateful for the smallest gifts in life. And, I learned that sometimes a kind word can make all the difference.
Some of the best tacos I've ever had came from 5th Avenue Tacos in Gary. South Gleason Golf Course in Gary is my go-to course when I'm in Indiana. And, attending a high school basketball game in Gary is an experience that can't be duplicated just anywhere! Go West Side!
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