As I watched the recent debates around redistricting in the county I observed a community that felt even more divided than perhaps in the past. The testimony’s before the board of education, the online discussion on facebook groups, and the community conversations were striking as they were filled with disparaging language around those living in poverty, sterotypes of those living in apartment and townhome communities, and Black and Latinx families. There were characterizations of Columbia, and specific villages within Columbia (and the schools associated in them) as “ghettos” — and as “those people”. There was a lot of blaming of Black and LatinX children for school issues, etc. It was very disheartening after living here for 20+ years. I have seen this before and these narratives have been spoken previously, but I thought things were getting a bit better. Unfortunately with the increased “diversity” the sentiments seem to have have gotten worse. Many of the other communities of color have come to also “buy in” to the narrative around Black and LatinX families and those living in poverty in the county, and there has been more division (geographical, etc.) and less of a coming together. Its unfortunate.
