Doubt not! Joy Shall Come

By J.T. Wamelink 

A Transformation

Written with Yvette Hunt

Getting ready for work one morning 

Looking out my back window

Feeling vibrations from the trucks 

Smelling smoke, the noise was loud 

I went out on the porch taking pictures  

It’s a transformation of our neighborhood

And of who we are 

I went down to City Hall

And said what I had to say 

To help them walk in someone’s shoes   

I never used to speak in front of people                    

I did not know this was inside of me   

It’s a transformation of our neighborhood

And of who we are 

Two weeks later someone came

Came knocking on my door and said, 

“People listened and heard what you had to say.” 

I said, “I want to sit at the table. 

I’m committed to doing what I can.” 

It’s a transformation of our neighborhood

And of who we are 

There’s not that many houses left 

Due to abandon and tear down 

People don’t know the history 

For over fifty years my fam’ly home 

I'll fight to stay here, I have to be here  

It’s a transformation of our neighborhood

And of who we are    

They asked me to be street captain 

I’m just being a resident 

Speaking up and speaking out  

Four times I wanted to give up 

But I’m standing up for all the world to see 

It’s a transformation of our neighborhood

And of who we are  

I Feel Like Going Home

Muddy Waters

One Link

Written with Jackie Dixon

Born down south, I love the country life 

Moved north to my father in Cleveland 

I got thrown into urban life 

I wanted to run away from everything 

But it takes one link to start a chain 

It takes one link to start a chain

I really don’t have a great home 

I’m doing things now to fix it up  

Even if my house is falling apart 

I still want roses, tulips, my perfect lawn 

It takes one link to start a chain 

It takes one link to start a chain

When I worked at the Bank on Buckeye 

Saw mean faces, their clothes were worn, 

But they’re just protecting themselves 

There are nice, even wealthy people here

It takes one link to start a chain 

It takes one link to start a chain 

I would like to bring back the joy

I would like to bring back the joy 

Bringing neighbors to be neighbors again 

One Saturday I saw two ladies 

Cleaning up a big field by my street 

They handed me a flier, and said 

‘You should come to the meeting.’ And so I did 

It takes one link to start a chain 

It takes one link to start a chain 

Moment of Joy 

Written with Denise Moore

She was a single black woman 

Didn’t have a lot of money 

But decided for the children 

To buy a house where they could settle

Had a playground across the street 

That was a moment of joy   

Our family was the four of us 

My mom, sister, and my daughter 

I bought them some twin beds

My first time buying any furniture                                 

And there was plenty of room  

That was a moment of joy   

I moved away, but now I'm back 

I saw change was creeping in 

All these streets, not a lot of kids 

Not everyone can take care of their home

I decided to do the work 

And that was a moment of joy 

What can I do? 

What can I do?

What can we do?

What can we do? 

We’ll find something to do

Mom’s house was newly renovated  

But that was fifty years ago 

And now it’s in disrepair 

Owning a house is not as easy as people think 

It’s up to me to bring the house back up 

Even that was a moment of joy 

Joy in My Heart

George William Cooke

Part of Your Future 

Written with Ronnetta Stallworth

I had a housing issue  

Had to move into my baby daddy’s place 

A nightmare, a violent situation  

He put his hands on me 

That was the first time and that was the last

You’re not gonna kick me around 

Don’t let your past become part of your future

Woodhill my first place of my own 

And I had my baby with me

Four years later they told us to move out 

Told us, the next day movers came 

Told me they’d help pack but they didn’t 

My goodness they broke my heart

Don’t let your past become part of your future

They came and moved me to Outhwaite 

Boxes in the way, and in the wrong rooms 

They took down my son’s huge bunk bed 

And they didn’t put it back up 

They broke my bed, and they broke my desk 

I don’t cry, but I cried that day 

Don’t let your past become part of your future

They didn’t do a thing about the damages  

They make it seem like they care but they don’t 

They act like they give you a choice 

The choices they gave me were garbage 

I’ve been going to look at places 

I don’t want to stay here 

Don’t let your past become part of your future

Soultrane

Tadd Dameron

One of Dem

Jerrod Amir Shakir

The Ballad of Jay Buckeye (Light is Better on the Hill)

Written with Jerrod Amir Shakir

Born at Saint Lukes, lived here my whole life 

Earliest memory is with my grandfather  

Out on the porch in the morning 

I remember the sunshine 

I am proud to stand in the shoes 

Of those who have grown roots here 

My grandmother called it a light ghetto 

A product of white flight and redlining 

She took us to Shaker Square for ice cream

And to ride the Rapid downtown 

I am proud to stand in the shoes 

Of those who have grown roots here  

I was a bad kid growing up 

So they gave me something to do 

I was the kid on the PA system 

Prepared me to be a speaker rapper, poet 

I am proud to stand in the shoes 

Of those who have grown roots here 

I always thought the neighborhood was beautiful 

The sun shines differently here  

Like something out of a painting 

The light is better on the hill  

Advocacy work is my purpose    

Took me a while to gain that confidence 

Being active in my community fills me up

I have to be the one to use my voice 

I am proud to stand in the shoes 

Of those who have grown roots here

I Trust God

Written with Marilyn Burns

I was homeless, slept in cars and bus stops

I moved here to Woodhill Homes 

Saw people shot in front of me

Drug abuse, domestic violence

They have been promised so much for so long  

With no deliverables 

People are resistant to change 

They’re afraid, there’s no trust  

I trust God. I’m stepping out in faith  

Whatever You put in me to do 

You’ll see it through

People are so stuck in muck and mire 

They think this is what life is 

I think there’s a light in us 

They don’t see that light anymore  

Sitting on my stoop and this man walks by  

You could tell he was homeless 

I said “Good morning, how are you? 

You look like you need a hug.” 

He smelled like garbage, he wasn’t clean

But I hugged him, said “I love you.” 

He started crying, says to me 

“No one ever told me that before.” 

Some of the Light 

Written with Rev. Dogba Bass

This lady would go down to East 55th 

To the housing development down there 

She’d pick up her grandkids and their friends 

In her van and bring them to the church

Shine some of the light wherever God places you

The church called them Mrs. Brown’s kids 

I had them come to the pulpit one Sunday  

And give their names to the congregation

From now on we’ll call them by their names 

Shine some of the light wherever God places you

When you don’t take the time to learn someone’s name 

You’re saying that they don’t matter

I put those kids through confirmation 

Where we Christians take on the Name of Christ

Shine some of the light wherever God places you 

I wasn’t just appointed to the church 

But to the community as pastor  

Where everyone has value 

And you just try to bring it out

Shine some of the light wherever God places you