Living Life in 15104

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/us/01braddock.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1

This is a good article written by the Ny Times in February of 09. Yes the zip code of 15104 that include Braddock, North Braddock, and Rankin are full of abondoned buildings and is considered by many to be one of the worst towns in America.

I see it different because I live here and grew up here. To me it is my hood. We do not have grocery stores here or very little stores it is a town that has two butcher shops and a family dollar as well as a steel mill and a hospital. The people who work at the steel mill do not live in Braddock like they did years ago.,

Braddock was also the place that Andrew Carnegie started US Steel in the Edger Thompson plant which is still open and operating. We also are the home of the first Carnegie Liberary in the world which is the top pic above.

This is a place where people try to expolit, however, the residents are not going to let that happen because we have a real pride in our broken down community because this is our home. I guess that a lot of places are nicer to look at but is it nicer to live there then here I don't think so.

I am proud of 15104 all three of the communities that make up that zipcode. I know this that if someone in our community is in trouble the people often gather around the family in trouble. I know that sometimes we pull our resouces together so everyone benefits. I know there was a whole lot of times that I had bread but no butter and my neighbor had butter but no bread but when I shared my bread and she shared her butter we all ate.

I know that this area and its people inspired a rich man with a Masters degree in business to not only move here but become mayor and really help out fiancially. He invested his own money and built the people of Braddock a well needed Youth Center. He didn't depend on the government but invested his own money. Mayor John which is what everyone in 15104 calls him has 15104 tattored on one of his arms and he has the names of people who died while he was in office unfortunity that list has grown. He didn't have to put our zip code on his arm he is not from here but he did. He moved here in 2001 and is a gentle giant at 6 foot 8 and 365 lbs Mayor John is a gentle giant. He thinks we are good people and we are.

We have a pride in our community and although our streets are tough I thank all my homies and all my enemies who made me tough enough to hang on the corners. I thank all my people for the love and support that they showed me over the years.

I love 15104 and we may never be the rich town we once were but we are one hell of a community.

Thanks to Mayor John Fetterman for all the love and support he has shown to our community. Thnks to everyone who lives in a place where very little hope exists yet we find a way to laugh and joke around with each other.