Reflection 8: Eye-Opening Visitations

This past week I attended my first Dr. Appointment here in D.C.. Doctor visits have always been a point of anxiety for me, but this time I was quite interested in the experience because the appointment I scheduled was at a location in Ward 7. I chose this location because most of the close locations did not have the availability I was looking for. It was my first time visiting Ward 7, and all I had were accounts of negative encounters or stigmas  attached to low income areas here in D.C.. The commute took a little longer than I was used to, and as soon as I arrived to the Minnesota Ave metro station, the atmosphere shifted. Where was I? It looked nothing like the NW sophisticated D.C I was use to. It was a culture shock similar to my hometown, and the area was painted with melanated hues of colorful people. The community was urban, and the mentality was different. As I walked down the street, I heard the urban Ebonics dialect being uttered from the mouths of children and teens passing by. I observed drug addicts struggling to carry their high down the pavements, and young girls with child. In the midst of this cultural shift, I felt a sense of belonging because there were so many people who looked like me, and I didn’t face any problems because I am aware of how to code-switch and carry myself in this kind of environment. 

Visiting Ward 7, and observing the lack of community resources like grocery stores really made me think about the impact the opportunity gap has on this community. The lack of grocery stores explains the reason why the community health is suffering.  The levels of diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and issues with cholesterol is higher in these communities. When I went to my Doctor in this area the quality of the facility was also sub-par due to the lack of funding. The community also has a high HIV rate, which is related to the lack of access to quality sex education. For communities like Ward 7 to change, it will require policies and funded projects that would contribute to the betterment and the building up the Ward 7 community. The lack of resources and funding of this community only contributes to the impoverished mentality and makes the members of the community feel that the government does not care about their situations. I hope something can be done to shift the situation in Ward 7.