Does the reporting of racial unrest just make good copy?
Barrio Hollywood has received attention lately regarding a change in the membership of the Barrio Hollywood Neighborhood Association. Local media aired and published accounts and I credit them for time extended to seek out my perspective as president of the association. Not so with the Tucson Weekly.
Both articles written for the Weekly by María Inés Taracena, July 21 on The Range and July 23 in the print edition, fall way short of objective reporting.
This lack of professionalism has done a particular disservice to our neighborhood at a crucial time. The Barrio Hollywood Facebook page actively censors posts. Racial prejudice is promoted and dissent applauded. Links to the neighborhood website are removed. This neighborhood needs accurate information.
In these articles, we read about the alleged impacts of “outsiders.” Quoting an email from Sal Baldenegro was inappropriate and in poor taste. Baldenegro does not live in this barrio and has a personal agenda. It is a similar story with other “outside” strident voices spreading ‘La Raza’ rhetoric and the myths of gentrification.
With the title “Take the Power Back,” perhaps an explanation of just what power was taken away would be in order. Residents of this neighborhood will always be a majority and have never been at risk for businesses or property owners having final determination over them. There was never a proposal out for vote that supported anything other than one vote per resident.
I am guilty of, as quoted, “supporting businesses being part of the voting process,” but it would be more accurate to report that I support our neighborhood being inclusive, as it has always been. We are fortunate to have a rich fabric of small local businesses; a long established parish and other religious institutions, an award-winning elementary school and an American Legion Post as vitally important pieces of this fabric.
“Taking the Power Back” has removed these gems from membership in the association.
In a world where engaging local businesses is the goal of any inner city neighborhood, why?
My presidency began in January 2014 at an election made public through an effort of concerned residents. Margaret McKenna had been self-appointing three year terms and in 25 years had never been challenged for the presidency. This election was run by Scott Egan, not a current board member. Egan had become accustomed to command of the meetings as spokesperson for the El Rio Coalition, a cause he continues to advocate for along with vehement criticism towards the city. The vast majority of voters were residents. It is a complete fabrication to say that “outsiders” determined the election or that “outside” votes were solicited or encouraged. People who had been alienated showed up to vote for a change. Some were business people in the neighborhood.
The first actions in office were attempts to establish some basic communication within the barrio where none had existed for years. What could have been steps towards positive improvement in the association was derailed. A faction was geared up for retaliation. The attempt to update the bylaws became the battlefield.
After numerous focus meetings and discussions at monthly meetings, it wasn’t until a workable proposal was on the table for a vote that Scott Egan and Margaret McKenna showed up with supporters to vote down the membership article and clamor for ‘residents only’ membership.
Egan is quoted in the Weekly article as saying “of course we are going to keep businesses involved.” How is this possible when Egan has adamantly maintained the position of “members shall be residents—period.” Keeping the membership inclusive to all and restricting rights to vote in an election was an option deliberately kept out of the discussion by Mr. Egan’s insistence that the membership be resident only.
For support of the ‘resident only membership’ proposal, mistruths were circulated to incite, and racial discrimination entered the picture. I ask who would choose to go down that path when we have witnessed over and over the disastrous effects such prejudice can unleash.
I’m sorry to see the Weekly fall so short on it’s reporting.
Stop in, smile as you fuel up with the best food on the Westside—we do not all sport clenched fists.
Kacey Carleton, is president of the Barrio Hollywood Neighborhood Association. For more information on BHNA, visit barriohollywood.info.
This article appears in Aug 6-12, 2015.
I wish Hollywood could just stand together. Negative publicity feeds into the destruction of something my elders worked hard to construct.
It is a well established fact that Kacey Carleton along with the owners of Pat’s Chili Dogs, and the owners of Unique Trends Hair Salon tried for over a year to change the Barrio Hollywood Neighborhood Association bylaws to limit residents to ONE VOTE PER HOUSEHOLD. I personally witnessed these events and for Kacey Carleton to write a guest editorial claiming it never happened is an outrage. Kacey Carleton continues to lie about the good people of Barrio Hollywood and claim we are racist against her because she is white. The reason people in the barrio do not like her, is because of her condescending attitude and disgusting reprehensible
Ms. Carleton continues to spread outright misinformation and division: which is the main reason she lost the vote 63 to 10:
1. Racism was not “promoted” by anyone, except by her comments here. People of all colors voted each way — there just happen to be over five times as many who voted against her. Ms. Carleton is the “faction” here — not the overwhelming majority.
2. Sal Baldenegro has a much longer and righteous history in Barrio Hollywood than Ms. Carleton ever has and has every right to express his opinions. Her attack on him shows to all that she is only “inclusive” of the few that blindly support her.
3. Gentrification is not a “myth” as she asserts, but a very real threat to residents in and around the area. To say it doesn’t exist proves how out of touch she is, not only with residents but small business folks who are concerned as well.
4. I did not prevent any discussion as she claims. In fact, discussions took place over many months of public meetings. Minutes of our meetings could prove this.
5. I am not a spokesperson for the El Rio Coalition but a proud supporter and member of the group that helped stop the City’s give-away of the Trini Alvarez Golf Course to developers, a worthy struggle that Ms. Carleton took no role in, in fear of alienating her Bureaucratic friends in the City of Tucson.
In reality, the Weekly article was the most objective piece written on the issue, which is obviously the cause of her consternation. Too bad for her, but good for the community.
Where were the parties that felt excluded and wanted inclusive practices when the most recent vote took place? The vote that included businesses and came out 69-13. The Barrio has taken it upon themselves to speak up and these are the results. I don’t understand how when our European leaders use rhetoric and strong language it cannot be called racial but because a neighborhood with strong brown roots decides to rally and use their voice it can be labeled that way. The point is that colored people have been historically disadvantaged and when we take action to determine our own path we are assumed to be wrong.
Also I hope you sent an open letter as well to publications that reported on this story and were not even present for this experience.
Methinks that Stacey Carleton should walk away from the BHNA and not spin her wheels of good intent against a bunch of neighborhood bullies and outsiders who have agitated at the meetings and who appear to have fixated upon a series of events in the past that they use as a crutch for their actions. Stacey’s ideas and those of others who have good intent can be realized through other means where acrimony and childlike behavior are not the norm.
The real solution will be through the city who should withdraw all support for BHNA and refuse them the use of city facilities. I don’t know of any other neighborhood assocation in the city where police officers have to be present, thanks to the aforementioned bullies and gullibe hangers-on. Shame on Steve Leal for jumping on the bullybandwagon without thinking things through and who did little or nothing about the numerous slumlords in his Ward 5. And I think its about time for Regina Romero to step up to the plate and step away from BHNA as well as I feel that by her absence and implied impartiality she is actually aggravating the situation.
BTW are the sponsors of Fiesta Grande willing to show their financial records to an outside auditor? If things are on the up and up you have nothing to lose.
YOU HAVE NO RESPECT FOR YOURSELF lady to say what you said about SALMON BALDENEGRO. Where were you 40 yrs ago? Don Baldenegro is wonderful good person he thinks of others unlike you who thinks of herself……. I will say VIVA La Raza. God bless you- Stacey Careton.
Margarita. You actually have hit on part of the problem. Forty years ago. That is called grinding an old ax for the benefit of? Salmon Baldenegro. His stories are nice, but I was here forty years ago as well and its 2015, not 1975. If I behaved now like I did in 1975 I would probably be homeless living behind a dumpster somewhere.
The agitation that is being misused in the meetings is based on this fixation of the past with no real vision of the future. That is one reason why there is no new construction in Barrio Hollywood and why so many of the lots are filled with run down rental housing, most of which dates back to the sixties and seventies. The people who have agitated against Kacey(got the name right) Carleton are stuck in the past with economic ideas that will result in Barrio Hollywood becoming resistant to new ideas. To improve and repair a neighborhood like Barrio Hollywood requires investment funds and smart thinking. None of the previous leaders of the BHNA showed any skills or interest in such activities and it shows. There are many vacant houses. There are many vacant lots. The people who once lived in the vacant houses have gone forever. So the real problem in the Barrio is not Gentrification. Its an absence of new ideas and fear of change.
Baldenegro is in it for Baldenegro and his huge ego. Period.