The Isolated Community Victor T. Johnson

J.T. Harrison Memorial Apartments, known just as "Harrison Homes", is just one of the many government-subsidized housings located in my hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina. When reflecting on the idea of community, I wanted to pick one that was not directly linked to me. The idea of the projects being an isolated community has always interested me; therefore it was my goal to truly understand a community with such negative connotations. My goal was to understand Harrison Homes.

Victor B. Johnson, my father, leading me to his apartment that he stayed in up until graduating high school.

"We knew that we lived in the projects, but we didn't know what that really meant when we were young." - Victor B. Johnson

During weekend hours, I expected commotion of all sorts only to find an almost barren complex staring back at me.

Victor sits in front of apartment "C". A place that housed him, his 5 other siblings, and a single mother.

Victor sits to reminisce of all the events that happened at just this wall alone.

One of the many signs urging the severity of violence in the area.

Although the goals have been taken down at this court, a boy still finds a way to put it to use. Right now, its being used as a distance marker as he sees how far he can throw.

As Victor B. Johnson and I continue through the complex, be guided by memories and short stories. We run into a whole group of children being supervised by Nassco (back left) and Quon (middle).

"It's good that these youngins are seeing this, because not many people wanna give back like that." - Nassco

A piece of the Harrison Home community.

The boys gathering in front of me as they pose and direct themselves.

The premise of this journey was to shed light on a community that is constantly talked about in a negative light. This place was a community that, although with its flaws and struggles, is full of people who love and laugh like anyone else. It's raised amazing people and will continue to do so. Harrison Homes is different from my community, but at the end it was just that; another community. Thank you dad, and thank you Harrison.

Created By

Victor Johnson

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