Dallas City Councilwoman Carolyn King Arnold holds her last State of the District address for District 4.
DALLAS — What do you do with the lessons learned?
“I inadvertently, sadly, took someone’s life during an altercation by using a gun in the way I was taught how to use it,” said Victor Alvelias, Oak Cliff Empowerment Center Director.
After serving 26 years in prison, Alvelias uses that lesson to save others.
“I was so sad to come back to Oak Cliff and see that things still have not changed,” Alvelias said.
He’s not only involved with the Oak Cliff Empowerment Center, but also a community violence interrupter. He’s in communities providing basic resources, such as food, to cut down on crime.
“We pick up things in communities like this in order to survive a community like this,” said Alvelias. “It’s issues related to housing. It’s issues related to employment.”
Those are some of the issues residents are working to improve. They joined Dallas City Councilwoman Carolyn King Arnold in her last State of the District address as her position’s term ends. She represents District 4, which includes areas including Oak Cliff, the Cedar Crest neighborhood and The Bottoms.
“They were the ones that needed the equity, inclusion, and diversity focus,” Arnold said.
Her administration has been tackling violent crime, which Dallas Police data shows has gone down. They’ve also been addressing homelessness and infrastructure.
“We’ve seen an increase in the repair of infrastructure,” Arnold said.
She said more needs to be done with economic development and health care.
“We’re competing with the federal government, which is saying those programs will no longer be funded,” Arnold said.
“We can’t have people just coming in who don’t have a direct connection to the community and make decisions for us. We have to be able to really have the community needs at the forefront,” said Natashia Gerald. She is a community leader who works with youth.
“Understand, there are layers to this,” said Gerald. “Really address the root causes…not just providing resources but providing the restitution and resolve to change,” said Gerald.
“We have a community that has the potential to rival any community in the city of Dallas and across the nation,” said Alvelias.
Many residents and community leaders said one way to do that is to share what’s been learned and improve upon it. It’s what King Arnold called serving with purpose.