Theresa’s Take – Take 11 “Nobody Exercises in this Neighborhood”
May 31, 2011
A couple of weeks ago I took advantage of a rare occurrence – great weather in Rochester in the month of May. I put on my workout gear, laced up my sneakers and hit the pavement. I do a combination power walk/jog throughout my northeast neighborhood some evenings. Too often the gift of gab interferes with my workout, and I stop to chat with neighbors, friends and strangers. I give health and wellness advice – wanted or unwanted. Many times people stop me, to encourage me to keep up the good work.
On this sun shiny evening, I was getting it in. I had picked up some speed was finally in the fat burning zone. I jogged past a young man no more than 10 years of age. He yelled out to me, “Hey lady, are you on probation?” I was puzzled by this question, as I couldn’t think of why he would ask me such a thing. I gave myself a once-over to see if anything in my appearance seemed alarming or probation-ish. Finally it hit me, the kid thought I was running from the police.
As I continued with my workout, I came across some friends of my late father. I stopped to chat again. As we were reminiscing, another man joined in the conversation, alerting everyone that I was the police. Despite my denial of a career in law enforcement he insistently stated, “Don’t be fooled by her looks. She is the police. I’m telling you, she is the police because don’t nobody exercise in this neighborhood!”
In 1971 Marvin Gaye released the song “What’s Going On.” This social commentary ballot inspired by the Vietnam War included the lyrics,
“Mother, mother there’s too many of you crying,
Brother, brother, brother there’s far too many of us dying,
We’ve got to find a way to bring some understanding here today.
Come on talk to me, so you can see what’s going on.”
Forty years later Americans cannot wave the flag of victory on our deadliest war ever, OBESITY. The ill effects of poor eating habits and lack of exercise have mothers still crying and brothers still dying. What’s going on in the streets Rochester that exercise has become so foreign that yours truly is thought to be on probation, and accused of being the police for simply power walking and jogging? If nobody is exercising in your neighborhood, Ladies, Gents and Janet Jackson wannabes, will you?
ymcarochester.wordpress.com 
SOOOOO I was driving by picking my daughter up. I look to my right and thought, that can’t be Teresa, not over here. However as she ran closer I looked and thought, she really looks like Teresa, but it cant be her running over here in this neighborhood. So I looked yet again, by this time, she was behind me but I had to really make sure I saw what I saw. Teresa jogging in what I feel like is the staight up ghetto, the hood. I then thought, I would not be caught dead running out here. I’d be terrified. Later finding out that it was her and learning her perspective on the situation, I have a new outlook, however, I still would not jog in that neighborhood. : )Teresa you’re one of a kind.
Yonique thank you for your honesty. I live in an area, as you put it, that many people feel is hood or straight up ghetto. I happen to really love the neighborhood I call home. So many people leave the hood when they so call “make it”. I chose to stay. If everybody leaves who will be the role models. It really does take a village to raise a child. My hope is that my life will be an inspiration to someone. Next time you see me out jogging, don’t be afraid to stop and say hello.
I’m passionate about my neighborhood because, beyond taking a village to raise a child, it takes a village to be a village. We all must consider our role in making our communities/villages better. I don’t want to be that person that just talks about change, or blog about change. I plan to be the change. I have reached out to my city officials to have Rochester join in Mrs. Obama’s get moving campaign for cities.I encourage you all to look aoround your village and make some healthy changes!
Wow. That’s pretty sad Theresa when you, of all people, are thought of as the police.If you were crime would be low in Rochester. You’re absouletely right out walking and jogging is not hardly seen in Rochester and that’s for adults and kids because we’re living in a time where we want everything easy. Give me a tred mill with the a/c and I’ll walk and jog on that but as you’ve said we’ve got to do better. The same thing we do as adults our children are going to mimic. Maybe we need to start some walking clubs in differnt neighborhoods?
It’s good to see that your neighborhood has at least 1 possisitive influence in it, when it comes to health, and weight, it is all so very sad that whenever a African American is doing something possitive, they are looked upon as a criminal or a police, Just keep doing what your doing sister and hopefully it will get other people in the neighborhood to realize how important exercise and health is.