Don’t think. Just do.

Created
Sun, 08/10/2023 - 00:00
Updated
Sun, 08/10/2023 - 00:00
What the left is missing Ok, my neurons fire funny. Stick with me. Something about bonding is coming. The last several days, people of all ages from the community here have been building a playground not far from where I sit. Rather, rebuilding a playground: After two years of fundraising and advocating for a park rebuild, ground was broken Sept. 28 for Candace Pickens Memorial Park, formerly Jones Park Playground, in North Asheville. One of the people holding a shovel was Keesha Martinez, whose daughter, Pickens, was the 22-year-old murdered at the park in May 2016. […] Pickens was killed in 2016 on her then 3-year-old’s son birthday. She had taken him to the park to celebrate, according to previous Citizen Times reporting. Her son, Zachaeus, was also shot, losing his left eye and surviving. The company that designed and furnished material relies on community volunteers to build out the site under direction from its superintendent and foremen. They supply most tools. Neighbors bring theirs too. While we were hauling materials around the site last night, Martinez introduced herself as Candace’s mother. An idiot, I didn’t know what to say. But another crew member burst into tears and she and Martinez hugged and cried for several minutes. Hundreds of people from the neighborhood, from across town, and from Asheville High have pitched in. (As a politico, the first question I ask is where people live — I think in precincts.) I’ve met neighbors whose houses I walk by every day but have never…