ISHWORLD WEEKLY COLUMN/BLOG

August 15, 2026

608 words

Communities that vote for growth will live while those that vote for preference will die 

By Ishmael-Lateef Ahmad

Columnist/Blogger-At-Large

Recently, I attended a career fair with my daughter and was amazed at the number of people who turned out – young, old, men, women, nicely dressed, not so nicely dressed, fully prepared and not so fully prepared.

I’ve been to several career fairs in recent years, even some where I worked a table or helped a sponsor with pulling it all together. One thing I know, people are always looking for better jobs or just getting a job at all.

The recent event was sponsored by the Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis, Inc. At one jobs table they were hiring people to help clean up areas in the heart of the city in the aftermath of a severe F3 tornado that left a massive trail of destruction on May 16, 2025.

At one point I talked to a community activist who described the destructive path of the tornado. That path, the activist said, took it through some of the more developed neighborhoods while avoiding more dilapidated, more depressed neighborhoods on either side of the storm’s path. The result calls for rebuilding neighborhoods that were in great shape. How ironic, I thought. While trying to get ahead you find yourself falling behind.

Neighborhoods that were targeted by intentional neglect, redlining and disinvestment were spared by the storm. The man-made result has been catastrophic. And now post-tornado policy decisions can either be curative for all, or result in further destruction of the St. Louis community. That dilemma is worldwide – such as Gaza, Sudan, Venezuela, Ukraine, St. Louis and now Columbia, just to name a few places – essentially, wherever there is a need for care and healing.

Later, I thought about that conversation and soon it reminded me of another conversation, some years ago in another state.

As a reporter in the late 80s and 90s, I covered the city of Kissimmee, Fla., including its city council. At one meeting, the city’s leaders debated an application for a controversial business that wanted to locate there.

The debate was intense, primarily because most of the leaders did not like the type of business that wanted a business license. As I recall, most voted against the new business. However, one elected official voted for it. It was not the first time he voted for a new business when others did not. Later, I asked him why.

“You’re either growing or dying,” he said. “No in-between. Some [members of the city council] think they can pick and choose who gets to open a business in town. Not me. I will always vote for growth.”

As a reporter who has reported the ups and downs of governments in at least four states, I understood his point. With the eyes and mentality of both observer and journalist, I have seen businesses come and go and with them tax dollars to build a better community or the lack of tax dollars to speed the decline of once thriving neighborhoods, cities, counties, states and nations.

Sometimes the universe can destroy homes, businesses and communities in a flash. At other times, the community’s residents can do the same with a majority vote that favors the dreams of some over the dreams of others.

Humanity can do better and we must. Our future world tomorrow depends on what we do today.

(ISHWORLD: The International Search for Humanity is a complimentary column created and distributed to media by freelance journalist & blogger Ishmael-Lateef Ahmad. Based in St. Louis, Mo., he can be reached via ishworldcolumn@gmail.com or his website at https://payhip.com/ISHWORLDcolumns).

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