Sometimes, I feel like the walls are caving in. It gets harder to breathe—frustrated and irritated and frustrated and irritated—an endless cycle of frustration and irritation. Frustrated because the people who have the resources to solve these problems in our neighborhood, for some reason, won’t share them. Frustrated because the people you think should be giving to this work aren’t, or haven’t, or are hoarding and holding on. When you know…

BLK South’s 2025 Annual Report reflects a year of transition, learning, and deeper rootedness. As we relocated to Durham and continued our work in the Historic Hayti District, this report offers an honest snapshot of what it looked like to practice place-based community development through presence, partnership, and patience. Inside, we share highlights from our neighborhood work, formation spaces, public engagement, and the relationships that continue to shape our long-term vision for the South.

I’ve heard it said before that you can speak

That within you lay the stories untold

The stories of the losers and the lost ones

Only you and God have born witness to the things that would leave people aghast

We have named you many things but I wonder what you would name us

Monsters or humans?

I cannot hear you.

And that grieves me.

Perhaps because there is too much noise

Too much street traffic overriding your thoughts and tales