STRIVING FOR IMPACT

Justice Marbury

RochesterDemocratandChronicle | USATODAYNETWORK

In early March, the streets of Jefferson Avenue were unusually quiet, with little activity beyond school children playing on the playground.

Two other men sat on a bench – though one decided to leave when Daniel Prude’s name came up in conversation.

On March 23, 2020, Daniel Prude, a 41-yearold Black man, died after being restrained by police officers on Jefferson Avenue. At the time, Prude was experiencing a mental health crisis.

When the incident surfaced in September 2020, Jefferson Avenue became the heart of powerful and emotional demonstrations calling for justice, reform and equity.

Five years later, how do the residents of Jefferson Avenue perceive their neighborhood and the stark contrast between the crowds that filled the streets during the protests and the emptiness that now lingers?

Faye Washington, who had lived in the neighborhood for a long time, was proud to see the community protest for change.

Although living in Tampa, Florida, at the time, she saw the protests on the news and thought, “It was about time.”

In the aftermath of Prude’s death, many residents who spoke with the Democrat and Chronicle in 2021 expressed support for marches and protests. Some believe Jefferson Avenue’s struggles with crime, economic hardship and food insecurity were overshadowed in the larger fight for justice, feeling unseen and unheard – even as their front yards became the backdrop for weeks of protests and a heavy police presence.

Some believed protesters were hesitant or wary of engaging with residents, while others felt ignored. Mostly, residents thought they were left to navigate their challenges alone.

Once a thriving business hub

In May 2021, sitting outside the Candy Galore convenience store, which has since relocated, James Walker gave Democrat and Chronicle reporters a broader perspective of Jefferson Avenue.

“A lot of things happen in this community because people just don’t know how to communicate,” Walker said.

“You’ll experience that walking up and down Jefferson. Look over there – a shooting just happened.”

Walker was pointing to a nearby street, which Rochester police had blocked to investigate.

Jefferson Avenue was once a thriving hub for Black-owned businesses.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Black entrepreneurs established small neighborhood shops along the street, ranging from corner delis to tailor shops.

The neighborhood began to shift as white flight led many residents to relocate to the suburbs. The situation worsened in the 1980s and 1990s when the crack epidemic devastated families, further eroding the economic and social fabric of the area.

According to real estate data from 2022, the median household income in Rochester was $44,156.

However, in the Genesee-Jefferson neighborhood, it was significantly lower, at $32,858.

The neighborhood’s income levels fall well below the national average.

The once vibrant street now stands in emptiness, a hard-to-ignore silence.

As Walker said, “People around here are worried about making it day to day.”

This story includes reporting by Robert Bell and Adria Walker.

As a Rochester native, Justice Marbury entered the world of journalism to create work where voices like hers were heard – the voices of minority communities. Contact her on Instagram @justice_marbury and by email at jmarbury@gannett.com.