One resident of Block 22 shares what it takes to make a change

THE warmth of the white sand, surrounded by wild fruit trees that overlook a bluewater lake: Block 22, as the community is named, is truly beautiful. Although not a big community, housing less than a hundred or so people, the community has become quite famous. But it is popular for more than its lakes and trees. Its vast development also makes the community unique.

Block 22 is a community of people seeking to build a new life. Persons from far and wide ventured to the community seeking work, opportunity or simply a change of scenery. Lacell Gordon has seen the community blossom from a few little homes on the hill to a fully developed community, with both electricity and water. His journey to the community was not easy, however. Coming from a place that many considered a ‘ghetto’ to Block 22 was a big change that took a lot of hard work.

Where we grow up definitely has an impact on us however it does not have to define us. Lacell Gordon has lived in Block 22 for the last decade. He has seen the community change and develop throughout the years. When he first ventured into the community, it was not much more than an ats open space of trees. Lacell saw what the community could be and decided to stay. Born and raised in Linden, Lacell says his home village was very different from his village today.

Although not perfect, Block 22 has a warm, welcoming neighbourly vibe to it. Lacell says his home was nothing like Block 22. As he stated, “I grew up in a place called Victory Valley. It was somewhere that people would call a ghetto. It was a poor community. We had alleys and them things. Investors would not come around to do anything in the community because it was a ghetto, and we all know what a ghetto was.”

Today, Lacell works in construction. He worked various jobs throughout his lifetime to create better opportunities for himself and his family. Coming from a community like his, work was rare. And with the added pressure of coming from a place that many considered unsavoury, hard work was the only option for Lacell. As he stated, “There was no real work in the community I grew up in. When people saw that you were from the valley, they would think it was a bad place and maybe we had a lot of bad people. But the fact is that we are all human beings. It is just where we live.”

Linden is truly the mining town. Most of the region’s men have worked in some type of mining at one point or another in their life. Surrounded by industries, the people of communities like Block 22 are hard workers. People have taken to new entrepreneurial ventures, such as agriculture and mining, to different degrees. Lacell stated that this was not always the case, as he stated, “I used to be more or less in the interior. Because this is Linden, so I would work in the interior. Or I would work at BOASAI. It is not easy to get a good job if you are not in something like construction, masonry or carpentry work.”

Leaving him home was not easy. Not only because he was leaving his home behind, but he left to rebuild a life for himself. Lacell took on many jobs, mostly mining and construction. Years ago, these were the options for work. However, he took the chance and moved to the budding community of Block 22. He knew it would be difficult restarting, but he also knew it would be better. As he stated, “I knew moving here would be different. I knew it could not be the same like it was before. Where I am from, it was more tracks and alleyways, here are driveways and roads.”

Hard work is how Lacell says he had made the change for himself. His transformation and rise are truly inspiring, coming from a place where people thought differently of you simply because of where you are from. Growing up as the last of ten siblings, Lacell knew early on that he had to make his own chances. He began working quite young and has not stopped since. As he stated, “Everything I have today is from work, bush work and so on.” But working is just the tip of the iceberg. Lacell shares that vision also has a lot to do with his personal growth. Working is good, but working with an idea of where you want to be is crucial. As he added, “It all starts in your mind. It is about knowing where you are and where you want to be. But it is a challenge, so you have to step out and just step up.”