COMMUNITY NEWS

by Karon Hamlet

"I Need a Job"

Men and women began to line up at 11pm, the previous night. They brought blankets, comforters, snacks and a plan to rotate warming up in the car while temperatures dipped down into the single digits overnight. They weren't waiting for concert tickets, the newest apple release or the latest gym shoes. They wanted a JOB.

State Representative Marlow Colvin's office presented the opportunity for his constituents to fill out preliminary applications for new positions available at Ford Motor Company. (Representative Marlow Colvin is pictured to the left talking with a candidate) Hundreds of persons braved the extreme cold, some with children in hand, others without the proper winter gear to keep themselved warm, holding onto the desire to get a job. "I really need a job, I registered online, but I didn't want to take any chances", said one of the young men who stayed outside overnight.

The site of this crowd full of mostly African American men was a drastic reminder of just how desperately jobs are needed in the community.