Maylinda stidham

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPH:

Everybody in our neighborhood comes together for children, no matter what. If somebody in my neighborhood needs something, I sit back and watch — and everybody goes to one another. That sense of community is coming back to Middletown. And that's something to be proud of: just getting to watch how well we thrive and help one another.

Especially when it comes to our babies — that’s where it matters the most — seeing how everybody’s helping us raise our children. Instead of dividing us, we’re coming together and helping get them where they need to go.

We started a community garden last year, and now we’re starting a neighborhood watch. I became a Community Ambassador, and we’re just out here trying to give, give, give. You see Middie Pride in everybody out there supporting one another. If something’s going wrong in the city, we all go and address it and take care of it the way we're supposed to.

I'm not from Middletown, but Middletown became my home.