Why Broken windows? Part 1

Coming into adulthood wasn’t an easy road for me. The path to becoming a contributing and respectable member of society was just as challenging. Many of my lessons were hard-earned, often through trial and error. One of the biggest reasons I focus the small amount of community work I can do on projects inspired by the “Broken Windows Theory” has a lot to do with how and where I grew up. Broken Windows Theory is the idea that the environment you exist in has an impact on how you feel about your life, your home, and your community.

Not everyone gets the same starting point in life. Some of us are born into circumstances that feel like a lottery—where the numbers don’t always land in our favor. My childhood was full of lessons about navigating an unfair world, shaped by people and situations that left lasting impressions on me.

Sometimes, it was an adult who cared too much, even if their methods were flawed. Other times, it was a stranger who saw something wrong and stepped in. There were moments when it was a community-focused officer who prioritized helping people over handing out punishments. Other times, it was a mother doing her best, even when she didn’t know what else to do.

And sometimes, it was just a broken window.

This is the story of one such moment from my childhood. It’s a story that highlights why I believe so deeply in the power of small actions and why our environments—and the people within them—shape us in ways we may not even realize.

(I’ve broken this into two posts to separate the story section. Part 2 can be found HERE. It’s a longer read.)