We're now more than halfway through Black History Month. So, in honor of those of black heritage here in Southwest Florida, WGCU is featuring local African Americans from across the region - from all sorts of professions, genders and backgrounds. Today, you'll hear from a young man who dedicates his free time to preserving traditions in the Dunbar community.
"Alright, so my name is Martin Byrd. I’m employed with the Lee County School District, but I spend a lot of time as the chair of the Dunbar Festival Committee. I grew up in what is formally called Southward Village, which is a HUD housing development but we call it the 'Old Projects.'
At my birth, it was five generations in a three-bedroom. So, that would have been my great-great grandmother, my great grandmother, my grandmother, my mother and I. It definitely makes family important, like we stick close together. I think just the art of service is passed through our family, despite not being rich ourselves but just wanting to serve.
At 15 or 16, my assistant principal at the time 'volun-told' me about a teen group she thought would be good for me. And, that kind of started my involvement with stuff. I was an athlete, I was good in school. I was in the church choir but as far as the community. I got involved with the City of Fort Myers Advisory Council, and through that, I got introduced to the Dunbar Festival Committee, and after about a year and a half-two years, I was elected the chairperson of the committee.
Through working in the school district, working with students of all races and then doing these community events and programming, watching people have their paradigm changed by interacting with people and seeing their perspective: I went to the event. I enjoyed it. It was just like anyone of ours, those kids are just like ours. For me, it’s continuing those traditions so it’s about building that community, not just in the neighborhood what is traditionally its been, but the Lee County Southwest Florida community.
For me, Black History Month is a good start, a beginning of something. Because there is so much more, if we study more deeply each other’s perspective and each other’s history. And, because we have Black History Month, we do one thing here and one thing there, and then - Okay, I know Dr. King and I know Malcolm X, but who were those people and what does that mean in the context of being black in America?
It’s like going to an event that you didn’t want to go to and taking a picture and leaving. Like, I like you enough, so I want you to know that I was there and I supported you, but like, it’s not important to me to really go deep. My personality doesn’t bother me. Like, have you ever seen the McDonald’s commercial 365 Black? But yeah, you only run it in February, so whatever.
I had AP and gifted classes. Going to school, there was moments like my friends, or I would have friends talking about a person or this group of people like, 'Oh, they cool.' And I’m like, yeah, but you don’t hear what they say in class. Like, people just having a discussion on this side, and you’re like, 'Okay, that’s how you really feel?' So, but, because it goes back to the Black History point. Like, you’re cool. I like you, or the favorite term is 'Oh, you’re different.'
We pick on North Florida and call it ‘South Alabama,’ but like, we’re in Southwest Florida. This area is just like part of it is the snowbird culture, part of it is the older residents, part of it is we are so far down south. Our culture really is kind of, like, laid-back and slow, so it’s like people can mean well, but they don’t want to change. So it’s like, 'It’ll be okay look how far we have come. You’re good, I’m good - don’t mess with it, it’ll work itself out.' That’s the environment here. Everybody kind of just accepts it, and like, I’m comfortable being in a room full of Hispanic people, in a room full of white people, in a room full of black people - but not so true for most people. Some of us can move, but like, it is separate. The schools are separate. Things like football or something, they’ll bring you together for that and even in those kind of cliques, those groups, once you’re out of your group you don’t talk because it is no longer socially acceptable. I love Fort Myers. I can love the area and still admit that there are certain things about the area that will not treat you good because of who you are. And, it’s not always on purpose. It's subconscious; sometimes, it's just built in the system."
