What is wrong with us? Wake up African-Americans! Can’t you see how important your vote is?

Our votes are needed! The candidates want our votes, but look where the ditches are and the streets without curbs or sidewalks. So who is getting served?

Look at one entrance to our city, “across the railroad tracks.” The area from Portsmouth Boulevard to East Washington Street is designated as a gateway to the city. But there are barricades, deep ditches and the same old outdated lights, and there is no curbing and no sidewalks.

Where do you see another entrance to the city so badly represented? This is a major entrance, and it is heavily traveled by visitors to our community.

All we have are broken promises for more than 50 years. Don’t we pay taxes?

Look at Hall Avenue, Cedar Street and South Main Street, all with new lights and a new look. Now look at Jericho, with those huge ditches, lots of pedestrians and no sidewalks or curbing.

Look at Prentis Street, from Main Street to Constance Road. A road with curbing was made through a wooded area beside the railroad tracks, and Constance Road now has a median.

Why can’t we have a decent thoroughfare on East Washington Street?

Wake up African-Americans. Attend your City Council meetings and let your voices be heard. Our churches and organizations are very interesting to the candidates when they need our votes, but then where do the candidates go?

We have the power, but we don’t use it properly. See how the pool was taken out of East Suffolk Recreation Center? We were given what they wanted us to have. Look at our Morgan Library. It doesn’t hold a candle to other area libraries, and it is hardly open long enough to accommodate the average person’s schedule.

If you want things to stay the way they are, vote for the same people. Otherwise, African-Americans, cast your votes for the people who will help you.

It’s time for a change.

Helen V. Daughtrey

Suffolk