The Mejia family moved to Seattle in 1956 from Ohio. My father was a Chief Petty Officer assigned to the Sand Point Naval Air Station (now Magnuson Park). We lived in a multi-family housing project in the Wedgwood neighborhood, built to accommodate the families of military personnel. It was a special place to grow up with other “Navy brats,” children of different backgrounds, who roamed the neighborhood playing tag, roller skating, playing Hide and Seek late at night. It was a fun place to live.
In 1962, my mother took the chance to walk across the street of our apartment to talk to the owner of a house being sold. As the story goes, my mother said that she wanted to purchase this ramshackle house, as she knew that the projects were soon to be torn down and the families would be transferred to other military bases. The gamble was that in the 1960’s, ‘redlining’ was a policy in which selling property to non-whites was virtually forbidden. (The banks were discouraged to offer home loans to non-whites.). But my mother was undaunted, she was resolute in securing stability for the family. She convinced this man to sell her the house, surprisingly enough, she had not even discussed this idea with my father!
Not long after the exodus of the families in the projects, three high-school aged boys started harassing my family. My mother sold candy and popsicles (she was fondly called “The Popsicle Lady”) in our house. Sometimes, these boys would huddle in front of the candy stand, most likely stealing candy bars and running out the door. More cruel instances occurred of sweeping up glass shards from shattered windowpanes, eggs thrown at the house, then finally, a BB gun bullet grazing past my head. Those are sad memories of those dark days. I remember dreading the sight of these boys, worried about their next move. My parents never took action against these boys, did not tell their parents.
But my mother, actually had a plan. We had a very supportive group of Filipino friends who attended each other’s celebrations which were fun, festive, and food was plentiful. We had a combined birthday coming up and my mother decided to invite some of our neighbors, including the parents of the three high-school nuisances. Surprisingly, those parents showed up and were sitting together in a little group.
I recall seeing my mother walk in the middle of that little circle talking to them, yet, I did not hear what she had said to them. Later on, my mother shared that she told those parents that she knew what their sons were doing and she didn’t like it. She told them that the next time it happened, she would call the police.
Thereafter, we did not suffer any more torment from those three boys.
I admire my mother for standing up for the dignity of our family, the protection of her property, and for civil behavior. I know my mother was taking a big chance talking to these neighbors about their sons’ behavior. My mother has been a courageous role model for our family and for the community. The house my mother purchased in 1962 is still our family property, as I live in that house today.