Community and Diversity in a Small Town

by Ajia I. Meux

Brick-lined streets in downtown Antioch, Calif.
Photo credit: Ajia Meux

My mother moved to Antioch after I graduated from high school and had left for college. I have never seen it as someplace other than “where my mom lives.” When tasked with seeing Antioch as a travel destination, I did not believe there would be any takeaways. The city is overshadowed by more well-known parts of Northern California – namely Oakland and San Francisco. The tourism industry is virtually non-existent and, based on the conversations with locals, they appear to prefer it that way. Their communication mechanisms are still pretty primitive: websites are outdated and businesses still communicate via flyers. In addition, over the last twenty years, the city has been riddled with crime and have had issues with local their government.

The Cannery Lady Statue in Downtown Antioch
Photo Credit: Ajia Meux

Walking around downtown and speaking to those that make up the fabric of its downtown arts district, however, gave me a different perspective of this suburb outside of San Francisco. In experiencing the city in this different way, I found a localized beauty, which lies in its historical preservation. Through its monuments, including the Cannery Lady, which celebrates the history of nineteenth century canneries and fishing areas that operated in Contra Costa County, and the historic El Campanil Theater, I learned that Antioch has a strong sense of community and commitment to diversity. The markers, murals and business owners I spoke to all communicated that Antioch is a city of inclusion built on the back of hard-workers and immigrants. When I return home, I plan to continue to experience Antioch in this way, patronizing  small, local businesses over large corporate entities.

Contact Information: 

Ajia I. Meux

ajiameux@ou.edu

www.tallandloud.com