“Area Code 7-2-4”

If you could choose to live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

“Do you plan to move back home to practice law?” “What made you move to Georgia from Pennsylvania?” “Where is your family?” “You moved down here by yourself?”

Those are some of the questions I’ve heard over the past 8+ years of living in Georgia. As you know, I moved down south and started my journey to becoming a Georgia peach in 2012. After law school graduation I got that question about practicing law in my hometown more. The short answer to that question is No. Yes, all of my immediate family is in PA. Yes, I moved down here by myself and made the choice to practice law here. I moved to Georgia for a new start.

Outside of the semesters spent in Morgantown at WVU, I lived in New Castle, PA for 11 years. Christmas break is spent in New Castle, PA. Summer vacations are spent in New Castle, PA. Ever since my best friend moved away, I don’t have any close friends in New Castle, PA. Of course, I have the people I went to high school with. But if it wasn’t for my family, I would have no real reason to return to New Castle, PA.

I spent a lot of my young adult years in NC. Many of my life lessons were learned from moments in NC. But to me, NC does not offer a lot of opportunities. The people that I know that live there are employed, have families, and are making a life for themselves. But the city is still stale. Not much room for growth. Not many positive role models for the younger generation. Living there, now, as a lawyer, single lol, would be an uphill battle. NC doesn’t even have a mall or a Chic-Fil-A! It does have a lot of history and there are first and second family generations that reside there. Family is what would bring me back to NC.

Don’t get me wrong, Athens isn’t far off from NC. In what way? I see so many young people getting arrested for very serious charges in Athens. Getting convicted and sentenced to prison before they’re even legally permitted to purchase an alcoholic beverage. Creating families with no employment opportunities to provide for them before they’re 25. That’s how Athens is similar to NC. People being killed for no reason. Drama around every corner. And I hate that for my hometown. How did that cycle start? Did people just give up on themselves? Would moving back change that? Can anything change that? Am I being cynical and unfair?

If you’re reading this and live in NC, this is not a personal attack on you at all. This is me reflecting on the life I chose for myself in GA, and a general call to action for those who live in small cities similar to NC and Athens. A call to action for those who see the plight and contribute to the misfortunate events. I know the people within the entire criminal justice system make it hard for minorities to thrive, and so does white supremacy. Those are facts. Those facts probably won’t change in our lifetime. But I also know that sometimes, we are faced with decisions to make and choices, and the way we were raised and the things we encountered and learned at young ages are what lead us to our ultimate selection. And to me, that brings me back to “the change begins in the home.” But that then brings me back to “the unbreakable cycle.” The system makes it hard for minorities to thrive, and so does white supremacy. Parents are turned away from jobs and are not paid the same as their white counterparts which makes providing for their children difficult, and ultimately they have to get creative on ways to survive. And this society doesn’t like it when we get creative. So they make it even harder for the kids to thrive. And the cycle just – keeps – on – going.

Wherever you find yourself in this cycle, do your part to end it. I am not sure what that entails. I don’t even know if I’m doing enough. I do my best every day to make a difference even if it’s just in the small city of Athens. I still have a 724 area code, but my assignment is no longer in New Castle and is now in Athens.

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” — 2 Peter 1:20-21, NKJV.

Moni Jay, Off the Record