Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

Community centers are neighborhood outlets for the kids to go to engage in activities that help keep them out of trouble while at the same time helping them to build character as they grow older. They are also outlets for more senior members of society, as they give our mature citizens the opportunity to engage with one another in activities that help keep them in good physical and mental health. Community centers are also where many organizations meet, and families hold family celebrations like birthday parties and reunions. As we are told, they are there both for the young and the “young-at-heart”. However, for one concerned citizen, the purpose of the community centers being primarily for the kids are allegedly being abused by the individual in charge of one of the centers. Community activist Mike Castor is involved in what goes on at Emily P. Robinson Community Center on Jackson Street in Monroe, LA. He says he is very disturbed by what he sees at the center. Castor said that he has donated his time and “things of need” to the community centers, only to see that instead of the donations benefitting the kids, they are allegedly being abused by the director. Castor said that at one particular time, he donated orange juice to E.P. Robinson for the kids, only to “find out” that the director was said to have given the donation to some family members. Castor told The Monroe Dispatch that when he questioned the director about his alleged actions concerning what he gave, he said that the director “didn’t want to talk about it”. On July 6, 2023, Castor said he took his concerns to Mayor Friday Ellis. In a July 6 meeting, Castor said that city official Jimmie Bryant was in the meeting along with District 5 Councilwoman Kema Dawson. After hearing his concerns about what allegedly transpired at E.P. Robinson, he said he was told that the matter “would be looked into”. In an effort to plead his case further, Castor spoke at the July 11, 2023 city council meeting during the audience participation time. There again, he brought up the alleged situation, saying that someone must be held accountable for what is being done to the kids. Castor said that, unlike the July 6 meeting, he did not get a response from the council members while he was at the podium. He asked them if the kids mattered to the city before walking away. Castor believes that what the director did was nothing short of stealing and said that he told the city attorney that another employee accused of doing the same thing might lose their job. Castor also said that the “orange juice” incident is not isolated. Castor said that “more attention and resources” should be invested now into the community centers. He mentioned the $300,000 the city received from the Ouachita Parish Police Jury to be spent on the zoo, but he wants to know what is being done for the kids. Castor said he made donations to Robinson consisting of 400 backpacks last year for the kids. He helps sponsor a Halloween event at E.P. Robinson, spending personal funds from himself and others. At a Christmas-sponsored event, bicycles, toys, food, and games were donated to E.P. Robinson, said Castor. Somehow, the things done for the kids at E.P. Robinson didn’t make it on the city website, Castor alleges. Castor says it is “not about him” but his concern “for the babies”. He said that it is disheartening to hear about older young people killing themselves, which is why everything must be done to reach the ones that frequent the community centers. He believes that the other community centers should be scrutinized to ensure that there is no abuse of donations occurring. As of press time, Castor said that he has not heard from anyone at city hall. He’s still waiting. There are three sides to every story. This was one side of this story. The Monroe Dispatch welcomes the other or another side of this story.