By Jill Davis
On another one of my work adventures, I found myself in Columbia Heights and to kill time before a meeting, so I went for a walk through Meridian Hill Park. When I read about Meridian Hill’s backstory, I realized the importance of community and the beauty of kindness even further. Meridian Hill Park used to be the home of drug deals, homicides, and was actually called the “most murderous” part of the district. It was through the creation of “Friends of Meridian Hill” who patrolled the park, unarmed, and said hello to everyone they saw that led to a 95% decrease in crime and tripled the amount of people who attend the park. The organization now has over one thousand members and the park stands in its glory with fountains, monuments, and natural beauty that is enjoyed by the entire community. Meridian Hill is a great place to see the flourish of cherry blossoms that graces D.C. every spring.