Feb 21, 2015 2 min read

In 1972, I wanted to run for student government president at Trinity High School. I wasn’t a jock or an honor student, nor was I that popular. But I wanted to make a difference. Some students believed in me, most did not, and even some teachers thought it was a bad idea. But I was persistent. When the election was over, I won.

In the Fleet family, it was drilled into our heads that no matter what the odds were, seek your goals and go after them.

That philosophy was evident when my parents, Delcina and Fred Fleet, purchased the old NAACP building on Lincoln Street in Washington, which became the headquarters for their Highland Erie Project to combat poverty in the Highland Ridge, “Linn Town” area. Along with George Robinson Sr. and other members of the community who were tired of watching federal and state grants bypass us, these men and women rallied a community to take action. From 1980 to 1993, despite some opposition, they were responsible for bringing in over $4.2 million and transforming the area into a beautiful community. Linn Town, as it was known, was largely an African-American neighborhood, and now it is racially mixed.

African-American History Month recognizes black innovators who challenged the status quo. Let us also acknowledge the brave souls from diverse groups that stood with them to make communities better.

Fred Fleet

Washington

Fleet is the president and CEO of the Highland Ridge Community Development Corp.