Three years ago, the residents of South Monroe put all of their dreams on paper and presented them to the Monroe City Council and received unanimous approval. It was an ambitious dream package that would take 25 years or more to unfold, and was branded “The Southside Dream.” The Southside Dream is our community’s vision for safe streets, quality schools, thriving businesses, and equal opportunity.
It was shaped by public input from professionals and laypeople in a series of public meetings, passed by our council, and grounded in hope, not just for today, but for generations to come. It was entrusted in the hands of the Southside Economic Development Board, the agency charged to make it happen with the help of a hundred other hands.
Now, that dream is under threat.
SEDD Chairman Tony Little, a North Monroe resident representing South Monroe, has called the plan “unrealistic” and says it should be “destroyed.” He and a small group of newly appointed board members—many unfamiliar with the plan—are pushing to abandon the vision, rebrand the agency, and redirect its future without asking the people affected for their input or opinion.
That is unacceptable.
Cudos to Mrs. L. Marie Brown for speaking on behalf of the poor and jogging SEDD members back to reality.
The Southside Dream was never built on wishful thinking. It was backed by thoughtful planning and a strategy for funding that included grants, partnerships, tax districts, and more—not just the hotel tax. What’s been lacking is not money, but commitment.
Community activist Marie Brown said it best: “Somebody’s trying to destroy our dream.” And we must not let them.
This dream is not just about development—it’s about dignity. About believing South Monroe should not be treated as second-class. About refusing to settle for less while others prosper. Destroying the dream doesn’t make SEDD more efficient—it erases years of work and silences the people it was meant to serve.
On Monday, June 9 at noon, the SEDD board meets at City Hall. That’s our time to stand up and speak out.
Let the message be clear: This dream belongs to us. And we will not let them cancel it.
