NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – In a time of division, two North Little Rock women created a Facebook group to bring the community together. It’s called One North Little Rock and it’s a platform to talk about issues facing the city.
Growing up on the Northside of the Arkansas River, Sonya Irving and Kesha Cobb remember the days when the city operated as one unit.
“If you lived in Rose City if you lived in Lakewood if you lived in Park Hill, Levy, it didn’t matter. We all went to school together, we loved each other,” Irving said.
Now, they say it seems like each district is its own little town.
“Over the last few years it’s just seemed so divided,” Irving said.
When each district is separated by miles, it can be hard to bring everyone together as one. That’s why these two women created a Facebook group where people can connect with just the touch of a button.
“So many different people are in the group. Young, old all ethnicity’s,” Cobb said.
It’s called One North Little Rock and the founders are opening discussions and shooting episodes focused on issues facing the city.
“We want people to have the hard conversations because without the hard conversations there is never going to be change,” Irving said.
“It’s a great place for people to voice their opinions, any opinions and we don’t regulate that as long as it’s not disrespectful,” Cobb said.
They are also making sure the future of the city is part of the movement.
“Let me get involved in my community because that’s something very important to me,” North Little Rock High School graduate Alexandria Williams said.
“So many adults are looking to the younger generation and looking to us and saying you know we don’t have all the answers,” North Little Rock High School grad Dawson Teague said.
Now, with close to 4,000 members and counting, Irving and Cobb are hoping this group brings each neighborhood into one unified city.
“I see the group growing and being the voice for all the people,” Cobb said.
The class of 2020 grads also helped set up protests in response to the death of George Floyd. The next one is Saturday, June 13th at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. The other is a march scheduled for Tuesday, June 16th at 5:00 p.m. It will start at Another Chance Ministries then head to North Little Rock High School, then make one final stop at the North Little Rock Police Department before heading back to the church.