Fairview Heights, Illinois – A roundtable discussion occurred in the Ramada Inn at Fairview Heights Friday night, September 17, 1999.  After introductions were made by everyone in the room, dinner began, and soon afterward, conversation.  Included in each table were students, East St. Louis residents, staff members of the East St. Louis Action Research Project (ESLARP), and the occasional teacher.  At our table were students Beth Campbell, Emiel Guede, Edmund Velasco, Brett Polich, Rodney Howlett, Rob Schultz; ESLARP workers Vicki Eddings and Kathy Clump; Professor Kathryn Anthony; and East St. Louis resident Laurie McKinney. 
 Being the resident of East St. Louis, Ms. McKinney was the target of most of the students’ inquiries.  The questions were mostly about Ms. McKinney’s personal preferences.  The predictable results were answers that were just as unique as Ms. McKinney was.  A two-story house with double doors at the entry, at least a partly brick façade, the kitchen more towards the front of the house – these were just some characteristics of Ms. McKinney’s dream house.  The students also learned that Ms. McKinney felt more safe sleeping on the second level of her home, that the dining room was her favorite room of the house and that her noisy kids really didn’t bother her as long as they were in their own private rooms.  At the night’s end, the whole room was invited to a question and answer.  The most resounding answer was “change.”  The residents of East St. Louis were ready for change, and we, the students, were the ones who were going to get them started off on their way. 
 The students, with images of East St. Louis fresh in their minds, had just learned where their houses were going to be blitz built.  After the night’s events, they now knew who was going to be living in those homes.