The Economic and Class structure of Bryan, Texas as it relates to Texas A&M

I finally figured it! For many years now I have had suspicions about why it is so many people in Bryan, Texas seem to have a not so positive mental attitude about their past, present, and future. The energy here in some circles is always at a standstill. No real true feeling of hope and aspirations to travel, explore, and create a desirable outcome. Moreover, I have wondered what the cause of this is, and it finally hit me just yesterday.

The reason so many of my people are left behind economically and socially is due to the reverse effect of having Texas A&M in our backyard. Yesterday in one of my graduate courses a student made a point about the relationship between Bryan and College Station that sent my vibes into motion on this matter. He said something to the fact that businesses locate in College Station due to the obvious economic advantages and in turn hire their cheap labor from Bryan. So then, the tax revenue remains in College Station as is such the structure in place. 

Additionally, this student stated so candidly that the cities are essentially one other than the imaginary lines that create boundaries and then of course the two competing government entities that govern each city. This is a basic fact about Bryan and College Station, but being from here I had never heard it put that way. This is of course something that I would believe is well known among scholars and city officials alike in this area. From his statement, these ideas were born.

Texas A&M remains a great asset to not only the state of Texas, but also the United States of America. However, its sheer existence seems to be undermining the progress of one of its closest allies in terms of proximity. Bryan, Texas rarely reaps any of the hyper-benefits that Texas A&M University brings to this area. For starters it is taboo to talk about it, but the students arrive here and are told that Bryan is the place where all the poor minorities live and crime is a problem. So then they inherit the idea that this is a place you do not want to go thus further perpetuating this demonstrative cycle. 

Similarly, I see very little partnership between the people of Texas A&M and the citizens of Bryan. For example, in my neighborhood revitalization class we are doing what amounts to a comprehensive plan for the city of Brownwood, Texas sharing innovative and appropriate technology ideas. My question is why would we not be studying Bryan? Why would we not be using these same planning and revitalization methods to go to West Bryan or East Bryan on Martin Luther King where for years there have been dilapidated housing, generations of under-education, drug use, lack of vision, and an overall low energy level in terms of self-sufficiency? Better yet, why wouldn't we be studying ideas to create a more welcoming Texas Avenue North of Villa Maria; one that rivals Texas Avenue South of University Drive?

Allow this disclaimer: I am not denouncing Bryan as a great place to live, but what I am doing is attempting to put into words something that has been the underlying truth for decades upon decades. For what it’s worth, Texas A&M is an economic power, meaning more than a billion dollars cycle in and out of the University each year for research, operating expenses, salaries, scholarships, etc. There are a plethora of revitalization, renovation, and rehabilitation facilities including the Unites States Department of Housing and Urban Development Center and other institute whose mission are in line with what’s needed in Bryan and College Station alike.

I believe Texas A&M and its 50,000+ students have an obligation to help vitalize Bryan, Texas both economically and socially. Now, this is not the university's primary concern, but it just seems that this would be an inherent responsibility. Top academics are relocating their lives here every year, and they are more times than not steered to College Station. They may come to Bryan for a brief visit on say a First Friday, but other than that this place is looked at as a sore eye and in some cases laughable.

Is education not about enhancing mankind and its virtue? In short, I am beginning to see why God assignment Texas A&M as my choice of study after sending me to its polar opposite in terms of ideology for undergrad (Morehouse College). I am just like so many other Bryan residents, thinking that Texas A&M was some mythical place even though it has been situated in my backyard for all of my life.  Aggies help Aggies. Well in this case I am asking Aggies to help non-Aggies and people who may want to become Aggies or who support Aggies etc.

Many urban Bryan residents live here for 20-60 years and never step foot on the campus, because of the reputation A&M has for being a predominately white school and unwelcoming to all minorities. Now, I do not want to turn this into a racial discussion, because its more about class. For all intents and purposes, the class of people I can most relate to in Bryan, Texas are the lower class, meaning those wage workers who spend their lives making other people rich. While I relate to them due to my background, I am beginning to see the class divide in terms of education as I am becoming more and more enthralled in the world of academia.

Class structure has existed as long as urban settlements have been the primary living structure of society, but where do we draw the line. Then again it is a line that has created this divide between two places that would likely be more of a statewide asset if they were one. As a planning major in undergrad I often wondered what a mega city that combined all of Brazos County would look like. For this discussion, I pose the question of what would a combined city of Bryan and College Station look like? What would be the advantages to the entire population? Would development in the Northern end of Bryan begin to take shape the way the development in South College Station has dominated the past decade?  What would it do for the revitalization effort of what amounts to our central downtown location?

The common denominator in all of this remains Texas A&M. And even if there is not a combined city there still needs to be a more vibrant effort to include Bryan in the economic gains that come from having Texas A&M in our backyard. What we have now is a dysfunctional family where one sister city is selfishly storing up the goods and services while the other is scrambling for answers to some of the most simple questions. And of course the high-class population of Bryan does not feel the brunt of what my pain is, but for those urban dwellers who are stuck in a sick cycle of poverty, under education, and the short end of a pluralistic society there needs to be more collaboration.

Aggies are known as service oriented leaders, and I commend all my Aggie Brothers and Sister for their efforts that are publicized and even those that subtly pass through unnoticed. However, the city of Bryan needs you. We need your ambitious ideas. We need your international flare for creativity. We need your dynamic intelligence to help crack this case of class-ism where the educated are proverbially turning their back on the less educated. Let's use our knowledge to create an export based economy in Bryan. Let's use our knowledge and acceptance of diversity to inspire a young child and more importantly let's get along as adults and turn our back on the class structure that would make one place more desirable than the other just because of location and a man-made name, spatial-segregation. Bryan is College Station. College Station is Bryan. Texas A&M, this entire area needs you and your strength is brute is mighty enough to put all 120,000 residents on your back showing that this college remains steadfast, honest, and true to her mission.

God bless Texas. God bless America.

Thanks and Gig 'em

Ethan Brisby
Candidate M.S. Land Development
Texas A&M '12