The New Rising Tide of Discontent in Fort Worth 76104: The Zip Code with the Lowest Life Expectancy in Texas.

 

The New Rising Tide of Discontent in Fort Worth 76104: The Zip Code with the Lowest Life Expectancy in Texas.

By Pastor Kyev Tatum

Every person is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and is endowed by their Creator with dignity, purpose, and worth. As followers of Christ, we are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31) and to do unto others as we would have them do unto us (Luke 6:31). Yet, in Fort Worth’s 76104 ZIP code, these sacred principles are being trampled under the weight of injustice, poverty, and neglect.

76104, the ZIP code with the lowest life expectancy in Texas, is in crisis. A child born here is expected to live only 67 years—far below the national average. This is not an accident; it is the result of generational disinvestment, systemic racism, and policies that have prioritized profits over people. Healthcare access is scarce, chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension are rampant, and food insecurity forces many families to choose between paying rent or buying nutritious meals.

Education is supposed to be the great equalizer, yet in 76104, it has become a pipeline to poverty rather than prosperity. Schools are underfunded, classrooms are overcrowded, and too many children fall behind before they even reach the third grade. For many Black students, the road to success is blocked at every turn—half will not graduate from high school, and those who do have only a fraction of the opportunities available to their white peers.

This educational failure feeds directly into the cycle of economic disparity. In 76104, Black families struggle to survive on an average income of less than $22,000 a year—barely enough to afford stable housing, let alone build wealth. With few job opportunities and little access to capital, Black entrepreneurs are often shut out of business ownership, while corporations profit off their communities without reinvesting in them.

When economic hopelessness meets systemic neglect, violence follows. Our young people, particularly our young Black men, are dying in the streets—not just from bullets, but from a system that offers them no real future. Youth gun violence has skyrocketed, and too many families have been left grieving sons and daughters whose lives were stolen too soon.

This is not merely a Fort Worth problem; it is a national moral crisis. The weight of segregation and discrimination is still heavy, sowing seeds of frustration, anger, and despair across the country. But this is not a partisan issue, because justice is neither Republican nor Democrat. The prophet Micah reminds us of what the Lord requires of us: “To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). In these turbulent times, people of faith and goodwill must unite—not under political banners, but under God’s call to righteousness and justice.

While laws and courts can address injustice, true transformation begins in the heart. The Apostle Paul teaches that we are one body in Christ, and when one part suffers, we all suffer (1 Corinthians 12:26). If a Black American in 76104 is denied access to quality education, stable housing, healthcare, or a living wage—if they cannot fully share in the liberties and opportunities that others take for granted—then we must ask ourselves: Who among us would willingly trade places with them?

Jesus came “to proclaim good news to the poor… to set the oppressed free” (Luke 4:18). As His disciples, we cannot remain silent in the face of injustice. We must raise our voices, extend our hands, and commit ourselves to the work of righteousness until the day when all of God’s children are treated with the dignity, equality, and love that He intended.

The tide of discontent is rising once again, but let it not be met with complacency or indifference. Let it be met with courage, compassion, and the unshakable resolve to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.