Grondahl: Walter Simpkins, a force for Schenectady's Black community FacebookTwitterEmail 1of8 Walter Simpkins, recipient of a Community Hero Award, said the perception of Hamilton Hill as a blighted neighborhood does not fit the reality of living there.Paul Grondahl / Times UnionShow MoreShow Less 2of8 Walter Simpkins talks about overcoming addiction and founding Community Fathers to help young Black men to develop better parenting skills in Villa Italia.Paul Grondahl / Times UnionShow MoreShow Less 3of8 4of8 Walter Simpkins in his living room, surrounded by a library of books on Black history and African folk art.Paul Grondahl / Times UnionShow MoreShow Less