Who are the Experts?

The following slides…  … are meant to promote (provoke?) discussion.  …at points may make you mad… plain frustrated or even bored.

But so many youth don’t feel heard—or even noticed in a positive way.

Some adults have said:  Kids are the problem…  Especially urban kids killing each other.

But are Adults the Experts?  Shouldn’t someone ask the kids?  Aren’t they the experts about their own lives?

Let’s take an example:  Life in the Hood…life on our streets  It’s a whole lot more than the evening news…  It’s our place…

There’s a shooting…  She said, he said. He was going to do her in.  So another him got his gun and did that guy in.  The cops picked up the shooter and now he’s in the joint.

Where’s the Problem?  The first guy may have called the girl a “ho”—or maybe he called her his babe or chick, and maybe she thought he called her a “ho.”  The girl may have been struttin’ her stuff, and maybe wanted to see some drama—even violence.  The second guy maybe wanted to be a man with juice and protect his babe… so he did what he had to do.

Each of the three may have a problem: First Guy: initiator… becomes victim Girl: becomes drama queen Second Guy: becomes shooter

A Shooting Problem  Not good for the guy who was shot, or the one who went to prison, and how good for the young woman?  Not good for the families of each… not good for the kids in the neighborhood… or the adults.  Not good for the neighborhood or the city.

Is this real?  Does this go on?  Should we talk about it?  What is the best way to talk about it?

Where’s the Problem? Two Different Stories  There’s the story of what happened among these three kids; we’ve heard it many times.  But there’s a bigger story of what went on before and after this event or situation.  These kids were once babies, then children, and soon they will be adults—another story or stories—but is this enough?

Or are there Three Stories?  The shooting story  The background stories of each of these three lives and families  And the continuing story of the neighborhood

There’s a larger and more important story  It’s a story of the bigger picture: the world in which these three persons live.  It’s a story the evening news doesn’t give nor the papers tell. WORLD STORY KID’S STORY

So, where’s the problem? 1. The kid didn’t ask to be born. 2. Didn’t ask to have a mostly absent alcoholic father. 3. Or a father and mother who went to very poor schools. 4. Because ghettos don’t have good schools or services. 5. And there is little employment in ghetto—except for drugs and crime. 6. And the cops and teachers don’t live in the ghetto.

So, when a young guy or girl does bad—and so many of them are trying to do good…  Maybe the problem lies with schools…  Maybe it lies with all the good stuff being uptown or out in the suburbs…  Maybe the teachers and cops, the educational and criminal justice system, don’t really get it…  Maybe it’s got something to do with business leaders and politicians…

So, when there’s a shooting…  Maybe a good school could have helped…  Maybe if father/mother had a good job with better education and skills…  Maybe if the shooter saw men with good, respectable, well-paying jobs…  Maybe if the rest of the country with more advantages cared…

Better…  Better government, laws and budgets…  Better schools and employment…  Better housing and community services… All for healthier kids in healthier communities.

Problems to Opportunities  How can we picture this?  How might we dramatize this?

Young People have the Stories  There’s power in presenting them.  There’s hope in people getting the stories.  We may be able to get along and help each other in new ways.

Stories are Powerful!  YOU have the stories.  There’s an audience who needs to see and hear your stories.  It may be our best hope.

Discussion 1. How well could you get into this story? Is the shooting story real? What are its little, personal stories? Is it part of a larger story? 2. What story could you tell that needs to be told? Do you think your story is important? Who, really, would listen to your story? Who would you like to hear your story? 3. If you’re doing pretty well, is anybody interested in your story? Why not? What are they/we missing?

Implications: So what?  We need stronger families, better schools, better communities, better job opportunities, a better life.  If change for the better doesn’t begin at the top from our leaders, politicians, business owners, educators, then how and where can it start? It has to start somewhere!

Action  It has to start with us. With me? Yes, but not me alone, with us.  So who’s your “us”? Neighborhood group, school class, church…?  How can we take this little discussion and make it a start…for a better life, for a better world?