Most radical program I ever saw: it was not a big program. I don’t even know if he ever expanded beyond like 2 schools in a single neighborhood, but dude had been to prison. Drug offense, I think. Anyway, he got swept up in his teens and served like 20 years. But when he got out, he went straight to one of the preachers in his old neighborhood and outlined his plan for keeping kids out. They raised money and set up an after school program in the local elementary. Hired the school teachers to staff it - 1 hour of homework assistance then an hour of fun activities. After school snack was provided during the study time, and each kid got a box lunch type meal to take home after fun time. No means testing, no nothing. If your kid goes to the elementary school, they qualify.
Then he got into the middle school and did the same thing only also adding in job skills. Like having local business owners come in and teach how to do a resume, an interview, all that stuff.
He had local artists and musicians coming in to talk to the kids and show them stuff. He got local politicians to come in and talk about how they got their job as and what it was like day to day to be mayor or whatever.
And those snacks? He got a living history farm to donate produce in season. He teamed up with the local food bank. He bought bulk bologna and cheese slices out of his own pocket if he couldn’t get enough elsewhere.
I mean this guy earned money fixing up cars and he wasn’t making a ton of money, but he linked up every resource he could lay his hands on to come together and try to keep the kids out of harm’s way.
And those programs by the Black Panthers? The system considered them such a threat (yes, sandwiches for kids and ambulances for Black people) that they revel up to take down the Panthers even more than they had before.
andulkaphoto
janainaart
jbbartram-illu
tangentwithtanner
