Just Up The Street: David’s Story
David is a walking, talking example of the transformation taking place in South Minneapolis. He remembers the brown vacant lot where the Colin Powell Center now sits. He recalls the run-down buildings on either side of Fourth Ave. He witnessed the violence and addiction that used to run rampant in the neighborhood. But, he chose a different path for himself, one of helping others, as he saw modeled at Urban Ventures.
When David was just 12 years old, he heard about the Hub, Urban Ventures’ youth center. It enthralled him and soon he was a regular presence. More than the skate park or peers, the compassionate staff and volunteers drew him in.
“Growing up in this neighborhood you didn’t expect support like this to be here,” he shares. “It was big for me to find somebody who cared, who would offer a listening ear.”
Both the neighborhood and life at home introduced plenty of challenges. “My mom worked hard, but raising six kids all by herself and working, it got to her. When you’re stretched thin, it makes your life stressful.”
The stretching led to breaking, and David found himself with no place to live and unsure who to call. He reached out to the one place he’d learned he could count on - Urban Ventures.
“I called my mentor, I was crying, I didn’t know where to go. He was on a date, but he came to get me. He brought his date with him and they picked me up.”
David’s mentor helped him find housing at a shelter and get the support he needed. “It took away the burden of ‘how do I pay for this’ and ‘where will I sleep tonight’ and let me focus on my school. I was so far behind, but graduated on time because I had the support I needed.”
Grateful for the support he was receiving, David wanted to pay it forward. An Urban Ventures staff member recalls, “Here’s this kid, living in a homeless shelter, who calls me up and says, ‘I want to help kids who have nothing this Christmas.’”
Soon, David was selling Urban Ventures coffee at his school, the local market, anywhere he and Urban Ventures staff could think of. He raised thousands of dollars and used it all to sponsor eight families that holiday season.
David lists Colin Powell among his inspirations, having had the opportunity to meet him when the Urban Ventures Colin Powell Center first opened. Years later, David would receive an “Emerging Leader” award from Colin Powell himself for his selfless work while living in the shelter.
From that recognition grew the sense of purpose David sensed within himself. “That’s why I do what I do now, which is work with vulnerable adults,” he explains. “It really gives me a sense of completion to help someone else.”
