Gun In My Face

WHAT WILL YOU DO IF SOMEONE PUT A GUN UP TO YOUR FACE? 5/29/08 1:02 PM WELL IT WAS ON A FRIDAY NIGHT I WAS DJ ING SOMEONES PARTY. EVERYONE WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME AND THERE WERE A LOT
OF PEOPLE STANDING OUTSIDE DANCING. LATER THAT NIGHT THERE
WERE A LOT OF FEMALES FIGHTING OUTSIDE. SO THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE PARTY SO I STARTED TO PLAY PRETTY RICKY SONGS. A GUY WALKED UP TO ME AND HE SAID, “CHANGE THE SONG” AND I DID NOT LISTEN TO HIM SO HE GOT MAD AND HE TURNED IT DOWN. THEN THAT’S WHEN I SAID, “DO NOT TOUCH MY MUSIC”. AFTER THAT I TURNED MY MUSIC BACK UP AND HE TURNED IT DOWN AGAIN WHEN PEOPLE WERE DANCING.

SO THEN I GOT IN HIS FACE AND THAT IS WHEN HE SAID, “I SHOOT[S] YOUNG NIGGAS LIKE [ME] WHO THINK THEY ARE HARD”. THEN HE RAN OUTSIDE TO GET HIS GUN OUT OF HIS CAR. AFTER HE RAN OUTSIDE I WALKED OUTSIDE AND I SAW HIM GETTING HIS SHOTGUN OUT OF HIS CAR. AFTER HE GOT IT HE STARTED TO WALK MY WAY. THE ONLY THING I WAS HEARING WAS PEOPLE YELLING AND PEOPLE RUNNING. BUT THE ONLY REASON WHY I DID NOT GET SHOT WAS BECAUSE OF SOME GIRL THAT RAN TO HIM AND STOPPED HIM FROM SHOOTING ME. SO NOW EVERYONE RAN UP TO ME AND ASKED WHAT HAPPENED. I TOLD THEM THAT HE GOT MAD BECAUSE I DID NOT CHANGE THE MUSIC. MY FRIENDS WERE ASKING ME IF I WANTED HIM KILLED BUT I DID NOT SAY ANYTHING. I JUST WENT HOME AND WHEN I GOT THERE MY MOM WAS CRYING. WE STARTED TO TALK AND THEN I WANTED TO GO GET HIM FOR MAKING HER FEEL BAD AND TO THINK THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN GONE IN A MATTER OF SECONDS.


“DO NOT TAKE YOUR LIFE FOR GRANTED”

ANDREW HAWKINS

"Change" from Andrew's perspective.

This article is written by a young man from watts, California that I am mentoring. He loves to write and would like to establish a learning community where youth and adults can learn to understand each other more. Please read his thoughts and respond accordingly. The first paragraph explains what he did and the second explains what he should have done. Please reply after reading both postings. Thanks. Andrew will reply to your postings accordingly.



WHY DID I GET IN TROUBLE?

We were in class and the teacher was telling us to not write your
Name on the paper he said it about 5 times. Another student kept asking
For instructions and I said “shut up”. Then he said something and I responded
To what he said to me. We started to argue in the classroom and the teacher was
Trying to make us stop. But the other student started to take it to the next level.
Then, he said we could fight at lunch so I said, “ok we can fight”. As soon as he said
That his friend that was seating next to him, started to text people to came up to
The school for me. I think that he was afraid of me but he called me out to fight.
Then he told his friends to come with him outside but they do not come outside
With him but another boy from some other class and then he started to take off his
Jacket, and era rings like he was really going to do something. Then the staff came and got us out of class and then we got in trouble.

Things I could have did to not get in trouble

I could have just stayed quiet. But I was going throw a lot of things
Like my cousin funeral that was the day before. I should have stayed at
Home so I will not get in trouble because of what happen. But people
Keep on messing with me so I snapped on him. I need to learn how to
control my anger and my emotion. But it is vary hard to control my anger.
Another thing was I could have stop and think about what I was doing. I
Could have walked to the office so that I would not get in trouble.

Transparency: What is it?

Please post a comment describing what you define as transparent behavior.

"It's Time To Listen To The Youth!"

Today is a beautiful California winter day. After coming home from church and putting my son to sleep, I decided to browse the net for a while. My wife and I listened to a couple of Dr. King's speeches yesterday so I decided to read through and listen to some more of his material today. I entered The best of Dr. King in the google window and several tabs popped up. The first tab that I clicked on contained an interesting article featuring Martin Luther King III. According to the article, gang violence at Belleville HS in Detroit has students and school officials on edge. Tension among ethnic groups led Pete Lazaroff, superintendent of Van Buren Public Schools to bring King in to address the students. The superintendent later stated that a diversity event like the King speech "is the only reasonable action to what we are all experiencing."

I applaud the superintendent for his rapid response to the escalating gang/ethnic rifts. Throughout the years, I have had my fair share of working with schools to de-escalate potentially volatile situations. Motivational speeches are effective, especially if they are followed up with an immediate strategic damage control plan. On the other hand, these types of diversity events can be hazardous to your school's health if the students perceive them as a one night stand. Schools often bring vibrant, dynamic speakers in, but without proper follow-up the students resort back to displeasing behavior. In the City of Compton, I operate a mentoring program that helps youth overcome emotional issues and discover/develop their inherent gifts. In the school setting we continue to find that the youth have the propensity to excel but they need us to listen to them. I am all for speaking to the youth but I also believe we need to let them speak to us too.

The youth can articulate and provide philosophical explanations that validate their cause. In short, they need oportunities to speak their minds. Perspective is an extremely powerful tool in marketing and reasoning. Most often perception is reality in the minds of the youth but we don't stand a chance if we don't at least know what their perspective is. The youth will open up to that which they can relate to. This principle is a weapon in the war against gang violence. Young people can relate to people who have been through what they are going through. It's almost like anti-venom, where someone is bitten by a snake and the poison is fought off by an injection of venom. It's a worthwhile investment to take a look at programs that are headed by reformed gangbangers. Proven programs that offer empirical evidence can greatly advance your ongoing efforts to eradicate school violence. Bring speakers in and have a plan to implement violence diversion programs that work.

When I was six my parents divorced leaving a void that I thought I could fill with gang affiliation and hustling. By thirteen I was selling drugs and thuggin'. At sixteen I maintained a 3.86 gpa and was kicked out of my mom's house for purchasing a car with illegal money. At seventeen I was voted ASB President and I graduated high school and began making $3,000/hr selling drugs. I now have two college degrees, a business and a non-profit organization. Even when I was selling drugs I had the right gift but I had the wrong product. Our mentoring program is responsible for turning around several schools. I would love to visit and assist with the turn-around at Belleville HS. Together we can turn your school around! It's time we listen to our youth.

Excellence Settles The Issue - Part 2

In his speech "What Is Your Life's Blueprint?" Dr. King spoke of Ralph Waldo Emerson, the great essayist, who said in a lecture in 1871, "If a man can write a better book or preach a better sermon or make a better mousetrap than his neighbor, even if he builds his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his door." Why? Because it's excellent (better). Dr. King went on to tell his listeners to study hard and stay in school. Furthermore, he urged them to discover what they are to become in life. Upon discovery of their assignment - they were told to do it so well that "the living, the dead and the unborn couldn't do it better."

In order to reach this level of excellence sacrifice must be made and a price must be paid. When I first went back to college after dropping out I took on a full load of classes while working a full time job. There were days and nights when I entertained the idea of quitting again but I just couldn't do it. The pressure was tremendous and time with family and friends was extremely limited. Monday's came around before I could bat my eyes and a little more sleep seemed like a dream that held no promise of manifestation. Reading, writing, study groups and scantrons - I paid the price and I am glad I did. My educational achievements continue to encourage me to be a finisher. I believe that when employers seek to hire qualified people for positions in their companies they ask for degrees in certain instances because (1) it usually guarantees some level of mastery or understanding in the area of your assignment (2) you made it through all of the sleepless nights and the temptation to quit. Excellence may fall down but it gets back up again.

Dr. King said fulfill your assignment "as if God Almighty called you at this particular moment in history to do it." "If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures or Shakespeare wrote poetry." The essence of one of Dr. King's most prolific public orations is be the best you can. This is the voice of excellence. Excellence is full of wisdom and is always optimistic. Excellence finds solutions when others are terrified of problems. Excellence is focused when average is all over the place. Excellence desires integrity but average is in love with anything goes.

Excellence Settles The Issue

Things have changed! "There comes a time when silence is betrayal, said Dr. King." I can relate to Dr. King's statement more punctiliously now, after making a critical and analytical assessment, of the Black Community's perspective or POV (point-of-view), on where we are forty years later after his death. Many people looked into television camera's all across this nation yesterday and said nothing has changed. In the wake of "Hurricane Katrina" and "Jena 6", it's easy to understand why so many Black Americans launch great debates about the issue of equality. Right is right and wrong is wrong - I agree.

Looking back, at pre-civil rights life, through the lenses of injustice and inequality I find it hard to form my lips to say 'nothing has changed.' Educational and economic opportunities for blacks/minorities are more accessible today than they have ever been. During the 1960's the citizens of this country would have never considered a black man or a woman as formidable candidates for the country's highest office, yet you say nothing has changed?

American Express: Kenneth I. Chenault is president of the Consumer Card and Financial Services Group, USA, of the American Express Company's Travel Related Services Division. Chenault, who is based in New York City, is also chairman of AMEX Life Assurance Co. and president of American Express Centurion Bank, yet you say nothing has changed?

Xerox: A. Barry Rand is group vice president of Xerox Corporation and president of the company's U.S. Marketing Group, based in Rochester, N.Y., with a team of 35,000 staffers responsible for sales, service, administration and distribution of Xerox products, yet you say nothing has changed?

Campbell Soup: Brenda E. Edgerton is vice president and treasurer of the Campbell Soup Company based in Camden, N.J., where she is responsible for all financings, investments, pension funding and cash management, yet you say nothing has changed?

Dr. King once said, "freedom is never voluntarily granted by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." The question is how do you demand equality in a society where inequality exists? I recently read a true story about a young man who was taken captive to a foreign land (which made him a slave) where the laws were not user-friendly for slaves. After a short time in the land, the existing political leadership began to take notice of him. Soon, he was given a high position that was always occupied and reserved for someone native to the land. It is said that he distinguished himself above the other leaders with an excellent mind-set. Excellence in a practical sense means to desire to do better. It means going beyond what's required and expected. Excellence means doing a little bit better today than you did yesterday.

The truth is we need to stop playing the blame game and start sharpening our axes. We are trying to chop down trees (obstacles, impossibilities) and pierce corporate veils with dull axes. No human being should expect to rise to the top of anything if they aren't doing what it takes to become excellent. Once you distinguish yourself to the point of excellence you cannot be overlooked. If a young slave boy can rise to the top in a country considered to be a world power at the time of his promotion - so can you. If your axe remains sharp and you keep on swinging it the tree has to fall. When circumstances tell me I'm not gonna make it, I say timber! When I say timber it's a warning to all the spectators and the haters to get out of the way because this huge tree (obstacle, impossibility) is coming down and I am coming up.


Where injustice does exist give voice to it consistently and strategically until justice is granted. Excellence must flow out of our lives like a rushing mighty river. The desire to be better, live better and treat others better should define the very content of our character that Dr. King spoke of. In a speech by Dr. King called "What Is Your Life's Blue Print?", he said that "number one in your life's blueprint is a deep belief in your own dignity and number two you must have as the basic principle the determination to achieve excellence in your various fields of endeavor."

Six months before he was assassinated, Dr. King spoke to a group of students at Barratt Junior High School in Philadelphia on October 26, 1967. In this same speech Dr. King said that "doors would be opening to us that were not open to our fathers and mothers." The challenge is to be ready to walk through these doors when they open. Are you ready? Things have changed. The question is have you?

Can you hear me now?

This morning I had the privilege of hearing Senator Clinton speak in the City of Compton. The beautifully crafted sanctuary offered a warm and welcoming atmosphere to the former First Lady/Democratic hopeful. To be applauded are the clergymen who brought this event together. It's refreshing to know that Compton a.k.a. the "Hub City" is on the radar screen of the national community. Senator Clinton immediately established her understanding of the city's hallmark slogan "Birthing a New Compton" after receiving a gift package from Compton Mayor Eric Perrodin.

"King stood for economic justice" stated Senator Clinton. She spoke about the 95,000 homes in foreclosure in California alone and what she plans to do about it. She addressed the healthcare system, college tuition and the minimum wage. "Every child is precious" stated Senator Clinton and I certainly concur. She spoke about enacting a Comprehensive Youth Opportunity Agenda and universal Pre-k for all children. Once elected Senator Clinton said she would expand mentoring programs and develop private/public corporate relationships so inner city children can establish viable networks because ,according to her, seventy percent of jobs are based on interaction and networking - inner city children generally get little or none of both.

Preparing our youth for global competition and helping ex-offenders transition into sustainable careers are noble causes but what about the simple things? Verizon Wireless has a familiar slogan that they use in their commercials. The slogan is "Can you hear me now?" When the time for open forum came - it was announced that only clergy would be able to ask questions of the Senator. I didn't find anything wrong with that until a young hispanic middle school girl was asked to be seated after she took her place in line with the clergymen. Let me make it clear - Senator Clinton didn't ask the young girl to be seated - one of the ushers/moderators/clergy did. Can you hear me now? In my opinion, his actions were insensitive and untimely especially since the Senator spent a considerable amount of time addressing youth-related issues. Can you hear me now?

Students from Whaley Midle School attended the event and they didn't even get a chance to ask a question. This is preposterous! We say the children are our future but they didn't get a chance to speak today. Can you hear me now? On the brink of one of the most historic moments of the local and national political scene we did it again. We failed to properly acknowlegde our most prized posession "the youth." Can you hear me now? How much longer do we expect them to stay excited about being wall paper at our social-political events while we emasculate and invalidate their voices. Can you hear me now? Something is wrong. It's called perspective. They're the ones dodging bullets on the way home from school, peer pressure in class and stereotypical media portrayals not us. Like one of my colleauges put it - "the return on the investment when it comes to youth is not fast enough for some." Can you hear me now? Senator Clinton said children are precious - this is true.

Children are most precious when they speak. When they have the opportunity to express themselves. Even if they don't make sense - they still need to be heard. Can you hear me now?

B.O.R.N. TO WIN (The Song)

"A Different World!"

Thirty years ago the US was "The Super Power" in the world in the minds of almost every american boy/girl. What happened? When I was a youth growing up on the tough streets of Compton, California there was no doubt in my mind that the United States of America was the most-powerful and most-intellectually advanced country on the planet. In 2009, as these thoughts became challenged with reality, I began to think about some of the insights of Stephen Covey and Peter Drucker. In The 8th Habit "From Effectiveness To Greatness" Stephen Covey explains what he describes as nature's voice in The Hunting/Gathering,Agricultural,Industrial, Information/Knowledge Worker and the Wisdom Ages. Covey said that "with each infrastructure shift (or age change) over 90 percent of the people are downsized or left behind." Given what the United States spends on education, its relatively low student achievement through high school shows its school system is "clearly inefficient," says Barry McGraw of the Paris Based Organization for Cooperation.

I tend to agree with Mr. Mcgraw's statement because we have observed the internal erosion of our current educational system over the past decade. The Educational System in the United States in my opinion has not made the "infrastructure shift" or change that Stephen Covey so eloquently articulates in his literary works. Instead of asking the very youth who are in the educational system what needs to change, we take it upon ourselves to enact legislation that threatens to remove funding from schools if significant measurable academic improvements aren't made in a specified amount of time. Standards and consequences are necessary if excellence is to be achieved, however, excellence cannot be achieved if the axe of systemic examination and evaluation is not laid to the root of the problem.

Our Educational System still thinks the same way it did fifty years ago. The methods of teaching that worked then are out dated now. The Educational System needs to understand that youth are engaged the most when the material being presented to them is relevant to every fiber of their lives. For instance, history class can be enhanced by creatively embellishing stories of land discovery and adventure with economic principle and value. From a business standpoint, someone invested in Columbus' trip and he had to use his oratory abilities to persuade them to do it. Not only did Columbus persuade them to invest but he also boarded the ship, set sail and accomplished his mission. This is an excellent historical opportunity to teach our children that Columbus never would have made it if he didn't believe in himself. He also believed that he was born to explore and that's why he enjoyed it so much. Now that's history with a twist of "lime." (lol)

We must begin considering curriculum that guides youth into "gift discovery and development." Once you tap into an someone's gift you can teach them virtually anything. Why? Because, it's something that interests them; better yet it's what they are born to do. Marcus Buckingham calls it "strengths revolution." He simply says "deal to people's differences." One day, before it's too late the US Educational System will get its head out of the Starbucks cup long enough to smell the stench of antiquity and hear the voice of creativity.

Creativity will permit us to breathe life into an irrelevant and outdated infrastructure. Creativity will permit us to embrace the winds of change and challenge as we together embark on a journey that we must take if this country is to regain her position of prominence and prosperity that she once held. When she was the trophy that every nation desired to be, the movie that third world people's longed to see and the leader that the world welcomed her to be. If we are to leave our children a legacy of effective leadership - we must act now. Fortunately, we don't live in a cocoon, therefore we must prepare our children for the global marketplace. When he addresses our nation’s children President Barack Obama is prepared to encourage them to show up to school and pay attention to their teachers. I agree with our President everyone has to do their part including PARENTS, TEACHERS, and THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. If we continue doing school-as-usual we will continue to deem current academic outcomes as unusual. In my generation I am observing the breakdown of the economic and educational system. The real issue may not be the parents, teachers, or the students it may be that we’re using a system that was not designed to meet the demands of 21st century education. Things aren't the same "it's a different world!"

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