FORUM Hope for a Misguided Generation Often one is left to wonder whether taking a stand to confront our >outh. who are on the fast track of life, is worth the agon\ that may have to be endured". Even tnough negative con sequences often appear more salient, there are many more benefits to being on the job. espe cially asH^Christian parent. My greatest concern is that parents must become involved in the learning process and , tec! a responsibility for learning along with our \outh. As parents, we must teach and model the importance and effectiveness of a positive atti tude to help combat some of the hellish shows seen on television, in the movies or situations experienced b> our youth when they are not and drugs. Communication is the only means ' of liberation. In order to help liberate our youth, we must communicate to them our love and concern for their well-being, conscious, self-realization and self-direction. This is such a crucial time tor our youth that we can no longer afford to deal with who's who in America, who's mamed to whom, who is eligible for what, or any other triviality of that nature. As parents we must stop'being pit ted one against the other in the work place, home. etc. ? the old divid-and-conquer rou tine. To quote David Walker, a revolutionary black writer of the early 1800s "I call upon you therefore to cast your eyes upon the wretched wiin us. They must learn to overcome life's obstacles and succeed no matter what the circum- ? stances. They must discover how to make the most of their God given gifts and unleash their potential for excellence. GUEST COLUMNIST By ANN LITTLE-DUBOSE ness of your brethren and to do your upmost to enlighten them-go to work and enlighten your There are gobs and gobs of forces that entice our youth with the promises of .. .(sex, drugs, guns, etc.) As parents we must teach them that there are no shortcuts. It's a known fact that every one wants to be successful, but very few people are willing to do what it takes to succeed. There are gobs and gobs of forces that entice our youth with the promises of big money and wonderful results (sex. drugs, guns, etc.) Society, television and the entertainment field constantly try to convince them that they can have whatever they want withotot an invest ment in time, sacrifice, discipline,|morals and an adjustment in their life styles. | Man was created in a state oi innocence, but with the power of choice. Hf was tested under the most favorable circumstances. He was endowed with a clean mind and a pure heart with the ability to do right. Yet, man yield to the temptation and failed in the test. We as parents cannot afford to continue to allow our youth, who were created in a state of innocence, to be influenced by the likes of Beavis and Butthead. Bart Simpson, MTV, some Rap Groups, weapons, peer pressure, sex brethren"! ^ As a concerned parent. I call upon other parents to take a stand. The cold realization is that all the flowery and thrilling talk about "freedom," "justice." "equality," "inclusion" and "sensitivity" has meaning only in the Dis neyland atmosphere if we don't guide our youth correctly. Knowledge is the key to a bet ter tomorrow. As we approach the 21st century, we find ourselves moving in cadence in a familiar cycle of hope and disillusionment. Our youth languishes, as yet generally unreached. They must see that they become what they behold and what they think. Daily I remember that trials and tribulations are only opportuni ties for God to do something great in my life. Therefore, He will give me the unction to func tion as I take a stand to help our misguided, not lost, generation of youth see the light and trod the path to success and self fulfillment for a better tomorrow. (Ann Little-Dubose, a resident of Winston Salem , is assistant principal at Konnoak Elementary School) Freedom School Continues This summer. 17 Freedom Schools in eight cities provided hundreds of 5- to 18-year-old with federally funded meals and academic, cul tural and recreational activities. Today, two of the Freedom Schools ? one in Oakland and the other in Washington. D.C. ? are thriving as successful after-school programs. Interns from the Black Student Leadership Network (BSLN), who coordinated and ran the Summer Freedom Schools, continued their work in these two Freedom Schools. The Fundi Freedom Schools, held at the Metropolitan Wesley AME Zion Church in Washington, D.C., meets three afternoon a week and two Saturdays a month. Sixty high school students and over 50 elementary and junior high students benefit from tutoring and mentoring, snack provided by a local commu nity development organization and many other activities. Students participate in their own the surrounding community. In addition to working with tutors and volunteers, students hear from speakers who come from their com munity to empower them about local issues. In response to -a recent automobile accident that happen near their school, the student wrote a letter to the city about safety measures needed in their community. And every student 8 years and older is learning about banking by opening an account at a local bank. Every Saturday afternoon. Freedom School students take free classes in African dance, instruments and singing, compliments of a local program called Children in Flight. On-site coordinator Bernadette Best says the success of the program is fueled by" the hard work and dedication of the parents. Every "Freedom Family," or parent of a Freedom School student must volunteer two hours per month. With some parents volunteering as community service and advocacy pro jects and produce a newsletter for the surrounding com munity. Director April Coleman says she is encouraged by the CHILD WATCH By MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN The success of the program is fueled by the hard work and dedication of the parents. quality of more than 40 trained volunteers from Howard University and neighboring high schools to assist the program. "I really chal lenge the volunteers to look at what their moti vation is as they help the children." she said. " When you're working the kids, they know it when your heart is not in the right place." Future plans for Fundi include the addition of parenting classes for the parents of program participants and the kids' own theatrical pre sentation that the school hopes to use as a fund raiser. When Margaret Payton, principal of Santa Fe Elementary School in North Oakland, Calif., visited the Summer Freedom Sch<lol that was j| serving many of her students, #ie was so thrilled that she became a volunteer. As the summer came to a close and parents expressed an interest in seeyng the program. Today, the Santa Fe Freedom School meets four days a week and serves 36 kids in grades K-6. Students take advantage of a mulii faceted curriculum that makes wide use of resources in much as eight hours a week, Best says they have no problem enforcing this rule. "I am really overwhelmed by the level of community ownership of this project," she said. "Even if we weren't here, the program would still go on." These Freedom Schools are just one exam ple of the ways in which we can combine human and community resources to make a dif ference for black children. Their focus on cre ative learning, family involvement and inter generational activities will help to rebuild the black extended community family and bridge the gaps between children, youth, adults and elders. These are necessary steps in our work to Leave No Child Behind. To learn more about the Freedom Schools, the Black Student Leadership Network or the Black Community Crusade of Children, call 1 - 800-ASK-BCCC. (Marian Wright Eldeman is president of the Children's Defense Fundand a leader of the Black Community Crusade for Children.) bxojsb Mt, pucks, BUT PO YOU KNOW UJhBRB YOl!'R? 5TANP INGRJ6HT t VOW* YOU CAN F0R6BT ABOUT A HANPOUT, LAP/' TM NOT UNPBRUJRJVN6 ANY MORB SUdSTANCB ABUSB! / THAT'S NOT MB.SlR.eUT IUNPBR STANP. ANY CHANGE-, SiR* A QUAR TER? NO* A P/MB7 V AUCS! WHAT A VAV.BL! (T?> 6BTT/NG HARPBfcANP HARPER JUST TDMBBT BXPBNSBS! "OU CAN FB&L TUB CHAN6B OUT ON THBSTFBBTn, \ AUCB, ARB iOU ? YOUSUB&THB HAVBNT 60WBNA6B 5BBNANY OFHOmBSS- MOWBS / NBGSIS ABOUT JS OVER* LATELY, HAVE YOU? _ to THIS IS 7H5 BUS STOP WHERE YBTTA APAMS &EPA COUPLE UZBEKS A60. IMA&NE, A HOME LESS WOMAN PY/N6 RI6HTHM Just across the street f^om THE HUPBUILP1N01 V^l TM VR3P OF F?EUH6 QUILT/, TlX&POFd&NGHrrON, tir&p OF MATCH! NO MY NEI6H0GRHOOP 0BIN6 7RASHBPBY VIOLENT not cases anppereucts! \ ? ? I H BAR you, sir.. I FEEL YOUR PAIN. X HEY, WBIL, THAT'S UJHAT PUCKS'. lumTBPTOTALK HNAU-Y-* TO YOU ABOUT, ALICE. ONBOF I KEEP REAPING THAT MYRB6- MOST OF YOU V ULARS! FOLKS HAVB USBPTOBBBVBFVONE 6H0LUBPA LITTLE COMAS ? SfON, A UTTLB CONCERN. BUT NO LONGER. THBGOLr PEN A6B0FH0MBU&S NB&S IS OVER! 60NE! )OU MEAN, AT ONB TJME, GUHT RU4P*y m COMfUS&OHHEU? I mxu SMAYTOURPTTJ- I Iran FUL CONDITION I ducks CASTASPBUT 12-tt ALSO, CHECK THB BOTTOM UNE! HOOUGOOPIS THB PANHANPL/NG NOCU COM PARBP mj!TH, SAY, 1987? AFTER. INFLATION? I'LL CHECK MY HIES.,. tr THAT'S RIGHT, SIR, THIS 15 The ACTUAL 9ZHCH QNHJHJQi A SCK ANP NB&L&CTBD FfOOUJ HUMAN BBIN6 SPBNTHeR LAST NIGHT! SiNCB. I PQftfT UJANT TO SUPPORT PRU6 APPtCTS-ANDfAl NOT QUAUFta? TDRBC06NIZ3 THE exCBrnoNs -rvznecicwTO ST0P6MN6 TDSmmPEOPLZ ALr T06&TH&. WHAT DO YOU THINK 7 o P O %&&&& sbs r> g ? /> U4HATT... HJ& HAD OUROU/N 6%j?rN ? UH-HUH. n -swh HOLD !T~AR? YOU TKY/NG TO SAY ? ^ ^ THATUJeUJePZ ONCBALLTHt IA^' RA6B-! Lewe see... 1912... 1939... 1907 1 GOOD LORP...I lOASHAULr IM6 DOWN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ABAf! UJHAT& THG-THZ D6LUX& (SUIUT TRIP* WHAT?... OH, NO, 50RRY ? I THOU6HT YOUMjeREA TOURIST, HOWMUCH NOTTOF&L ? MY RUN? mi, WO BUC&CCNBR& Mi NUT. UM,? ueu... OH, Her, GOTTA 60! L&V&TGUCH dASt IN THE SPRJN6, OKAY? IT'S U KB i me HUNTING MONEY! iOUUJZRZ, PUCKS. RBMBmR THAT NICE SECRET SERVICE AGENT 7 Tie a Ribbon Around Your Mind The city of Winston-Salem has a big problem with a simple answer, but it will require, unity, time and an infinite supply of effort to solve it. The mayor of Winston-Salem has put together the "Stop the Violence Task Force" and lately we have been hearing people asking for our support in the effort. They have sug gested things like tying a ribbon on your arm or automobiles as a means of displaying our support. We have even been asked to participate in a march and turn on lights to demonstration our patronage to the cause. These symbolic acts can seem like a futile effort when compared to the violent causes they are for. Young kids are killing each other and dying from | drug overdoses while we tie ribbons around our arms and march. Somehow these symbolic acts seem to lack punch to the problem, don't they? What we need to do is attack the suit-wearing masterminds that finance the vending networks that bring these destructive commodities into our com munities. This is the cry we have heard from some voices in the communities. Yes, maybe that is the answer. But wait. Why should the drug and gun business operate any differently than any other business in this counby? The network that provides the supply is there because there iirft demand. So we hit them at the top and take out the power structure today only to see it change hands tomorrow. It's called supply and demand. So what do we do now? Well, remember that ribbon you were asked to tie around your arm? Its purpose is to tie a mes sage around your mind. The African-American community has a history that has proven the majestic powers of having the minds of many ban together for a specific cause. GUEST COLUMNIST By ART BOONE Now take a moment and think about our problem. If we tie the message that the ribbon symbolizes around our minds and march out into the streets of our communities and gather up our children to show them the light, the rest will take care of itself. It's simple economics. If there is no demand for guns and drugs, then there is no need for a supply. (Art Bom*, a resident ofWitimn Mini, is mabdtH *hci * supervisor at RJ Reynolds) w

Page Text

This is the computer-generated OCR text representation of this newspaper page. It may be empty, if no text could be automatically recognized. This data is also available in Plain Text and XML formats.

Return to page view