Hal Cato's Farewell to the Oasis Center: The Crazy Ones

The Crazy Ones from Hal Cato on Vimeo.

Nashville's Youth Host Forum For Juvenile Court Clerk Candidates

Teen leaders bring together candidates for Juvenile Court Clerk position to present their platform and agenda to the Nashville community.

There are ten candidates slated for the position of Juvenile Court Clerk for Nashville/Davidson Co. This mainly administrative position is vital for the efficient running of Juvenile Court. The Juvenile Court has jurisdiction of cases regarding: parentage, visitation and child support, dependency, neglect and abuse, status offenses (such as truancy and unruly behavior), delinquency and other miscellaneous charges. It is the duty of the Juvenile Court Clerk to provide those persons utilizing the facilities of the Juvenile Justice Center with the highest level of efficient and courteous service.

WHO: Oasis Center’s Youth United in partnership with Nashville Community Coalition for Youth Safety and NUPACE (Nashville Urban Partnership Academic Center of Excellence)

WHAT: A youth-led forum for candidates for the office of Juvenile Court Clerk, Nashville/Davidson Co. Teen leaders are providing an opportunity for both youth and adults to better understand the role of the Juvenile Court Clerk and hear each candidate’s stance on vital issues. This position directly affects a wide range of youth in the Davidson Co. community. Creating an environment where community members feel welcome to interact with the candidates, and youth, those most directly impacted by this office, are actively engaged is extremely important and necessary for this coveted position. This event is not a debate; rather it is a forum where each candidate will be able to give a 5 minute stump speech and answer a few questions for 5-10 minutes.

WHEN: Thursday, April 29th
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

WHERE: Youth Opportunity Center
1704 Charlotte Pike, Suite 200
Nashville, TN 37203

OTHER: The mission of NUPACE is to establish the Nashville Urban Partnership Academic Center of Excellence (NUPACE), Youth Violence Prevention to promote an academic/ community partnership that integrates prevention science with community action in order to reduce violence among youth 10-24 years of age in Nashville/Davidson County TN.

The Nashville Community Coalition for Youth Safety (NCCYS) is a group of community members that will have the opportunity to contribute their expertise and experiences to ensure that the important research questions related to reducing violence among youth 10-24 years of age in Nashville/Davidson County, TN are thoroughly studied. Additionally, they are committed to sharing the responsibility of decision making for all research, surveillance, programmatic and strategic planning activities for NUPACE.

Genma Holmes Recognized for Advocacy Work for Nashville Teens

The Jefferson Street United Merchants Partnership, Inc. (JUMP) will hold its annual Christmas Extravaganza, December 6, 2009 at the 15th Avenue Baptist Church at 6:00 p.m. “This year's event will include taking a walk on the “RED CARPET” with the BEST of the BEST”. The Candlelight awards is an attempt to show appreciation to those individuals who have shown leadership in the African American community," said Mrs. Sharon Hurt, Executive Director of JUMP. "It is a small award in comparison to the value of the service they provide." Those being honored with Candlelight Awards will include Mr. Billy Cox - World Renowned Bassist, Ms. Genma Holmes - Blogger, Entrepreneur, Dr. Melvin Johnson - President - Tennessee State University, The Honorable Edith Taylor Langster - Councilwoman District 21, Mr. Billy Lynch - Director - Metro Nashville Public Works Department and the distinguished Vintage Award to Interdenominational Minister’s Fellowship (IMF) for their unyielding service to the citizenry of Nashville.

Genma Holmes is being recognized for her advocacy and leadership efforts to raise awareness and money to support youth programs in the North Nashville area non-profits like Grace Eaton and the Oasis Center. Holmes uses her blog www.genmaspeaks.com to bring attention to many issues facing youth regionally and nationally.

Also, results of the People's Choice Awards will be presented that night. We will get to see who the customers like the most. Categories voted on were: Best Barber, Best Barber Shop, Best Hair Salon, Best Stylist, Best Chicken, Best Fish, Best Meat and Three, Best Restaurant, Best Specialty Shop and Best Business. "JUMP appreciates the determination and dedication business owners have shown over the years in overcoming the many and varied obstacles to stay in business," said Mrs. Hurt. "We want them to know we share in their commitment.

Sharon Hurt, Executive Director
Jefferson Street United Merchants Partnership
1215 9th Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37208
(615) 726-5867

Photos above from Nashville's First Teen Job Fair held (March) and Nashville First Teen "Stop the Violence" Rally(November)

Nashville's Youth March Against Violence

Saturday, November 14th, 2009 was a memorable day in Nashville. Youth United (a youth lead program supported by Oasis Center) hosted a march for the community to bring awareness about the recent increase in youth violence and homicides in our city.

Youth and adults gathered at the Juvenile Justice Center and marched to the Courthouse lawn chatting “Stop the violence, now”. Drost Kokoye, a freshman at Lipscomb University, and Jairus Carter, a senior at MLK, were MCs for the event that kept the crowd on their feet for several hours. The youth of the city recognized lost lives due to youth violence in the last year. In addition to bringing awareness to the increase of youth violence in Nashville, Youth United also helped promote alternatives to youth violence.

The program was inspirational from beginning to end, including rousing speeches from community and youth leaders. Reverend Neely Williams, the Chairperson of Nashville Community Coalition for Youth Safety, kicked off the program. The Saturday’s event was planned and organized by the young adults. After Reverend Williams stirred up the group, we heard from one of our future leaders, Brandon Smithson, a senior at East Literature Magnet and member of IMPACT. Brandon motivational message was telling our city that young people must have self worth and can be the change to make a difference in Nashville, now. Justin, Dillon, and Aaron, members of Youth Speaks Nashville, show cased their talent by using theater to address the deaths of young black men in the community. Justin London, a spoken word artist, used his poetry to address the senseless murders of young people that is happening around the country. Temika Harris, who studied music at W.O. Smith School, shared her beautiful voice with the group singing Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”. The songstress’ performance was perfect for the occasion. Tamika closed with Jill Scott’s “Golden.”

Information from various community partners such as, Mayor’s Youth Council, STARS (Students Taking A Right Stand), NPP (Nashville Prevention Partnership), Nashville Public Library, TOTAL (Totally Outstanding Teen Advocates for the Library), Martha O’Bryan Center, Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Tennessee, KAYO (Kurdish American Youth Organization) and the Bethlehem Center were available for the attendees as well as a volunteer opportunities to engage young people. The participating agencies are all invested in alternatives to youth violence.

A vigil ceremony was held to remember the youth lost to violence, as well as a dedication ceremony for the families who have lost loved ones in the act of youth violence.

Participants signed and decorated a mural that will be displayed in local high schools to show support in the fight to end youth violence. What a way to spend the weekend!

A wreck, pest control, and Ole Miss: the Update

I shared about last Wednesday being one of those days. I received a call informing me one of my vehicles had been involved in a wreck and one of the individuals in the accident was a teenager. The joy I was feeling earlier that day came to a screeching halt. I rushed to the scene of the accident to make sure my star bug killer was unharmed. My concern for the young teenager sent my mommy heart into overdrive. I prayed silently for everyone’s safety.

After I arrived, I met everyone involved in the accident. It looked bad but my guy looked okay. Hugs and kisses followed my relief. Hayden Morgan, the teen, drove the shiny black car. His mom came right away to make sure he was all right. I found them sitting in a SUV with an Ole Miss decal. Finding Hayden without a scratch and his mother sitting calmly, I asked about the decal. Our initial banter and greetings led me to mention the Music City Rebel Golf tournament organized by Ken Ford. Hayden’s mom informed me that he played golf for his school and I invited him to play for my team. He said yes and asked about getting other players.

I could not believe that an awful accident on I-65 would net me a golf team. Hayden’s mom was sweet and we could have talked all night. I left with more than I could have ever hoped or imagine from a car wreck of all things. I left the side of the road, minus one truck, impacted by the goodness of others. When I arrived home that evening, Hayden had emailed me to confirm he would play. I called Ken Ford to let him know of the change of plans regarding the tournament. He was concerned about us but could not believe I asked someone at the sight of an accident to play golf. I wanted to tell him so badly; I think we are going to win but I keep my thoughts to myself.

On Thursday, I heard from Hayden’s dad. The loving father reassured me that his son will be at the tournament. He also informed me that one of the players worked for him. This family was first class all the way, the follow up was impressive. I was emailed the players names which I forwarded to Ken. I mentioned my chance encounter to anyone who would listen. My twitter buddies were sharing the story with others and the wreck on I-65 was spreading around town. Hayden’s mom told me how glad she was we met even though the circumstances were not the best. I wondered how many good people I have seen on the side of the road and did not bother to help. Or how many fender benders I have been in and did not engage the other driver. Thank God for His grace to correct bad behavior.

I called Hal Cato to make sure he passed the story on to his mom who is an Ole Miss Alumni supporter. I said, “Guess who is playing for us in the tournament on Friday? The kid from the wreck…he attends Montgomery Bell Academy.” Hal immediately erupted into laughter. I was informed later that MBA’s golf team practices at the Golf Club of Tennessee. Are you kidding me? The kid from the wreck practices on one of the most exclusive golf courses in the country. Can I pick them or what? I looked up his team and believed with certainty, I picked a winner. I could close my eyes and visualize a spring fundraiser.

On Friday morning, I called Ken to let him know I will be there right away. I wanted to visit with the resident PGA pro, James Paschal and introduce my star team to James, a living legend in golf circles in Tennessee. James would be a great person to share his life with Hayden. As I stood on the back porch of the Gaylord’s golf club, I watched the young players warm up. When I saw Hayden’s swing, I knew in my gut, the trophies were coming home to the owners of the wrecked pest control truck! Ole Miss will beat Vandy on Saturday but the Ole Miss Alumni will not win a trophy at the golf tournament.

My oldest son called to give me his usual instructions on how to behave in public. “Mom, do not hug people, it is so embarrassing,” he scolded. My sons despise my public displays of affection. Lord, I couldn’t help myself, I yelled out to Hayden and greeted him as he was one of my own. I turned to the young lady checking in the players and said proudly, “I got money on that team, they are going to win.”

Like a mama eagle watching her young take flight, I stayed until they started their game. I had a tremendous amount of pride for the players I just met. I had spoken to Mrs. Morgan (Sharon) several times since our faithful encounter and we talked as if have known each other for years instead of a few days. I checked in on the team throughout the day. Their game faces were locked in place and they appeared serious about competing. These young men love of golf was obvious.

On Saturday, Ken called. He sounded like a defeated Vandy fan, “Genma, they won everything,” he proclaimed. I could hear the shock, disbelief and amusement all rolled into his Mississippi drawl. “They cleaned up”. I was laughing and yelling. I could not hold back an “I told you”. Ken had to tell everybody how they ended up in the tournament. My team, from the wreck, won the grand prize and individual trophies. Yes! When I told him that Austin was a sophomore, you could hear a pin drop. “The Rebels with a cause” were beaten by a sophomore and a junior. You can’t make this stuff up.

My next call was to Sharon, we were hysterical as soon as I said “hello”. Between chuckles, we managed to talk about her family and visiting friends' reactions. She was shocked when Hayden walked in the house with the golf irons, his share of the prizes for playing. Hayden and Austin will give the cash donations from the wager I made to the Oasis Center. What a great ending to an awful beginning. I got bragging rights for the next twenty years, I met one amazing family, and the Oasis Center will receive a monetary gift. God is good. The little things in life are often so gianormous that we can’t always put them in one story. I will never forget meeting the young man on the side of the road. I think I found a new way to engage the teens at the Oasis Center…golf and driving lessons!

Team members:
Hayden Morgan
Austin Doebler
John Markham
Derrick Centers

Ole Miss vs. Vandy 23-7

A National Epidemic, Teens killing Teens

I wrote this post while wiping tears and yelling at my monitor. I watched a few minutes of the video of the senseless beating death of the Chicago teen, Derrion Albert, 16, who was an A student at his school. I could not get my mind around the fact that no one intervened. No one. I could not believe that no one yelled out or ran to get help. As I listened to "fonevideographer" give commentary while the life of a young man who had many possibilities slipped from his ravaged body, I literally got ill. I could not watch the entire video.

I thought of the parents whose son's death has been immortalized on You tube because he was doing what young people should be doing: going to school and making good grades. My heart goes out to them. The details and the “whys” of this vicious crime have been lost among the cries of outrage and righteous indignation. An epidemic of criminal activity committed by young males has terrorized our nation. Chicago has become known for being most dangerous city for school children. Going to school can get you killed! Chicago is not alone in grabbing headlines. Florida’s horrendous rape and beating of a mother and son in the notorious Dunbar Village case left many calling the perpetrators "savages". Mainstream media by-passed the story that was covered by the blog What About Our Daughters. After two years, the young men were finally sentenced last month.

Teens killing teens have made the news right here in Nashville. In the last two weeks, two teens have been involved in shootings. Reading through the month of September’s press releases issued by MNPD, teens made up a third of the crimes reported. The number of teens who were nabbed from truancy sweeps in a one month period was staggering. Not attending school during school hours is a recipe for disaster. As I counted the number of children who were arrested for not being in school in a one month period, I wondered what they were doing if they were not in school. Looking for trouble to find them? What can we, as a city, do to help end the violence and get help for young people who choose to pull a trigger or beat another to death?

It is going to take more than a few people. It is literally going to take a village…our city. Working together across race, gender, or religious affiliation for solutions and to implement changes must start sooner than later. This should be the top priority for everyone: parents, schools, and congregations. We cannot point to one particular situation or group to blame because the violence that has snared our youth does not care about situations or groups.

This week, everyone on radio, television and the blogosphere has talked about the condition of our youth. I heard one DJ complain that it was the music lyrics that our young people listen too and a TV pundit suggested it was the glorification of rappers and stars who behave badly that has influenced young people to act the way they do. That may be the case but we as parents must step up as well. Home training must become popular again. The images of Nene cursing her “friends” at every turn and the Kaynes of the world suggesting to us that we blame our foolishness on your mother’s death, only add to the discord that our country has embraced so proudly. We have glamorized ignorance. Add a Facebook poll asking about the assassination of the President and pics of every inch of one’s body swapped back and forth on the Internet like young people are trading marbles-these sorts of activites gives us an indication of the “condition” of our youth today. Often, our youth depict what we value and prioritize as a country or a people. Our national discord is fast becoming anarchy.

We must support community heroes who are trying to make a difference. Jeff O. Carr sitting on a roof for a week to raise $30,000 to keep our youth out of trouble is noble and commendable. At the same time, it is upsetting that it took a week for the community of color to donate $30,000 to sustain a theater that will nurture young people’s artistic talents and keep them safe. If that was a ball or gala to glorify egos, the money would have been raised within a few hours. Yep, I said it. In an Oasis board meeting on Tuesday, I could not help but mention the violence that we are witnessing among our youth across the country and in Nashville. We are not Somalia with teen pirates under the leadership of drug lords who kill for a dime and a pack of cigarettes. We are not Haiti, a country lacking leadership where nearly 75% of the people in the country are under the age of 19. We are not Mexico, Darfur, or the Congo. So why are we allowing abnormal gruesome behavior to become our expectation for our youth as if the are living in wild? I refuse to believe that our young cannot be helped even when I feel helpless at times or overwhelmed by the constant stream of ghastly news.

We must work together…we are Nashville. We can do better. I will close with a thank you. Jeff O. Carr thanks for caring about our youth. You are a leader with heart and soul and your love for young people is contagious. Your spirit need to be imitated. Quickly!

TAP Recognizes Community Heroes

TAP's (Tennessee Alliance for Progress) annual Long Haul Awards Celebration on Saturday May 9th was a major success with a record-breaking number of people in attendance. Irish Diva Maura O'Connell was soulful and everyone was deeply inspired by keynote speaker, Rev. Ed Sanders. Delicious food, wine by Le Vine Cellars and toe tapping music by Shelby Bottom String Band rounded out the inspirational night.

My favorite unsung hero, Brandon Hill of the Oasis Center, received TAP’s 2009 Young Leader award. I have previously written about Brandon’s work at the Oasis Center and our community at large. It was nice to see many community leaders who have fought for justice from the Civil Rights era receiving awards along with young community leaders who have the same heart and determination and who currently represent the youth of today and tomorrow. The evening’s events reminded me of talented musicians who can sing beautifully alone but when you put them together with others, you have a glorious choir that can be heard for miles and miles.

Brandon Hill works with the Youth Engagement & Action program at Oasis Center. His work connects youth with community and city leaders to effectively address social problems within the city of Nashville. Brandon was born and raised in Nashville. He spent a good deal of his childhood in the infamous James A. Cayce Homes. Living in one of Nashville’s poorest neighborhoods and attending some of the city’s lowest-performing schools prepared him to work with young people who face these challenges today. After graduating from high school, Brandon returned to the James A. Cayce Homes, still a teen himself, to work with youth in his old neighborhood. After college at the age of 21, he was given the task of leading the Teen Outreach program at the Martha O’ Bryan Center.

Brandon says: “Young people have always been, and will continue to be, one of our community’s greatest resources. Unfortunately, they are also one of our most over-looked, under-appreciated, and under-valued resources. Much of this is due to a distorted perception of youth. Many times youth are seen as destructive, violent, and void of any desire to improve their lives or the lives of others. Because of these views, adults are convinced that they must create ways to “fix” youth, which leads to a never-ending cycle of negativity and cynicism. My ultimate goal is to end this cycle. My work is about creating better connections between young people and the communities in which they live in. I hope to inspire young people and adults to find better ways to communicate and work together to offer solutions to the problems we face as a community.”

Brandon was in good company with honorees who received the 2009 TAP Lifetime Achievement Long Haul; Rev. Bill Barnes, Elizabeth Barger, Guy and Candy Carawan, George Grider, Dora Rucker, Margaret G. Scrivens, and my dear friend Jim Zralek. Other young folks were honored as well for their activism; Jacob Flowers, Conrad Honiker, and Jennifer Tlumak.

TAP is a think/act tank with a mission to create healthy families and communities in Tennessee. TAP believes in true political and economic democracy, that people should participate in decisions that affect their lives. For more information about the group, go to www.tennesseeallianceforprogress.org.

Thanks to the honorees for all the work they do every day for their communities and a big special thank you for all you do for our youth, Brandon Hill. You are a hero to so many!

Divas Nashvegas is Back!

Divas Nashvegas is back! The event that has been celebrated as one of the Hottest Parties of the year in 2007 and 2008 by NFocus Magazine is the party that you will not want to miss in 2009.

This year we are excited to have our first ever “He-va” Kenny Rogers, one of America’s top music icons with a five decade career that includes more than 25 #1 hit records. Performing with Kenny will be Oasis Center’s favorite diva, country music icon and vocal powerhouse Wynonna. Wynonna will be joined on staged by the Noami, who will be performing for the first time in ten years. Our emcees for this year's event will be Nashville's critically celebrated, hit comedy country duo Doyle and Debbie. As has been the case for the past few years, you can definitely count on a few surprise guests to grace our stage. This year's event will be taking place in Nashville’s hottest new party venue, the Loveless Cafe.

This year’s event is dedicated to six of Nashville’s best “Do Right Divas” who have made this community a better place for children and youth: Genma Holmes, Ellen Martin, Jana Davis, Tammy Genovese, Sally Shepherd, and Renata Soto.

Genma Holmes, CEO of Holmes Pest Control, will be the first Oasis Center's board member to be honored at their annual fund raiser. For more information on this event got too, www.oasiscenter.org/divas2009.

The Urgency of NOW

Last month, $2.7 million in federal stimulus money was awarded to the Nashville Career Advancement Center. Partnering with Meharry Medical College and the Oasis Center, 600 jobs created for teens needed to be filled through the grant. A sign up sheet was passed around at the Oasis Center board meeting asking for volunteers. This sounded like such a unique event that I could not help but put my name down.

I imagined all the possibilities and the huge difference this venture would make in the lives of so many teens. An idle mind is the playground for the devil; I can hear my grandfather muttering. Daddy kept folks busy by wearing us down with work. This was his quick fix for the long hot days of summer and it kept us out of trouble.

With Daddy's words in my head, I volunteered not knowing what to expect. Information about the job fair was sent to schools and the media, but we had no way of knowing how many teens would attend. Be ready for the unexpected I was told by our fierce leader, Hal Cato. I sensed from his tone that he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. The forecast was uncertain for the weekend and a first time job fair for teens had no room for the unknown.

Upon my arrival at Youth Opportunity Center @ 8:15am, I found the command center tent packed with teens. They came early and I sent up a prayer for the volunteers to get here soon. The job fair was scheduled from 10:00-3:00. By 9:00am, young people were everywhere. They were hungry for jobs. I looked outside and my heart skipped a beat and swelled with joy. As far as the eyes could see, folks were in line to snap up the ultimate teen prize, a summer job. It looked like an American Idol audition with kids from ages 14-19 wrapped around the building. How many jobs do we have, I questioned myself and everyone around me? After taking a second and third look outside, I wondered if we were "Jack" and the fast growing lines were going to become gigantic beanstalks.

Some of the vendors that participated at the unprecedented event were: Publix's, the Frist Center, BCN, Goodwill, Youth United, Metro Health Department, Hands on Nashville. Applications from Foot Locker, the Gap, Hobby Lobby, Aeropostle, Subway, Hibbet Sports, Sports Authority, Arby's, Shoe Carnival and a host of others were available for the teens to fill out and turn in. We even had a room filled with computers for writing resumes and several volunteers to assist. No details to finding a summer job were overlooked.

As I was celebrating the crowd swelling by the minute outside, my mind was grasping the harsh reality of the state of young people on the inside of the building. As the line to the resume center extended to the floor below, the questions at the table that I was covering for Youth United were alarming and frightful.

What is a resume, I was asked by a 12th grader graduating from high school next month. A 10th grader could not spell his street name. And an 11th grader put her MySpace account for her email address. When asked if she had any inappropriate pictures on her MySpace page, she countered my question with what does inappropriate means. With the quickness of a sixteen year old with no tact, I said, "Skanky". As we both stood summing the other up, she finally said, "Oh, I got a few of those on my page." As she stared back at me wondering when I learned Chinese, my eyes filled with tears. I wanted to cry on the spot. As I tried to regain my composure, I gave her a hug and told her to take her pictures off her page ASAP. She was the first of hundreds that I asked the same question throughout the day. My tears were of sadness for our young people.

At that moment, I wanted to yell at folks who buy cell phones for kids that can not write their home address. I wanted to yell at a system called "no child left behind" but does not prepare them to get ahead. I wanted to find someone to scream at and answer how can an eighteen year old not know what the hell is a resume. I wanted to yell at politicians that would rather waste billions on bankers than put millions into our educational system. My yelling would eventually go in circles and solve absolutely nothing. After my conversation with the young lady blew my high, I decided to roll up my sleeves and go to work. My "volunteer" role turned into educator, advocate, and straight up ole' school street woman with life lessons to share.

I wore many hats that day, but the root of my actions was the heart of a mother. I prayed that if someone saw my kids in the same predicament they would scold and love all in the same breath. I was mom to many, asking questions and taking names. How are you doing? What are your future plans? Pull up those pants and turn that cell phone off when I am talking to you. No, you cannot use sexygirl69@hotmail.com for your email address. That looks a hot ghetto mess and you know it. Let me hear your voice mail on your cell phone. Take that message off now, no potential employer is going to listen to that while waiting to leave you a message! Yes, the kids were looking at me as if I was from planet Mars and I was staring right back as if they were from my house.



For the young ones that walked in with dress shirts, ties and nice attire, praises and hugs were bestowed abundantly. To those who came with resumes in hand, I made darn sure their applications were "APPROVED". An A for going the extra mile and an A for knowing what you know. Several were headed to college and I could not hide my pride. I gave my address to many to send me an invitation to their graduation and I was going to make sure they got acknowledged from our board to encourage them on their journey. I told everyone of them that we were cheering for their success. By the end of the day I came to the conclusion, it did not matter if they were interview ready, had no clue about a resume, or came because a friend said come on let's go. They were in the building and we were there to help them. The adults had the responsibility to make a difference in their life, if only for one day. I took that responsibility seriously and thankful that I got a chance to serve our teens.

No matter what neighborhood we live in, every child is someone's kid and they are all our children. Our children today are our future in a few years. Our kids are hurting and I refuse to close my eyes and say it is not my problem. The Oasis Center is one of several agencies leading the way helping young folks get an education, be leaders today, and be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. But families, places of worship, educators, and the community at large must step up as well. Working together for the greater good is the only hope we have to helping our future have a future. No one group can do it all and no one should even attempt to try. It really takes a village to raise a child as our world grows smaller and harder to navigate. If grown folks are getting weary and losing their footing, imagine the challenges of being young and starting to take baby steps on the road called life.

There are many flaws in the "system" but we cannot blame everything on everybody. There is no time for finger pointing. We must take responsibility for where our kids are today starting with parents first. This is not a post about morals but quite simply a reality check from the real world. Sometimes we have to call things as we see them. We got to do better by being better.

It took me three weeks to finally pen my thoughts from that wonderful day. I am still processing some of it. I spoke with several and shared my concerns and my experience. I am hoping that we take what we learned that weekend and institute job readiness skills that would include not only resume writing, but interviewing skills and dressing for success classes as well. We got the space, and plenty folks that saw what I saw are more than willing to volunteer.

Thanks to the following groups for their hard work on that day: The Nashville Urban Partnership Academic Center of Excellence (NUPACE) at Meharry Medical College, the Nashville Community Coalition for Youth Safety, Nashville Career Advancement Center and Youth United/Oasis Center. I will never forget my first teen job fair. And I hope that this will become a proud tradition in Nashville.

For more information about summer youth jobs go to http://www.nupace.mmc.edu.

Photos:
Kafrisha Morrow
Kafrisha@aol.com
Free Spirit Photography

Unsung Heroes

There are unsung heroes in every community. Unsung heroes often have no desire for praise or worship. They are never pictured in photos covering public events or functions and they usually dread being the center of attention. Many of us know an unsung hero who has touched our lives in one way or another. One of my unsung heroes is Brandon Hill, a community organizer and youth leader at the Oasis Center.

He gives his time and attention to young people of this city and his heart is always at the center of every action. Brandon is quick to identify leadership potential in a young person even when family, schools, and the courts see a problem child.

For the last four years, he has worked in the area of youth leadership at the Oasis Center. Currently, he works with the Youth Engagement & Action team. This group of young people connects youth with community and city leaders to effectively address social problems within the city of Nashville. While many of society’s biggest problems (education, health care, economy) have the greatest impact on young people, the youth are rarely invited to the table to share their voices on these issues. Brandon's work involves educating young people on important community issues and prepares them to take action to address the problems.

By engaging students, Brandon helps them to see they are the solution to many of the issues they are facing daily. He encourages them to take control of their futures by being leaders today. Brandon shares a common thread with many of the youth that he leads; he has firsthand experience with living in areas that are impoverished and underserved. Brandon often contributes personal anecdotes about his teen years and his experiences as a youth ministry leader. Several times a week, I ask a young person what lead them to the Oasis Center. Most tell me, "Brandon spoke at my school".

Brandon Hill was born and raised in Nashville. He spent a good deal of his childhood in the infamous James A. Cayce Homes. Brandon and his brother were raised in a loving single-parent home. Living in one of Nashville’s poorest neighborhoods and attending some of the city’s lowest-performing schools had a great impact on Brandon’s life and prepared him to work with young people who face these challenges today. After graduating from high school, Brandon returned to the James A. Cayce Homes, still a teen himself, to work with youth in his old neighborhood. After college at the age of 21, he was given the task of leading the Teen Outreach program at the Martha O’ Bryan Center. Working there taught him a great deal about the state of Nashville’s youth as well the challenges the city must face in learning to support them.

Recently, Brandon and a band of young brothers spoke about their struggles, dreams, accomplishments and what the future holds from young people of color perspectives. While students from age 15-19 imparted wisdom beyond their years; their leader, Brandon, stated his greatest accomplishment in 2008 was accompanying Kanesha Butler to the White House. Kanesha, a teen with Youth United, was a guest of the President and Mrs. Bush. He did not mention the numerous awards that several programs won under his leadership. Seeing the young folks on stage with Brandon and Hal Cato, executive director of the Oasis Center, left me in tears and an overwhelming sense a pride for an organization that cares so deeply for the young people of this city.

As I close, I will leave you with a few words from Brandon:

Young people have always been, and will continue to be, one of our community’s greatest resources. Unfortunately, they are also one of our most over-looked, under-appreciated, and under-valued resources. Much of this is due to a distorted perception of youth. Many times youth are seen as destructive, violent, and void of any desire to improve their lives or the lives of others. Because of these views, adults are convinced that they must create ways to “fix” youth which leads to a never-ending cycle of negativity and cynicism.

My ultimate goal is to end this cycle. My work is about creating better connections between young people and the communities in which they live in. I hope to inspire young people and adults to find better ways to communicate and work together to offer solutions to the problems we face as a community.

There are many heroes like Brandon Hill in our community. Let us support them and let them know how valuable they are to our community and to our young people. To see the many programs offered by the Oasis Center for young people visit them on the web at www.oasiscenter.org or stop by the Youth Opportunity Center to find many unsung heroes in action.

"Be the change, you want to see in the world."
Ghandi