Southwest Youth Collaborative
Getting to the youth center was as much of an experience as hearing what this place had to offer. Once we left our tour of Paseo Boricua we again used public transportation to get to the youth center. This involved four buses and two trains. We almost lost Cari when switching to the 72 bus because she wanted some ice cream and we got a four minute warning which was 30 seconds in reality. We had to walk slow and let the other people get on so that we didn't lose one. This was one of the longest days because of all the travel and all the heat. The buses were hot and the trains did not provide the cool that they had on the previous days. So, after what seemed like a full day of traveling we got off the second train and every one looked and felt groggy, not to leave out that we went the wrong way on one bus which caused the trip to be sooooo long. The bus from the train station to the center wasn't long at all, which was a big plus. Once we made it to the youth center they had been expecting us and we were put in a room with NO A/C....
At the center we got to meet 3 important people to the center. Mrs. Odeh, who was the executive director, Charity Toliver, who was the lead organizer and also noted that we all looked very tired, and Chris who was a volunteer at the center. At the center I got a great feel of community from all the people that talked to us. One thing that was mentioned was the fact that many if not all the kids were from the local community and the fact that they stayed involved with the program into their 20's. Mrs. Odeh gave us an overview of the community and how they came to be. The area they are located in was not always populated by the African American community. They started off by being a heavily German dominated area and a very racist area. The park located at the end of the block was the same park that Dr. King walked in and was stoned by the people from the area. After time and time again of the community being broken down and built up again we have what it is now. The room we were in held a piece of art that told us of how much the community has changed over time. The first two slides told of what kind of people have populated the area over the years. The middle piece told us of the present and the last slide told us of what the future was to bring, Peace or Destruction.
The Southwest Youth Collaborative is a center for the local kids to escape the violence of the area. These kids here face and see violence on a regular basis and are, with the help of the center, working towards a future of success. This was seen when we heard the young man Chris tell us of how the center has helped him throughout his life. He was a 23 year old that had been in the center when he was a very young child. He got into much trouble in his teenage years because he worried more about taking care of his family and had to do what ever it was possible to provide for them. After some years away from the center he said he returned so that he could better himself as a person and provide himself as a role model for other kids of the community. Chris is a very inspiring young man that expressed his future steps towards going to college and receiving a college education... Maybe even at Coe..
After Chris was done talking we were invited to join the center in their bake sale. Outside they had grilled hamburgers, and hot dogs and all sorts of candy. I bought a Hamburger and I must say it was well worth the cost. Much better than McDonalds! The stop at the Youth Collaborative was the most exciting for me because of the fact that I was offered a job from the center. This isn't a for sure thing if I don't take the steps towards it, but the idea of moving to Chicago became greater and my interest increased a great deal. The Southwest Youth Collaborative has the full support of the community and should be around for many years to come and continue to provide a beacon of hope in the lives of these young children. To leave we had the joy of riding back in the van and didn't need to use Public Transportation, and when we found that out everyone in the group seemed to end the trip a bit more excited!