Ms. K, I need a job….

I will be part of a Women’s History luncheon panel titled “Voicing Resistance: Chicago Women Activists” at a local university tomorrow. I have been asked to reflect on the reasons that I do the work that I do. In the midst of trying to think of what to share tomorrow, something happened today that will inform my presentation.

Amidst countless days of small and large failures, sometimes rays of light break through. I was befriended a couple of years ago by a young man in my neighborhood. He sees himself in part as my protector and as a guide helping me to navigate the mean streets. He tells me that people can take advantage of me because, in his words, I am “too nice” and not “street.” I chuckle at his characterization of me as “too nice.” I think that he is just not used to being treated respectfully and that is a crying shame.

He let it be known on my gentrifying street that my car is off limits from being “messed with.” Over these months, I have come to learn more details about his life. He tosses out morsels of his story. I treasure these confidences. I told him that I would write about him today. He insisted that I portray him as heroic. He played it off as a joke. To me, he does in fact deserve hero status.

About 8 months ago, he finally told me that he had spent three years locked up between the ages of 15 to 18. This experience was a searing one for him. He is now 22 and has never had a job. When he told me this, his voice got low. He shared it like a secret. He looked me in the eye and bravely said: “Ms. K, I need a job. Can you help me?” I looked him in the eye and told him that I could not promise him that he would find employment. I explained that if he was willing, I could help him get into a trade program that I was familiar with in the city. I reached out to contacts and he was admitted to a 4 month carpentry training program. I am proud to say that he was a model student and completed the program two months ago.

Today, he called to tell me that he has found a job at Home Depot. He secured the job mainly because he had proven his mettle and his work ethic through the training program. He finally had people who could vouch for him. He had references and they were glowing.

The nature of the work that I have chosen to do is populated with failure. I work with young people who have been failed by the systems that are supposed to buttress and nourish them. I work with young people who are in conflict with the law. They are always failed by the criminal legal system. I work with young people who find it easier to give up than to “fail” one more time and risk becoming even more depressed and alienated.

So, I have to hold on to these small victories to be able to justify my hopefulness. Congratulations D, I am incredibly proud of you!

I want to end with the words of the incomparable Mos Def who always cuts to the heart of every matter. These lyrics from his song “Mathematics” highlight the landscape that faces young people like D all across this country. We need to do better. We really do.

The white unemployment rate, is nearly more than triple for black
so frontliners got they gun in your back
Bubblin crack, jewel theft and robbery to combat poverty
and end up in the global jail economy
Stiffer stipulations attached to each sentence
Budget cutbacks but increased police presence
And even if you get out of prison still livin
join the other five million under state supervision
This is business, no faces just lines and statistics
from your phone, your zip code, to S-S-I digits
The system break man child and women into figures

— Mos Def, Mathematics