What the Hood Needs Community Elders

I am a Community Elder for my Hood. I lived for 53 years and I still live in 15104 my hood.

Our young people have lost direction and because they grew up in a war zone violence has become a way of life. Prison and jail are considered cool and instead of college many aspire to "catch a Case". They are young so they do not realize this decision can ruin their lives completely. They do not realize that most employers shy away from Convicted Felons even if they did their time.  They will struggle with money for the rest of their lives or end up behind bars.

Community Elders, both male and female, must stick our noses into other people's business and tell the youth the truth that their lives not only matter but that they are very important. We must educate a kid that refuses to attend school that school is more likely to get you out of the hood than Prison. Employers hire those that go to school and college can be possible if they work hard enough or even if they graduate they will still do better than refusing to go to school or not doing anything when you attend. We have to start telling ourselves that Education is FOR us too.

The entire Hood is sick of the Violence and drugs destroying our Hoods and its up to us to end it. We have to change the way we live. We have to learn how to control our temper. I still struggle with that. We need to stop blaming others for our mistakes and learn.

The Violence in our communities have nothing to do with race as generational poor whites are also imprisoned in massive numbers in fact, poor White men are the majority of Prisoners. Do not let the media's lies make you believe it's Minorities and think If its only Minorities in Prison than why do they have so many prisons in Maine or North Dakota. They are both white states and I'm sure the entire 3% of minorities are not ALL in Prison.

We need to get morality back. Although most of the Community Elders have never married ourselves. We have learned that marriage is the best. The middle class of all races did not abandon marriage only the poor. Although our young people are getting married more there are to many single couples.

I actually believe that we need to get back with God. I, myself, found Jesus but if Allah keeps you on the straight and narrow then I'm fine with that.

As the Elders we must listen to all of our Youth and withhold judgement. We need them to come to us and tell us how angry they get and advise them that violence causes more problems than they solve. We have to also stop ourselves from doing it.

We need to start programs that gives teenagers jobs and after school programs for younger kids. We have to keep our babies off the streets and our teenagers with legitimate money in their pocket because a kid with his own money won't sell drugs.

We have to build a Relationship with the police and get rid of the no snitching. We need to encourage the police to participate in Community events and become partners with them.

Last we need to learn to love and respect each other. We are all in this together. Community Elders need to lead the way.