On Sunday, an emergency summit was convened to talk about possible solutions to youth violence in the community. The summit was spurred by the recent barrage of shootings that took place in Harlem over the Memorial Day weekend where many young people were wounded. Politicians (including Governor Paterson), law enforcement officials, and community representatives all pointed to lax gun laws, lack of youth centers, and a frustratingly high level of unemployment as catalysts that affect the escalation of violence in communities where people are impoverished.
The sudden cluster of events forced the spotlight on our beloved Harlem once again . Only this time the attention was not grabbed by new condos, new anchor retail stores, or even the controversial redevelopment along 125th Street. Rather it was a story that might have fit better on a news article from 1992 when stories of violence in Harlem were commonplace. The thought of 10 people (6 of them teens) being shot along a 20 block stretch of the neighborhood seems a mismatch to the promises of a “new, chic Harlem” that many real estate websites capitalize on these days. Rather, it brings to the forefront one important issue that has been simmering and has finally reached a boiling point. No amount of redevelopment or gentrification (you pick a term) can singularly cure the ails of a historically disadvantaged community. While many community advocates have lambasted developers for taking away from the culture and the “look” of the neighborhood a whole other issue is being ignored. It is the subculture of gang and gun violence that is still very much a part of the new Harlem. This was around before gentrification and is still around now.
While tougher gun laws are crucial to dealing with violence on our streets there are issues that need to be dealt with on a micro level. The fact is that a new Pathmark or Duane Reade may light up the streets better and get the drug dealers off the corner but there are a lot more corners and back streets in Harlem that are left to exploit. Perhaps some people feel that as long as that “hood” element is confined to those streets with public housing and doesn’t spill over to the condos every-thing’s OK. We saw proof that it isn’t OK. In fact the latest shootings spilled over onto 125th Street, Harlem’s main thoroughfare and the future site of the River-to-River project. Among all the new wealth that is being created one has to ask “How come none of these new condo buildings have youth programs or community centers?” They receive financial incentives through tax abatements and rezoning laws but nothing is being injected into the veins of the community except commercialization. All these new buildings have Duane Reade’s, Chase Bank branches, Starbucks, and New York Sports Clubs. Do we really need that many more? None of them have a new P.A.L. facility or other youth sports program. There are no new Scores (except for the one on 125th Street and a Komin center on 8th Avenue). There is no investment in learning centers other than a few scattered programs that many families in Harlem cannot afford. There is nothing that betters the lives of our youth directly.
For years the Salvation Army and other modestly funded school programs have historically carried the burden of positively affecting our youth through summer programs and after school programs. However they have been over burdened, filled to capacity, and in some cases defunded rendering them unable to capture the thousands of youths that are lured into deadly gang alliances. Harlem’s youth violence will not be cured with a new Macy’s or a Chuck E. Cheese. It will take investment into our own community to provide outlets where youths can take refuge.
Secondly, it will involve real, effective meetings and summits that our youths can connect to. I am grateful that these emergency summits and meetings have been called. Their purpose is to show the community that these events are not being ignored. Now these symbolic gestures must be met with action and a call for measurable results. The people we must have present at these meetings are the youths themselves. And they are not going to show up to places where politicians whom they cannot connect with or law enforcement officials are present. Summits must be called by people who were involved in gangs themselves and turned their lives around. These meetings have to be called by people who have been there, done that, and made it out. These are the voices that our youths will listen to.
Finally, this is a call to our parents. There is no denying that there is a strong connection between youth violence and the lack of adult role models in the family. And without falling prey to stereotypes this is still a prevalent condition in Harlem. There are many families where the head male parent is either involved in illegal activities or in jail. And those that are home work long hours and can dedicate little if no time to sitting down with their children. These are real problems. However, there are also families of single mothers (and fathers) who try there best to juggle a job and at the same time stay active in their children’s lives. It is by far no easy task, but it can be done. Parents must reconquer their homes. Even if there were no programs or youth centers they would be the first line of defense. They must fulfill their roles as providers and the most important teachers for their children. They must retake the mantel of order in the household. We cannot let the streets raise our children or they will be killed by the streets. This cannot be a piecemeal effort. The Village of Harlem must take back the reigns of our streets for the sake of our youth. Churches, real-estate developers, politicians, teachers, and all citizens of Harlem old and new need to make a concerted effort to make sure our streets are safe again and remain that way for years to come.
Photo Credit: The New York Times
Anonymous
June 3, 2008
I looked up the directory on the CB9 website. That directory is now at least 5 years old! Is there anymore more updated? Harlem has changed tremendously in five years.
http://cb9m.org/docs/CB9_Youth_Comm_Svcs_Dir.pdf
Central Harlem
June 3, 2008
“Among all the new wealth that is being created one has to ask ‘How come none of these new condo buildings have youth programs or community centers?’”
illoquent, if you look around, you might be surprised.
The Dwyer is going to host a new facility for Community Works, nonprofit arts education and arts presenting organization. Geoffrey Canada and the Harlem Children’s Zone serves 8,600 low-income children. It has smart-parenting classes; it has all-day preschool; it has a K-12 charter school. It has tutoring and mentoring and antiviolence initiatives.
But this is nothing new in Harlem.
Community Board 9, which makes up only a portion of Harlem, put together a Youth Services Directory a few years back with then Columbia University Graduate Student Christina Vastola, CB9′s Larry McClean and Christina documented more than 800, yes 800, organizations in CB9 with children’s services.
Anonymous
June 3, 2008
To the last anon poster, um yeah. Let’s throw that solution out the window. I mean, come on! Do you REALLY think it was the kids who attend the rec center who were shooting? Besides, people are talking about structured programs for kids, not just having a rec center but no no reliable and responsible adult to show them how to use the center to their best benefit. Here is an example. In high school we had a hall monitor…an adult male. His job was to be a role model and keep us in check. Instead, he was like one of the kids and used to flirt with girls and even sold weed on the side. The school could argue and say, “well at least we have a hall monitor.” See, two different things here. Responsible mentors and just a warm body are not the same.
To an earlier commenter, having the rec centers and having access to them are two different things. There is high demand for these services and they fill up fast. A friend tried to enroll her boys last summer and another friend was feverishly looking for something for a teen girl. It’s not as easy as it looks.
I agree with the poster who recommeneded Brotherhood-Sistersol. Positive organization. Big Brothers and Sisters is another stellar organization. I know plenty of plenty who have mentored through them. Boys and Girls Club is also great if you can find a good program.
anon
June 3, 2008
Wasn’t there actually a shooting a few years ago by some kids at the police recreation center? So much for the theory that community centers are the answer when shootings are happening at the center.
Odilia
June 3, 2008
Young people are not shooting each other because of a lack of community centers or activities for young people.
The NYC Department of Parks and Recreation has a center at 123rd st and 134th st in Harlem – MEMBERSHIP IS FREE FOR KIDS 6 TO 17.
NYC has a tremendous amount of free and low-cost events sponsored by different organizations:
DYCD
YMCA
YWCA
The Point
Advocates for Children of NYC
- to name a few.
However, you do need a parent or guardian to sign kids up for these programs.
The real problem is that the kids do not have enough stable relationships with adults. Any child without guidance, regardless of his or her race and ethnicity, will get into trouble if unsupervised.
Anonymous
June 3, 2008
This was a well thought out piece. As someone who grew up in a major city, I had the strong guidance of my mother to raise me. However, all the love, discipline and guidance in the world wasn’t enough to keep me from going in the wrong direction. My mother raised me as a singe parent. She couldn’t do it alone. If it weren’t for the many organizations like the YMCA, Salvation Army (summer camp) and others offering scholarships for low-income children, I would have probably been another statistic. Yes, kids need parental involvement, church and outside organizations (mentors) to survive these mean streets. They are exposed to a lot at an early age and don’t have the tools to process all the imagery that affects them. I could go on and on but I’ll stop here. Thanks for writing this.
iloveharlem
June 3, 2008
Thank you James. Let’s work together on this. And here’s just an article to give some background on why some black people live like they live. I know you will not read a book on this.
Psychologists will tell us that if you treat people as if there are animals, they will act like animals. And the history of black people even now is just that. If you don’t know you are human and not a dog, you will act like a dog.
Why is it that we understand what the Holocaust did over a 12 year period, but not what has happened to black people for hundreds or years?
http://www.joyleary.com/docs/breakingchains.pdf
James
June 3, 2008
I think the comments are too harsh here. Look, yes in a perfect world everyone would have understanding and supportive parents. But as we all know, one of the symptoms of poverty is the destruction of this bond. The issue is about breaking the cycle that these parent are themselves caught up in. How to do that? Well as a former teacher, I can say “not very easily.” It could be a teacher, minister or other concerned individual who takes initiative and sticks their neck out to take a youth “under their wing.” Organizations like Big Brother/Big Sister and Brotherhood Sistersol are most effective because they fill that role in a professional and established manner. I would say anyone really interested in making a difference and advancing the dialogue should look there first. In the meantime, please keep it positive.
anon
June 3, 2008
It is not lack of community centers, it is lack of parenting, or absentee fathers and truly awful roll models, it all starts at home people. There are many poor people in the world who take the time to parent. Sounds like the same blame mentality.
sick of it
June 3, 2008
“…all pointed to laxed gun laws, lack of youth centers, and a frustratingly high level of unemployment …”
None of this will do anything to improve the sense of parental responsibility in rearing children that is the true root issue in this situation. All of this is just an attempt to place external blame and yet again claim victim status rather than looking within for the solutions. It is much easier to blame others than to own up to one’s personal responsibility.