JACQUI ONE-

Wow,
Just finished the chapters introducing LeAlan's family, their history in brief and the interviews he did with his immediate family members.  So much strife, mental illness, addiction, and death.
Even with all of the misery, the family still reflects on one another and themselves in a proud way.  They all seem to describe this seemingly inevitable attitude that they did the best with what they had.
I'm continually thinking of my own dysfunctional family as I have called it and now I have to wonder just how bad it was for me; being of "white privilege" rather than "Black from the Ghetto".

The chapter about school was a focal point for me and I was surprised by the Principal's matter-of-fact realism about the students and their interpersonal expectations.  She seemed to be of the mindset that she was not going to make excuses for the students but rather work with them within the boundaries of their circumstances and resources. She speaks of how the students believe that the teachers couldn't possibly see their talents and wouldn't think they could believe in themselves.  She mentions a school system that has become pulverized by a bad reputation, both demographically and in relation to the socio-economic status of the students.

Our America - 2nd time around

This is not my first time reading Our America, I was required to read it a few years back in high school for a class about Chicago. I remember this book really sticking with me and as I am reading it for the second time I am reminded as to why I enjoyed it so much. The interview style for one makes you imagine that you are there listening to several different conversations with these children. When I first read this book I immediately thought to ask my Dad about his knowledge of these project since he had been in them years ago prior to them being torn down. Similar to this book the stories that my Dad had about the years he was around those projects were really sad. This book focuses on the children and the kind of lives they were living, as well as their street knowledge that many had at a young age. Reading this book for the second time has made me see some newer things and research other things about these projects that I didn't think about in high school.

how much street knowledge is too much? posted by Jacqui One

how much street knowledge is too much?

As I contemplate an interview with Ms. Jones at the Jessie White Foundation; Scholars program, I am thinking of the right questions to ask and how to informatively show the connection between the "Second America" spoken about in the book and community advocacy for youth.  I'm hoping the project in its entirety will ultimately show how it takes major effort and trials and tribulations to affect society.  I'm particulary interested in the fact that kids during that time (mid-90's) knew so much about sex and drugs at middle-school age.  It is now almost 20 years later, and even with today's technological advances, my middle-school child is just approaching the fringes of such information.  The project is getting more exciting!  Check back in a few...

Jacqui One

I have read the first 1/4 of the book and I really like the way it's done. the perspectives of the youth is quite compelling and they articulate most of their experiences as if they were adults. This is a testament to the fast, hard lives they had to live. Caring for themselves and living to stay alive day in and day out. I was excited to read how they were aware of current events in their community and across the nation. it was also clear that they were aware of the stereotype they were expected to "uphold" as black kids from the ghetto. I will be reaching out to the Director of the Jesse White Scholars Program next week to set up an interview.

Our America

For the final group project in our educational foundations class, our group has decided to read "Our America - Life and Death on the South Side of Chicago" by LeAlan Jones and Lloyd Newman.  This blog will be, for the most part, our reactions to the text and our contextualization of the ideas in a way that relates to other class materials and to non-profit organizations in Chicago.