AFRICAN HERITAGE COALITION

Presents: THE URBAN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Summary: The Urban Youth Development Program is a program based on a joint mentorship between inmates and community members, for the sole purpose of rehabilitating troubled youth on their way to becoming convicted felons or victims of violent crimes.

Introduction:

This program will focus on spiritual and character development, and the enhancement of social-life skills. That will in turn foster self-confidence, self-reliance, and community awareness and community responsibility.

I propose utilizing the medium of Hip-Hop and other popular culture to create an equal and open dialogue, talking with the youth participants, not at them or down to them.

For we must keep in mind that experience is the best teacher of life, most of us obtained the insight that we have through trial and error from enduring certain circumstances and situations. Even after being forewarned of the consequences.

What I have come to find is that we lack cultural programs that provide a rite of passage for these youths that would usually incorporate these life skills into the character development process.

Which has left going to jail or committing a violent act as a rite of passage allowing crime to become the urban culture. And you know when we say urban we really mean Black.

This culture is constantly being reinforced and promulgated by mass media outlets which we support.

This must be defused by individuals like us. The people that have the life skills and developed character and spiritual maturity to begin a new approach that speaks directly to the identified problem areas. Such as character, spiritual, and social dysfunctions.

We would like to incorporate the joint mentorship aspect with college students and other community activists to ensure that the tools learned are cultivated and assimilated into the youth's lifestyle. And not forgotten as soon as they leave the building.

This will also show the youths that they are truly cared for and not just run through a carwash that will still leave them vulnerable to the elements of their neighborhoods.

Also seeing these new perspectives on life through the college students will teach the youths that they have more options in life instead of the ones that are limited to careers of servitude.

So with your assistance we here at the A.H.C. believe that we will achieve this goal.

Thank you for your personal time and prompt attention.

THAT WHICH YOU SHARE WITH OTHERS WILL MULTIPLY AND THAT WHICH YOU WITHHOLD WILL DIMINISH

Very truly yours,

Leonard Jackson, chairman