Second Chance Act “II”
Some time back, a time when youth in DC were gunning one another down. I remember being at a prison near DC, teaching, naturally. I remember teaching “movie-scripts” at the time. More than half my class consisted of black youth. Washington DC at that time had the highest murder rate in the country.
I recall one of my students, quiet, respectful in class, always there on time, and someone who really wanted to learn. Those that I see really wqant it, I mentor on my free time, outside the classroom. We spent time together all around the compound, me teaching, him learning, the craft of screen-writing. He seemed to learn it easily enough; one problem, all he wrote about was violence, serious violence. I am talking a violence that I never knew. I would tell him I liked it but I needed something with less violence—no can do, see, all he knew was violence. How could I expect him to write about something he knew nothing about.
My point, my point is that there are little or no programs available in here – therefore what “usually” comes out, is the same as, or worse than when they went in. My point is, HOPEFULLY this “Second Chance Act” will get this money to programs, organizations, and groups that are trying to make change. Change that will keep the youth from returning. My point is, let’s do something with us while they have us–makes sense, huh??