Boys to men: Bryant George helps youth to succeed
Category: Community - Original Written by Michigan Chronicle

He was never supposed to make it. They were never supposed to succeed. He is Bryant George. They are Alonte Sims, Tywonn Mitchell, Curron Thomas, Scott Jackson, Donald Owens and Dominick Altman. Black boys! The odds are dismal for a Black boy growing up in the inner city of Detroit, with meager resources, not a lot of guidance, an inferior education and not enough money to live on.
George defied the odds; he beat the streets. “The streets, where just making it to the age of 25 is quite an achievement compared to the majority of my childhood peers who are now incarcerated, deceased, or stuck” says George.
He used his athletic skills to create a path to success out of a seemingly hopeless situation. In high school, George received a Real Life 101 scholarship, laptop and a personal mentor. Madonna University took a chance on him. He was admitted, received a scholarship and competed on the Crusader basketball and cross country teams. With a 4.0 GPA his last two years, George was inducted into two national honor societies at Madonna. A criminal justice major, he earned his bachelor’s degree in 2010. He was the first minority student to intern with the U.S Marshal Service, United States Secret Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Agency.
Today, George works diligently and with great passion, giving back to Detroit and his alma mater. He serves as mentor, leader, and father-figure for 17 at-risk young men, who are currently pursuing four year degrees at Madonna University. And although, nationally, African American male students have a 35 percent graduation rate while attempting a four-year degree, under George’s leadership, six finished on the Dean’s List and to date the retention rate is 100% Through his role as an admissions officer and coordinator in the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs at Madonna, George is pushing harder; the third group of students are anxiously waiting to begin their college careers at Madonna in the fall of 2013. “To recruit, enroll, and retain these students is an honor from God, and I take no credit for this kind of service,” says George.
So what’s his formula? “These young men lack discipline, someone they can continuously depend on, and the passion to acquire knowledge,” says George. He, along with Madonna University faculty, staff, and current students, try to instill these traits. The Real Life 101 program is their mentor village off campus.
George keeps the students busy. They meet weekly (a session that requires a tie and white shirt) to discuss the past week’s successes and challenges. There are church services, football games, conferences on success and leadership, and community activities, such as Bridging Lost Gaps (BLG), a pre-college program originated by George.
Through the BLG program, current students become guest speakers as they bring their college experience to Detroit public school students from prior events such as the Real Life 101 annual gala, professional development sessions hosted by Compuware Corporation, and the Mentoring Today’s Youth dinner with former Indianapolis head coach Tony Dungy and Sid E. Taylor.
“I don’t think they (students) really appreciated what I was trying to teach them about succeeding at real life until Thanksgiving Day (2011), when we fed the homeless and visited a juvenile detention center,” says George.
He knew he was succeeding when he received a call from a mother thanking him, “My son doesn’t want to come home,” she said. “You may have saved his life and another statistic on the local news broadcast.”
“Leaders think and talk about the solutions, followers think and talk about the problems. I have to be a part of the solution by all means” says George.
George’s mentor, Dr. Terry Gordon, said, “It doesn’t get any better than this. I mentor Bryant through some of life’s hurdles and he turns around and gives back in a tangible, meaningful way.”
Some see stories, on the nightly news, that involve “at risk” youth getting into trouble, and they only hope that someone will do something.
Bryant George has decided to act. His mission is to take boys and make them real men.
Last Updated on Thursday, 07 March 2013 09:14
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Tuskeegee Airman car jacked by Detroit teens
Category: Community Written by Roz Edward, National Content Director
Jesse Rutledge, an 88-year-old Tuskegee airman who served in World War II as a gunner on a B-25, was carjacked in Detroit in broad daylight on Saturday, Channel 7 Action News reports[1].
“He said,” ‘N*gga give me your keys’ and racked his gun back,” Rutledge said one of the carjackers told him. He was leaving a barbershop when three young men rushed out of an abandoned building and ambushed him. One of the young men pointed a gun in the war hero’s face and demanded that he give up the keys to his 1999 Jeep Cherokee.
Jesse Rutledge, an 88-year-old Tuskegee airman who served in World War II as a gunner on a B-25, was carjacked in Detroit in broad daylight on Saturday, Channel 7 Action News reports[1].
“He said,” ‘N*gga give me your keys’ and racked his gun back,” Rutledge said one of the carjackers told him. He was leaving a barbershop when three young men rushed out of an abandoned building and ambushed him. One of the young men pointed a gun in the war hero’s face and demanded that he give up the keys to his 1999 Jeep Cherokee.
At first, Rutledge actually thought he knew the teens.
“They were little guys and had hoods on,” Rutledge said. “And that little one had the gun. That’s when I really got upset. I was thinking they knew me because I’ve been around (the barbershop) so long.”
He ended up giving up his jeep and the teens sped off. But the police were able to catch the young men and arrest them. One of the suspects was just 13-years-old. The cops also recovered his jeep. Rutledge was happy to get his vehicle back but is especially relieved that no one was hurt.
When reflecting on the young men who carjacked him, Rutledge seemed to be lost for words. “They didn’t have any parents to raise them to know nothing,” he said. “I don’t know.”
Last Updated on Monday, 04 March 2013 16:34
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Family asks for help finding Southfield teen who left school
Category: Community Written by Paul Kampe, theoaklandpress

The family of a missing Southfield teen is asking for help locating the 13-year-old girl.
Her family says Kendall Leigh Fane left Levey Middle School in Southfield Monday morning after telling friends she had plans to meet with a man at a coffee shop.
Kendall is approximately 5-foot-6, 110 pounds and was last seen at a Southfield Tim Hortons location just after 10 a.m. Monday. Her family said she was last seen wearing navy pants and a blue button-up shirt with a black pea coat and skull cap. She often wears eye glasses, her family said.
Read more at http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/02/26/news/local_news/doc512d3ebdb46b3826322776.txt
Last Updated on Thursday, 28 February 2013 13:23
Hits: 871
“A Conversation with: FILMMAKER QASIM “Q” BASIR”
Category: Community Written by AJ Williams, Chronicle Web Editor

Detroit, MI (February) – Join Filmmaker and Native Detroiter, Qasim “Q” Basir, for an in depth conversation about what it takes to make movies in the film industry. How often have you gone to the movies and afterwards thought, “I’ve got an idea for a movie..” What would it take someone to have an idea, develop a script, actually get that movie made and shown on the big screen? Writer/Director Qasim Basir will share his knowledge and insights about the business of making films at an open forum this weekend in Downtown Detroit.
About the Filmmaker
In 2010, Basir directed his first full-feature film, Mooz-lum, starring Nia Long, Danny Glover, Evan Ross and Roger Guenveur Smith. The movie debuted at the 14th Annual Urban World Film Festival in New York and received the honor of Best Narrative Feature. The film was also an official selection at the Chicago International Film Festival and the 34th Cairo International Film Festival. Through a partnership with AMC and Eventful, Mooz-lum was released nationally in February 2011. The film received independent theatrical distribution in Canada, the UK, Dubai, and Kuwait, as well as DVD, television and digital distribution.
On the heels of the one year anniversary of his first film, Basir has teamed up with Producer, Tommy Oliver and Executive Producer; Hill Harper for his next project entitled “Destined.” Actors, currently attached to the film include Omar Epps, Mekhi Phifer, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Keri Hilson and Michael Rainey Jr.
“A Conversation with: FILMMAKER QASIM “Q” BASIR” will take place on Saturday, March 2, 2013 at D:hive (1253 Woodward Ave Detroit, MI 48226) from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. For additional information, contact Trinity Film Coalition at (313) 685-3124. This event is free and open to the public. Whether you are an aspiring filmmaker, actor or movie enthusiast, this is sure to be an engaging discussion for all to enjoy.
About Trinity Film Coalition
Located in Detroit, Michigan, Trinity Film Coalition provides a platform for independent filmmakers to showcase their talent and hosts an annual Film Festival.
Last Updated on Friday, 01 March 2013 09:14
Hits: 1117
Anger management: Addressing the violence by addressing the pain
Category: Community - Original Written by Jackie Berg

It happens all the time: Conversation turns into confrontation. Anger explodes. Punches are thrown … or worse, guns are fired. A violent crime is committed and the lives of victims, perpetrators, and of families and friends, are changed forever.
Uncontrolled anger is one element fueling the rising tide of homicide gripping Detroit and other cities. Experts say that understanding and dealing with anger can help individuals, their families, and ultimately entire communities make better decisions that can help stop violence and reduce crime.
“In order to address anger and the resulting crime, you have to examine what leads us to become angry….what causes us to choose anger over another option,” says Chuck Jackson. He is executive vice president and chief clinical officer for Starr Commonwealth in Albion, Mich., and CEO of Starr Vista in Detroit. Both organizations provide services to families and children.
Uncontrolled anger in adolescents and adults often stems from unmet needs earlier in life, he continued. “Part of what we are missing as a society is that often we are not meeting the basic developmental needs of our children. They have to feel confident that they can master challenges, have a place to belong, feel safe and secure, can give back to others and know that there are people who love and care about them. When this happens they have a better self-concept, are more grounded and anger becomes less of an option for them. They are better equipped to deal with all kinds of life situations.”
Anger can also come from experiencing trauma at any age. Many people have witnessed violence, seen people they love hurt, or been hurt themselves, especially in urban environments. If we lose someone, we feel pain. Where does that pain go?
“As a society we don’t do a good enough job of dealing with this,” said Jackson. “Part of where we all struggle, particularly as African Americans, is that we are not quick to go to therapy, either because we lack the resources, or because we just don’t think we need it. Then the sources of our anger are not being addressed. Couple that with the reality that we live in a society that is still oppressive and for many offers few options. All of this can lead to making poor choices from maladaptive behaviors such as resorting to violence, and to self-medication with drugs and alcohol. If you don’t have a strong self-concept, these can begin, consciously or subconsciously, to look like tangible options for easing your pain.”
So what are the alternatives for helping adolescents and adults address their anger and walk away from conflict? The answer for some can be found by learning techniques to control or manage their anger. Anger management teaches that while you cannot avoid stressful life events, you can learn how to feel about them and what to do about them.
Research suggests that managing anger not only benefits the participant, but the entire family — and ultimately communities. But part of the challenge is recognizing when help is needed. According to experts at Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn., in an article on their website, you should consider seeking help for anger issues:
• If you or a loved one’s anger seems out of control
• If it causes you to do things you regret
• If it hurts those around you
• If it is taking a toll on your personal relationships.
Eighteen-year-old Emmanuel attends school and works with other young people in his community, but that was not always so. After acting out as a young teen, he was remanded to the juvenile justice system and received residential treatment at Starr Commonwealth’s Albion campus.
“Emmanuel was angry about a lot of things,” said his mother, Gwen. She cited the death of his father when he was a baby. He was forced to compete for Gwen’s attention because of her at- home daycare business.
“He deeply resented the daycare because I had 15 to 30 kids that I took care of every day so he didn’t always get all the time and attention that he wanted,” said Gwen. “I had to explain that this was something that I had to do to provide for us.”
“[My son] was angry about a lot of thing, but he never really could talk about what was bothering him.”
Emmanuel turned his anger around with the help of the anger management program that was part of his treatment at Starr Commonwealth. In the program, healthy behavior is modeled by adults who can support the young adult by, among other things, encouraging and reinforcing appropriate behaviors.
Founded in Albion in 1913 and a national model for trauma response, Starr Commonwealth works toward creating a brighter future for Detroit’s young people and their families through early intervention programs and residential and private treatment programs. In 2012 it served over 600 young people in its anger management workshops.
Gwen saw firsthand the results for Emmanuel. He learned healthy ways to manage anger, triggers and decision making, and is moving forward with his life in positive, healthy ways.
“The counselor would keep me informed on how he was progressing,” says Gwen. “He did well in school, he was a leader. He started doing well at all the things that I saw in him and knew that he could do.”
“When he returned [from the program], we could talk about a lot of the things that were bothering him. Going through the program closed a gap for us and helped us establish a real line of communications.”
Taking action to learn how to control anger can have major impacts on individuals, their families and the entire community. Below is a list of agencies and resources that may be helpful:
Health Services resource list from
University of Michigan - Dearborn Website:
http://www.saveourchildrencoalition.org/wayne-county/health-mental-health/
Wayne County Department of
Community Mental Health:
http://www.waynecounty.com/hhs_mh.htm
Oakland County Department of Community Mental Health:
www.occmha.org
Washtenaw County Department of Community Mental Health:
http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/community_mental_health/mh_csts_wcho.html
John Dingel VA Medical Center, Detroit:
http://www.detroit.va.gov/services/mentalhealth.asp
Starr Commonwealth:
www.starr.org
Starr Vista:
www.starvista.org
Last Updated on Thursday, 28 February 2013 11:05
Hits: 450
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