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Recent Blog Posts

" What Beyond the Bricks has done for me. "

Someone asked me last week, “What has beyond the bricks has done for you?” At first I could not answer this question. It took me almost a week to arrive at my answer; however, it is one that is difficult to verbalize. It seems a bit perplexing that a person like me, one who is usually never at a loss for words, is struggling to verbalize how I feel.

After Arkansas

I’ve been home for about three weeks, and I'm missing Arkansas now. During my internship we attended the CBC’s policy conference institute. At the conference, New Jersey congressman Donald Payne issued a challenge to me. I’m back in Newark and I’m working on that challenge. I’m running for class president and I’m trying to put together a team of like-minded individuals.
I also have a few things in mind to improve the school. I want to start three programs at my high school (Barringer High).

Equitable learning ???

8/14/11

A Different Perspective

8 /9/11

The Community Stepping Up, by: Derek Koen

shaq go2

8/8/11

This year I invited Shaq to my house for my families annual 4th of July BBQ. He spent the weekend with us, we all really enjoyed having him there. I didn't know that Shaq didn't eat pork, we cooked a whole pig and he helped throughout the entire process. He even did as the Romans did and tasted the pork, to the utter delight of my southern uncle who cooked the "hog". He did complain about the bugs a bit, flies, mosquitoes, gnats and the like. After a long, long night, he awoke with us in the AM to help clean up, in the rain. Noticing that I was suffering from a mixture of geriatric poisoning and barley consumption, he opted to carry the heavier items. . . thank you young man my back was killing me.

Akransas !! XD

8-5-11
I have been in Arkansas for about a week now, and I love it here. The flight was delayed, but seriously worth it. I was a bit nervous because it was only my second flight, and the first one on my own. Ms. Flowers and her family have made me feel very welcome. Although I don’t know some of them that well it feels like I’ve known them my entire life, as if they were distant relatives. I’ll be here about a month. So far I’m not missing Newark in anyway.

Sustaining Momentum

I've been involved in youth justice issues for more than 20 years now, and one of my most important lessons came from Dr. Vincent Harding, historian, theologian, strategist, and encourager.

Dr. Harding points out that we who work for youth justice are "citizens of a country that does not yet exist."

This is what makes everything so hard, and feel so backwards sometimes.

We make great plans, and then nothing happens--or nothing seems to be happening.

But it's really an illusion that nothing seems to be happening.

A Few Words From the Project Manager

By: Cierra Brown

Being a young manager of SLC, I can honestly say I have a new outlook of Milwaukee. Witnessing a variety of negative things the city has to offer blinded my positive perception of people my age. SLC is an excellent opportunity for black youth to
participate in because it enhances the skills that are used in daily living and helps interns find hidden talents.

Who Is Your Leader?

This inspiring blog was written by a young lady named Halima Haile. She speaks about who she considers her leader and why . Read what she has to say and I am sure you will have no choice but to agree that this young woman has more than enough positive thoughts to offer.

Young Black Men Finding Their Voices

This is a blog that one of the SLC Interns, Will Arberry, wrote about how the cohort has helped him over the past weeks.