GET ON MY LEVEL

GARY ANIMATION

2008-06-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

2008-05-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

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CHAT: Where have we been? Where are we going?

2008-05-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

ROCHE: So this everybody

Let's get started

BLACK PRINCE: yip yip

diamondchester15: yes

ROCHE: the last time we all chatted it was at the beginning of these projects
5:16 PM
i think in january

So we've done a bunch of things...

the Questions project

the answers project

the questionaire

the blog

and all the in between stuff
5:17 PM
I was hoping that we could chat for a few minutes about what we've succeeded at and what we've learned...

maybe what we need to try that's new

diamondchester15: ok

ROCHE: OK.. Deep breath...

What do you guys think about the way we've tried to reach out to gary?
5:18 PM
Have you heard people talk about the posters, or have they just sort of "disappeared"?

diamondchester15: disappeared

BLACK PRINCE: i think we are making a big difference,

ROCHE: What about you Glodine?
5:19 PM
mz.glodineclayton: Well two of the buildings we have posted up at City Hall has been torn down. I dont want to just assume that it was us, but I hope it was

ROCHE: What!

Seriously?

They were torn down? When did this happen?

BLACK PRINCE: bout 3 weeks ago
5:20 PM
diamondchester15: yeah i would like to know that too

me: So is that what you meant by a "big difference" Jon?

mz.glodineclayton: I really dont kno when it happened all I kno is there now torn down since our posters.

ROCHE: woah

diamondchester15: k

ROCHE: I wanna see a picture of the empty lot!
5:21 PM
mz.glodineclayton: Sure we ca nget that for you

BLACK PRINCE: we are one of the few activists groups in Gary i hear about

ROCHE: Please do...

we'll post it.,

What other activist groups do you hear about in Gary?

What are other people doing?

BLACK PRINCE: none
5:22 PM
ROCHE: anyone else?

Wait... let's back up to talk about the buildings that were torn down...

Can you all tell me what they were like?

BLACK PRINCE: we are the only activist besides local churhes

mz.glodineclayton: I haven't really heard about any, so I wouldn't even kno the names of any other groups. It feels likk its just us byourselves trying to help the town better itself.
5:23 PM
ROCHE: We should try to learn more about what else is going on in Gary...

Maybe we can find out more about these other groups

... Let's keep that in mind.
5:24 PM
BLACK PRINCE: we will its strength in numbers

ROCHE: OK... To step back again to the buildings, tell me about them. What were the torn down buildings like?
5:25 PM
diamondchester15: i havent seen the builds so i couldnt tell you

BLACK PRINCE: they were abandoned and were poorly kept up,
5:26 PM
mz.glodineclayton: yea we should find out about other groups. Well the torn buildings I posted was at City Hall they were burned down and borded up, they looked pretty bad.

hey is any 1 there?

diamondchester15: yea

ROCHE: yeah we're still here

where were you?
5:27 PM
So besides the buildigns getting torn down, have you heard or seen anything about the posters?

diamondchester15: nothing about the posters

on my behalf
5:28 PM
ROCHE: Diamond, you're new to the group... did you see the posters around before you joined up with us?

diamondchester15: some

BLACK PRINCE: actually some of my friends said they saw them but that was it

ROCHE: OK... so some people have seen the posters... Does it mean anything to have people see them?

diamondchester15: yeah
5:29 PM
mz.glodineclayton: Not in Gary but in Chicago at Navy Pier. A lot of people likked the answered posters. I'm wondering if anyones even paying attention to the buildings. There probably afraid to look at them =, maybe we need to post them on pretty houses so that they will be seen.

BLACK PRINCE: yea it means we making a difference

ROCHE: HA

I like that idea Glodine

mz.glodineclayton: thanks Roche
5:30 PM
ROCHE: Let's talk about that. Would it help to try the other approach... Put em up on Fancy buildings.

diamondchester15: i think so

ROCHE: yea it would help
Would the posters be any different if you did that?
5:31 PM
diamondchester15: yes it would

mz.glodineclayton: Yea, probably at night so when they wake up in the morning, they could be likk WOW, are these people serious? Why aren't these buildings likk ours?

BLACK PRINCE: no mine wouldn't

diamondchester15: true

mz.glodineclayton: No the posters would be the same, but different buildings and not the same ones
5:32 PM
BLACK PRINCE: they would laugh that they buildings are better

ROCHE: You should have posted one when you went to Ben Bernke's house!

diamondchester15: yeah

i agree

mz.glodineclayton: They would probably thy to help Jonathan

BLACK PRINCE: he wouldn't care
5:33 PM
ROCHE: Yeah, probably not.

diamondchester15: its all about the money for him
5:34 PM
mz.glodineclayton: Who Mayor Clay, who cares about him, get him out of office and lets see how many abondoned buildings we would have. They could be used for a lot of important things, likk (shelters) and not for(crack houses)

ROCHE: What do you all think about our message? Are you still interested in posing questions or do you want also have some answers?

diamondchester15: rudy clay dont care at all

mz.glodineclayton: Both would be great

diamondchester15: yes i feel that we can

BLACK PRINCE: then why they not helping, now they buildings look bad, it ust aint effecting them
5:35 PM
ROCHE: How is that problems in a community effect some people and not other people, especially the Mayor?

diamondchester15: cuz i think he more worry about hmself and the money he got
5:36 PM
BLACK PRINCE: because some people suffer some people dont

diamondchester15: rudy promise people jobs

BLACK PRINCE: he aint got no money

ROCHE: Does the Mayor have to involved to get a building torn down in Gary.

?
5:37 PM
diamondchester15: i say he should be involved all the time or maybe he just domt care

BLACK PRINCE: no

mz.glodineclayton: The Mayor only helps when someone likk Barack Obama is coming. When Barack came to Roosevelt Highschool, thats when Mr.Rudy Oh So wanna be fine Clay want to fill up pot holes. What type of person does that? We've been complainging about pot holes allthis time.

ROCHE: How does it work? Does someone still own the abandoned building?

diamondchester15: some do

ROCHE: Interesting... maybe you should elect Obama mayor of gary.

jk

diamondchester15: oh
5:38 PM
BLACK PRINCE: the city still owns the lot

diamondchester15: yeah but is rudy helping

this man is trying to save a church that has been abandoned

mz.glodineclayton: I wouldn't kno, aboutthe bondoned buildings. But maybe Barack should be Mayor of Gary so Hillary could win the election. Lets see how us womn runs it!!!
5:39 PM
diamondchester15: lol

BLACK PRINCE: do we really need his help

ROCHE: OK

diamondchester15: maybe

mz.glodineclayton: Not really, but it'll help Hillary in the election

diamondchester15: are you voting for hillary

ROCHE: Jon... do you mean the Mayor's help?
5:40 PM
mz.glodineclayton: Yea

diamondchester15: no
5:41 PM
why we stop

mz.glodineclayton: Jon are you saying we dont need Rudy's help or Obama's help

BLACK PRINCE: yea we dont need his help

mz.glodineclayton: who's help

diamondchester15: who rudy
5:42 PM
ROCHE: I think it's interesting to think about what people can do without the Mayor

...

diamondchester15: yeah

ROCHE: did the questionaires suggest anything

diamondchester15: yes it

ROCHE: about how regular people can help

?

BLACK PRINCE: oh we need whoever the president' help

diamondchester15: yes to help about abandoned buildings
5:43 PM
ROCHE: So about that... Whoever is gonna be president might be in Gary anytime because of the primary.

diamondchester15: yep

BLACK PRINCE: regular people are who needs to chane the city

mz.glodineclayton: Well the posters actually asked who builds up the community and who destroys it and a lot of people said the Mayor brings it down and we build it up, but we cant blame one person, wat about the people helping him?
5:44 PM
ROCHE: Who helps the Mayor?

diamondchester15: what about them

ROCHE: Why would people want Gary to fail?

ROCHE: we dont need his help

diamondchester15: they make the money and rudy payes them
5:45 PM
mz.glodineclayton: They have a say so and a opinion, why aren't they using them and if they are and he's not listening, maybe we need to reelect real, real, real soon.

ROCHE: OH, so you think the city of Gary is corrupt. Have you heard about specific scandals and stuff, or is this just your impression?

diamondchester15: yeah

ROCHE: what you want in a new mayor?
5:46 PM
diamondchester15: to keep his promis e

BLACK PRINCE: people make the city not a mayor

diamondchester15: and let the people know he can get them a job

ROCHE: Maybe we should make campaign posters for a new mayor of Gary... an imaginary, ideal mayor?

mz.glodineclayton: yeah especially the people on the school board, hiring parents to work for them just so the parents can lie, there SICK.

BLACK PRINCE: yip yip , im diggin that

ROCHE: What would a new mayor look like?
5:47 PM
diamondchester15: im in

ROCHE: A better one?

diamondchester15: k

ROCHE: Tell me about this person, this imaginary new mayor of Gary?

BLACK PRINCE: wouldnt have a look

ROCHE: So it doesn't matter this person looks like?
5:48 PM
diamondchester15: i wouldntreally care about the looks its about if he can keep his promise to the city of gary

mz.glodineclayton: A new Mayor should probably be a woman. A good leader. I think the men of today's world isnt doing a good job I had a better life as a child. I believe those are my best memories.

BLACK PRINCE: honestly no, just as long as they are really for the people
5:49 PM
at

wat

ROCHE: OK... so we'll move past this "looks" thing...

tell me more about this imaginary mayor?

What would be the first thing this mayor does in office?
5:50 PM
diamondchester15: he got to keep his promise

ROCHE: What promises?

should he keep?

diamondchester15: whatever promise that he make to city of gary

ROCHE: OK

BLACK PRINCE: yip yip

diamondchester15: i would say the job part and trying to help other family
5:51 PM
ROCHE: Cool... what else?

mz.glodineclayton: The mayor NEW MAYOR, should have town meetings with just children speaking about how they feel Gary should be improved, then older people and then the ones that match the most it(he or she)should react on the A.S.A.P

diamondchester15: true that
5:52 PM
mz.glodineclayton: Im not talking about babies, i'm talking about middle school and up

diamondchester15: lol

ROCHE: What WOULD babies tell the mayor... we'll never know.
5:53 PM
diamondchester15: but they should have a after school thing going on for the children

BLACK PRINCE: he should knock down all unused buildings down

ROCHE: what would happen after the buildings get knocked down?

diamondchester15: nothing its a empty lot
5:54 PM
mz.glodineclayton: And do wat with the unused building have a big hole in the groung?

BLACK PRINCE: and make sure drugs and weapons stop coming in

ROCHE: OK

mz.glodineclayton: No wat he need to do is rebuil on block at a time.

ROCHE: Give me more ideas!

BLACK PRINCE: build parks
5:55 PM
ROCHE: What Aliens in the White House Drinking Wine Coolers?

diamondchester15: have a center for them to play basketball and football and much more

dont know

mz.glodineclayton: So it's going to be a million parks and no shelters, or new buildings for new jobs?
5:56 PM
me: OK... so do we have all the answers on this one, on this question of who the new Mayor should be?

diamondchester15: we need that but they not going to do that

BLACK PRINCE: did i say that

mz.glodineclayton: Now aliens could probably do a better job than Rudy and Bush combined

diamondchester15: lol

ROCHE: HA

BLACK PRINCE: no they couldnt

mz.glodineclayton: yea next question
5:57 PM
ROCHE: Seriously though, does our group have the answers?

diamondchester15: can we bring up the blackand white ball toandy

ROCHE: What's the black and white ball?

diamondchester15: something i came up with
5:58 PM
its a dance

ROCHE: what would it be?

diamondchester15: june 13

ROCHE: Tell me more
diamondchester15: well we need help making the tickets and much more

mz.glodineclayton: IdK, if we have all the answers but we need to start really getting to the mayor with questions, wether its posting them or talking to him one on one.
5:59 PM
ROCHE: OK Glodine... hold that thought...

BLACK PRINCE: we do have the answers u dig

diamondchester15: k

BLACK PRINCE: iwell i do

ROCHE: Diamond ... Yeah we could definitely do tickets... at least the designs

diamondchester15: yes
6:00 PM
ROCHE: Cool! let's do it

diamondchester15: i need all the help i can get

ROCHE: Ok..

diamondchester15: k

ROCHE: Back to Glodine and Jon...

diamondchester15: k

ROCHE: last time when we talked about this problem of coming up with answers, you all came up with the questionaire project...
6:01 PM
do you think this could have something to do with the mayor idea?

Like combine the two?

BLACK PRINCE: yea we coud do that

ROCHE: Can you think of a way how...
6:02 PM
I'd really like if we build on our past projects for new ones.

mz.glodineclayton: Yea that was really fun, we were able to talk to different people and find out how they thought we could better the town, maybe we could send them to him!(LOL) likk he cares

ROCHE: What if the results of the questionaire become the "New Mayor's" campaign posters?
6:03 PM
do you understand what i mean?

diamondchester15: i thinkit should and see how they feel

BLACK PRINCE: yea

ROCHE: Like if someone said "Aliens in the White House" is the solution for Gary...

mz.glodineclayton: You mean likk ask them how they think the Mayor should be? or who the mayor should be?
6:04 PM
diamondchester15: i think both

ROCHE: The poster would be something like"Vote for the New Mayor: She'll put Aliens in the White House."

mz.glodineclayton: Well the white house need assistance just likk Gary, so yea I believe the could be combined.
6:05 PM
diamondchester15: i guess

ROCHE: IT could be like that or the mayor poster would be like a questionaire... like a fill in the blanks mayor camnpaign poster..

diamondchester15: ok

ROCHE: I dunno... I'm just thinking...

OK one more thing...

before we finish...

BLACK PRINCE: i agree
6:06 PM
ROCHE: Is there anything you've been wanting to do at GOML that we haven't done yet? Any activist stuff you'd like to do?
6:07 PM
mz.glodineclayton: yea it could be fill in the blanks, that would be a blast, so when we post them up no one can say were just talking out the side of our necks.

BLACK PRINCE: i want to address gun volience

ROCHE: Out the side of our necks!

diamondchester15: lol

ROCHE: OK cool Jon

anything else?

diamondchester15: its a song
6:08 PM
ROCHE: oh who's it by?

mz.glodineclayton: Yea we could do what were talking about now, have a "Is Your Mayor Doing the job, if not fill in the blanks and tell me what he's really doing."

ROCHE: nice...

Diamond any ideas?

diamondchester15: nope

ROCHE: OK... that's alright...
6:09 PM
We'll leave it at that...

Thanks everyone!

diamondchester15: ok

ROCHE: Later!

diamondchester15: ur welcome

mz.glodineclayton: Gun violence it may never go any where. If someone feel threatened they just solve it with weapons especiall i they kno they cant win a 1 on 1 fight
6:10 PM
diamondchester15: true

ROCHE: Woah!

mz.glodineclayton: Alright i'll talk to you'z all later now.

ROCHE: Let's save that one for later!

diamondchester15: ok

ROCHE: Bye!

Jonathan: no if they cant fight they solve they problem that way

peace out, u digg

QUESTIONAIRES!

2008-04-17T16:46:00.000-07:00

Here are a ton of filled out questionaires the Youth brought back from the Tupac event. For more explanation on this stuff, scroll down past all the images. Check them out!

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I'M A HUSLTER

2008-04-17T15:56:00.000-07:00

I'M A HUSLTER .... MEANING THAT I'M GOOD AT RAISING MONEY FOR MYSELF AND GOOD CAUSES.I'M GOOD AT WHAT I DO AND I'M VERY COMFORTABLE IN WHAT DO. I HELP PEOPLE RAISE MONEY AND HELP SELL THINGS THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM LIKE CANDY, TACOS, MOVIES, CLOTHING AND MUCH MORE. I ALSO HELPED MY FRIENDS WITH THE QUESTIONAIRE. I HAD PEOPLE GIVE THEIR HONEST OPINION ON HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT GARY, INDIANA AND WHAT THEY WOULD DO TO CHANGE THINGS AROUND GARY, INDIANA.

Questionaire Project

2008-04-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

A while back we made some questionaire sheets that asked people how the felt about Gary. We took them to a Hip Hop Summit that was tributing Tupac at IUN. It was a success. We had college students, high school students, and older adults fill them out. Many said that their future was not in Gary. That was not a surprise to me. But overall it was cool that people even filled them out.
The Tribute to Tupac was very interesting. The speaker was well-known spoken word artist Malik Yusef. He was friends with late great Tupac Shakur. He explained how Pac really was. He also explained the demise of Tupac. I look up to Pac so I loved learning all I could about him. There was also a discussion afterwards about Hip Hop and the affect it has on our lives. The whole time I was amazed. It gave me some insight on how to the problems in the black and poor communities.

DC TRIP

2008-04-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

MY D.C TRIP WAS VERY INTERESTING. I MET NEW PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR HOMES AND NOW THEY ARE FIGHTING TO SAVE THEIR HOMES. I ALSO GOT TO MEET NEW PEOPLE AND HEAR ABOUT THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY WAS GOING THROUGH. I GOT A CHANCE TO SEE THE WHITE HOUSE AS WELL. I WAS THERE TO HELP THE PEOPLE TO STOP GEORGE BUSH FOR FORECLOSING PEOPLE'S HOMES AND TO STOP THE WAR. WE ALSO WENT TO BEN BERNANKE'S HOUSE. HE IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE, AND HE IS CLOSING PEOPLE'S HOMES. I LEARNED A LOT WHILE I WAS IN D.C AND TRIED TO HELP PEOPLE SAVE THEIR HOMES.

BIO: Lady Dee 09

2008-04-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

HELLO MY NAME IS DIAMOND CHESTER AND I'M VERY NEW TO BLOGGER AND THE JOB THAT I DO IS WITH STREET-LEVEL. I CHOOSE THIS JOB BECAUSE I LIKE WORKING WITH NEW PEOPLE AND I LIKE TO MEET NEW FRIENDS. I ENJOY MY JOB AND ITS FUN TO LEARN NEW THINGS ABOUT COMPUTERS AND LEARNING HOW TO MAKE GOOD THINGS AT STREET-LEVEL. I THINK THIS JOB IS VERY RELAXING BECAUSE WE ALSO GET TO AND SAVE THE COMMUNITY.

D.C Trip

2008-04-17T15:07:00.000-07:00

During April 11-14 the Central District Organization (CDO) went to Washington DC to the annual NPA National Peoples action conference. The whole purpose was to go to different workshops that they offered and learn about what we could do as a community organization to better our cause and even our community.The first day we got there we went to our hotel which was the Marriott Crystal Gateway Hotel which was very nice. At the hotel we got right into the fun, there were people there from many places to come and share in what NPA had to offer. They held a very big meeting in one of the ball rooms to greet everybody and to discuss what we were going to to do. Then Sunday we had a very busy day. We attended two workshops our choices ranged from housing, health care, worker's rights and human rights. The second set workshops were equal education, immigration, and justice.We talked about our values. This was followed by two action. We went to protest the White house and Ben Bernanke on the housing crisis. A lot of people are loosing their homes due to the Federal Reserve and bad loans. After a very long day there were two parties. One for the teens and one for the adults which was not that good. On Monday we ended the conference with three actions. We went to the federal reserves, HUD (Housing and Urban Development), and Homeland Security. Then we headed to Gary Indiana. To sum up what it was like for me, it was fun. I learned a lot about the government and the people who are affected the most, like us.

My Quest to DC

2008-04-17T14:49:00.000-07:00

We the youth of The Central District Organization went on a trip to Washington DC. I think the trip was amazing. It left a lasting impression on me. Seeing people from all over the country, black, white, brown, yellow, all there for one thing (Change). The issues we stressed were houses being foreclosed, people being homeless and poor in this rich nation, and immigration. We protested at the White House, the Federal Reserve Building,and the Homeland Security Building. We also went to the Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke house. It was peaceful there were no arrest and no physical confrontation. This trip has influenced me to push harder to make a change in Gary.
-Jonathan Wilson aka BLACK PRINCE

Old Work

2008-03-18T15:45:00.000-07:00

This Fall the students from the Central District Organization started going to Get on My Level in Chicago this is one of our many projects that we got done. It was a comic strip about a news story about sexual assault, our news team went all out on this one. We researched and studied this topic and found out some really good information and helpful tips. We even got a sexual assault victim to come out and give us a first hand account on what it is like and how she got throw it.

2008-03-18T15:44:00.000-07:00

Brainstorm: The Result

2008-03-18T15:40:00.001-07:00

This is the result of the brainstorming we did a couple sessions ago. We came up with the idea to have a questionaire and give it to people in the community. We are doing this to get a response from the people in the neighborhood. We want the people in Gary to voice how they feel about Gary's problems so that we can try to solve them.

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BRAINSTORM

2008-03-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

The next couple of posts are going to be some examples of ideas brainstormed by youth in the GOML group. So far most of the groups projects have been pitched by me to the group after our discussions. We're trying something different this time. The youth know Photoshop, Illustrator and the blog idea well enough that now they should be able to come up with a project largely on their own, with a little help from me. Let's see what we come up with.

First Step

2008-03-11T14:31:00.000-07:00

This picture is Jonathan and Brittanie putting up some posters on "Where is your Community". This was the first step of many and we did this to get a reaction from the community . There will be more photos to come.

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Fresh Posters

2008-03-06T15:44:00.000-08:00

Our new posts that were just put up are the answers to the previous posters that asked, "Where Is Your Community?" With these posters we asked ourselves what could our community use, or what would we like to see in our community. In another week these will also be posted around our community in unison with the ones already posted in hopes to raise awareness.

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Central District Organization

2008-02-28T14:39:00.000-08:00

The Central District Organization is about Gary's Midtown area coming together to build their community. To raise an awareness and mobilize people to act on issues such as: sanitary problems, abandoned buildings, closed schools, social problems, etc. We're youth in the Anansi's Web, which helps youth to articulate, collaborate, and try to get reactions from the community. We are coming to Street Level in Chicago from Gary, Indiana to help us express how we feel through Graphic Arts.

Gary Poster

2008-02-21T16:53:00.001-08:00

Gary Indiana Community

2008-02-21T16:25:00.000-08:00

These posters of our community, Gary, Indiana, are to inform the citizens and government on the problems we have in our society. There are too many abondoned buildings and closed down schools. We want to better our community and show the people that we care. We are stating the problem and it is not our job alone to come up with the solution, its the communities job to come up with the solution. Its not what the community can do for you, but what you can do for the community.
We are putting these posters up in our community. We are hoping those in power and those who are not (the citizens) will be able to help. People are constantly saying they can't wait to get out and move on from the city of Gary. Rather than saying this, people could say "Why not try to improve Gary?" so people would want to come to our city and not leave it.

Gary Poster

2008-02-21T16:16:00.001-08:00

Gary Poster

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Gary Poster

2008-02-21T16:11:00.000-08:00

Contributor BIO:Primetimestr808

2008-02-19T14:33:00.000-08:00

My name is Ian James and I go to Calumet High School in Gary Indiana. through out high school I played football and I had wrestled. Everything about me is pretty clear cut and simple, I am a poet, I've been writing poetry since 2005 and been doing it ever since. So everything else about me, you can just ask

What's up?

2008-02-14T15:42:00.000-08:00

Hi,

My name is Lynn, I love Graphic Arts and I do nails also. I have good friend and all around good person. Love playing with my lil'girl, enjoy playing basketball, being with my familly and going to chruch.

CONTRIBUTOR BIO: Charise

2008-02-07T16:37:00.000-08:00

Hey wassup my name is Charise and im from Gary,IN. I go to Calumet and am also on the volleyball team there. I have one sister and one brother. What i like to do in my spare time is of course play volleyball, lift weights,go shopping,go out to eat, talk on the phone, watch television, listen to music, and basically just have fun. The type of person i am is very talkative, sociable, some say funny , laid back, caring, and just an all around good person.

CHAT: WHAT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY?

2008-01-31T16:36:00.001-08:00

ROCHE: So now that we have everybody on a computer...
let's get this conversation started. The first thing I want to talk about is what all of you think are the important questions about your neighborhoods and communities.
I know that's a huge topic
So let's start with this...
When you look around your neighboorhood, at the buildings, at the schools, etc., what do you think isn't working well?
What concerns you?

LiL.Bit: um .....thinkin...

ROCHE: OK

BLACK PRINCE: nobody cares is what i think, thats why the neighborhoods are bad.

ROCHE: What do you think they should be caring about?

BLACK PRINCE: the neighborhood

CHARISE: they should be caring about tha teens that getting pregnant

ROCHE: OK

BLACK PRINCE: and the people that's getting killed

CHARISE: if it wasnt so many kids in the world we would probably have more $$$

BLACK PRINCE: and drugs

LiL.Bit: they should worry about their city so they wouldn't get hurt.

BLACK PRINCE: then give me $20

Andrew: Alright, that's all a good beginning...

CHARISE: u give me yo check

BLACK PRINCE: what check?

ROCHE: Do you think any of these problems have to do with the physical state of the neighborhood?

BLACK PRINCE: yes

ROCHE: The way it looks? or the condition of buildings and places?

LiL.Bit: it might, and then some of it was created by the people

CHARISE: yea well it depends on how tha kids are being brought up n how they treat tha buildings

BLACK PRINCE: the way it looks

ROCHE: What are the buildings like where you live?

CHARISE: well i live down tha street from a crack house

BLACK PRINCE: some ok and some not

ROCHE: Does living by a crack house effect you?

T.Taylor: where u go all the time

CHARISE: na not really its funny to me ...but it might affect tha little kids

ROCHE: how would it effect them?

CHARISE: bad influence

ROCHE: OK, so why do you think the crack house is still there? Is it as simple as demanding it gets removed?

BLACK PRINCE: because thats how some people make money and the government doesn't care

CHARISE: i mean what if somethin go wrong then somebody get shot or n gary police dont neva come in time ta do nuthin

LiL.Bit: it is not main concern to a lot of high public officials

BLACK PRINCE: well u do it u self

CHARISE : how? we're children BP

BLACK PRINCE: children haved changed the world befor

CHARISE: not by themselves

BLACK PRINCE: yea hey have

ROCHE: Are there other things besides crack houses that are part of the physical enviroment that effect the community?
For example how clean is the enviroment in Gary?

CHARISE: Gary aint clean
the city stank

ROCHE: So it stinks... Does that effect everyday life for you?

CHARISE: who do u personally know BP thats are children & save da world
o not really, i just go 2 school, sit down, eat lunch

BLACK PRINCE: when folks don't have value on life their community looses value to

CHARISE: mr. psychology

LiL.Bit: thats deep

BLACK PRINCE: in South Africa

CHARISE: dont hate on BP cause he conscious

BLACK PRINCE: sake

ROCHE: OK OK!!
let's back up and talk about the issues at hand

BLACK PRINCE: ok

LiL.Bit: what is it?

ROCHE: We started talking about infrastructure and the community.

CHARISE: wats infescucture?

LiL.Bit: would it be building ect.?

ROCHE: The built supports of community... for example,

LiL.Bit: etc

ROCHE: the buildings, the streets,
the hospitals, and schools
and so on

BLACK PRINCE: honestly what community because if there was one we wouldn't be having this conversation

ROCHE: Interesting
So if Gary isn't a community than what is it?

CHARISE: well i really feel we can do anything we have no power were children & where are we going 2 get da money 4 it

ROCHE: Right now, I'm not really asking about solutions...

CHARISE: a town

ROCHE: really, we're just trying to lay out our basic questions.

LiL.Bit: OK

ROCHE: So it's just a town... a town where the people are disconnected from each other?
Or they don't care about each other?

CHARISE: yea, everyone is not working together unless its about violence
its every woman 4 herself

BLACK PRINCE: you the money person you answer that question SO WHAT ARE U GOING TO DO ABOUT IT GLODINE

ROCHE: I hear people talking about money, about there not being money to deal with these problems...

CHARISE: ima make ma money!!!!<<
ROCHE: Are there other ways of dealing with these issues that don't require money?

BLACK PRINCE: big timer over there got it
like what

LiL.Bit: if everyone gets active

Mz.Glodine: no, money is involved w/everything, there's no going around the no money issue

BLACK PRINCE: ok if we do that then what

T.Taylor: how?

ROCHE: That may be... Do you know how money comes into your community for social causes?

LiL.Bit: no

ROCHE: Maybe that's something we need to look into?

BLACK PRINCE: no i dont

CHARISE: Even if we get active how are we going to make these people restructure these abondoned buildings or get the crackheads out?

T.Taylor: easy help!!!!

ROCHE: For right now, I'm just looking for our basic questions, we don't have to figure it all out today.

Mz.Glodine: T what are u talking about? Easy Help?

LiL.Bit: you can make + change, such as voting

Mz.Glodine: okay lets start on da basic question

ROCHE: OK, that's something... political solutions.. so we would need politicians that make these things priotities?

BLACK PRINCE: whats your question

ROCHE: Does that seem possible?

Mz.Glodine: wat? getting a new mayor?

ROCHE: Why aren't politicians in your community currently solving these issues?

BLACK PRINCE: but it seems to me that they don't care about us THA PEOPLE as much as hey say they do

CHARISE: Because there nly thinking abut the money there getting to get by in life & not putting moey in gary to help the comunity

ROCHE: Another thing I've heard about is a problem with abandoned buildings?

LiL.Bit: true gurl

ROCHE: Do you think this is a problem?

T.Taylor: so buy things 4 the hood

ROCHE: a big problem or not?

BLACK PRINCE: yes it is

ROCHE: How do abandoned buildings hurt a community?

CHARISE: In Gary theres lots of abondoned buildings, Lots, Stores, everything is abondoned. Broadway our main street is messed up. U come in Gary kowin already wat u in 4

LiL.Bit: it makes us look bad

ROCHE: So it effects the image of the place?

CHARISE: Of cousrse & everyone in Gary looks bad. Do anyone see Merrillville wit these problems?

LiL.Bit: yes

BLACK PRINCE: these buildings make the hood look lifeless so if the hood is lifeless then the people in it have nothing to look for

ROCHE: With buildings abandoned, does it effect the morale of the community?

LiL.Bit: yes

ROCHE: Does it make people feel defeated?

CHARISE: It has nothin to do w/ hoods, becaue if its a hood u kno its dangerous and tacky

BLACK PRINCE: merrillville is lame any way

LiL.Bit: you lame

CHARISE: yea like theres noting else to look for

ROCHE: What do you mean by hood?

BLACK PRINCE: i dinn't want to keep typeing neigborhood

ROCHE: OK

CHARISE: Hood is a ghetto slang no one uses it anymore so (NIEGHBORHOOD)

LiL.Bit: what do you mean by hood

ROCHE: So with a lot abandoned buildings, do you think it effects Gary economically?

BLACK PRINCE: so then you use hood you non speller

ROCHE: Like do you think it makes someone not want to live in Gary or to move there?

CHARISE: what do u mean by economically?

BLACK PRINCE: yes

ROCHE: What I mean is, does this problem discourage businesses from moving there

Mz.Glodine: i mean pretty much everybody i kno cant wait ta move out

ROCHE: and does it discourage people from investing in Gary?

BLACK PRINCE: most definitely

ROCHE: How many of you want to move out of Gary?

BLACK PRINCE: me

CHARISE: yes, no one wants to bring there businesses in a town where they cant distribute their goods or services
i wanna move!!

LiL.Bit: if you dont keep up where you live when you move out then it will look like Gary.

ROCHE: Does this stuff that we're talking about have to do with you're wanting to move?

Mz.Glodine: me 2!!

BLACK PRINCE: no i just miss chicago

T.Taylor: and i miss gary

ROCHE: How would Gary have to change for young people to want to stay there?

BLACK PRINCE: young people would have to stop dying then they wouldn't have to go

CHARISE: Yes we cat find any where to work or go. What community centers do u se besides he boys & girls club, children belong there. No one over the age of 14 should be allowed w/children, thats how rapes, & other things happen

ROCHE: You mean adults shouldn't ever work with kids?

T.Taylor: nit
not

CHARISE: what ever pervert put that there getoff the computer

LiL.Bit: what r u talking about?

Andrew: Oh! So you're talking about pregnancies.

BLACK PRINCE: and mrders

CHARISE: no, i'm saying that its rapers and they need to be on the look out for things like that. It should be more centers for people of age.

LiL.Bit: what?

ROCHE: OK

CHARISE: cuz like i said we got 12 yr olds that pregnant

BLACK PRINCE: so what you gon do about that

ROCHE: Can we go back for a minute and talk about the enviroment?

LiL.Bit0: 4real

BLACK PRINCE: wat about

ROCHE: Is Gary still polluted? and if it is, how does that effect people?

LIke for example is Asthma common?

CHARISE: With the bad environment we have less community buildings for elder children to go to, & not send the little ones bad examples
Well yes Gay is still polluted. And I wouldnt know about asmetics i'm dont have it
gary8

ROCHE: OK
I think we should look into some of the stuff related to the pollution and related stuff, because it think it is probably more damaging than you might first realize.
but I might be wrong. Before we wrap this up...

CHARISE: whats related to pollution? cars

BLACK PRINCE: yes indeed

LiL.BIT: yes

ROCHE: Does anyone have questions on this topic that they want to raise?

BLACK PRINCE: wat

CHARISE: yall tha only thing that rea
lly thats worth saying about pollution is it STANK!!!!!
why does it stank so much

BLACK PRINCE: cuz you there

ROCHE: OK!
Let's end it there!

CHARISE: no name calling

CONTRIBUTOR BIO: ROCHE

2008-01-29T18:18:00.000-08:00

Hi. I'm Andy Roche, the instructor for GET ON MY LEVEL at Street-Level Youth Media in Chicago. I'll also perform the administrator role for this blog. Besides my work at Street-Level, my career is as an exhibiting artist and filmmaker.

CONTRIBUTOR BIO: T.Taylor

2008-01-29T16:24:00.000-08:00

How you doing? My name is T.Taylor. I'm from Gary, Indania. I'm 17 years old.I have 2 sisters. I am the middle child.
I from 25thAVE. which is one of the best hoods in Gary. I'm now working on my GED. I Would like to go to Purdue to
become a lawyer.

CONTRIBUTOR BIO: LiL.Bit

2008-01-29T16:23:00.002-08:00

My name is Brittanie and I'm with the Central District Organization. I am the middle child out of three from Merrillville, IN. I'm bright, nice but I can also be mean. I am Little but don't let that fool you. I have a smart mouth and will use it only when I have to. I try to be humble and respect everyone's ideas. I have very big dreams, even high expectations of myself. I would like to be a nurse, a veteran of the U.S. military, and a graduate of one of the military academies. I know I pride myself on having big dreams, people see me as more than what I am. You might ask what am I? I haven't figured it out yet, but it will be something great!

CONTRIBUTORS BIO: Black Prince

2008-01-29T16:23:00.001-08:00

Hello, my name is Jonathan David Wilson. I was born in Chicago, Illnois but I currently live in Gary, Indiana. I'm 16 years old and I attend Calumet High School. I look up to Malcolm X, Tupac, Common, and Dr. King they inspire me to be strong and to stand up for what I believe in. I love Hip Hop. It is my passion and I want to be a rapper. I'm very conscious in what I do. I am starting to have a politicial mindstate and I want the world to change for the best. I see myself becoming more active as I get older. I came to Get On My Level through a friend of my mother. The experience that I've had here has been a good learning process. I've made new friends here and we are in my process of being a voice for the community. I'm just happy who I've become in this world where life is not valued.

CONTRIBUTOR BIO: Mz.Glodine

2008-01-29T16:23:00.000-08:00

Hi my name is Kayona Glodine Corley and I am 18 years old. I live in Gary, now. I was born in Chicago, Illinois. I now attend Lew Wallace High School, but in my Chicago days I attended Dunbar Vocational Career Academy. I am currently a senior. I am the eldest child of 3 other siblings, two sisters and a brother. My nephew also lives with me. Their ages are 15, 14, 9 & 2. Their grades are 8th, 4th, & Preschool. Yes I have two siblings in the same grade, 8th. They attend Bailey Middle School, Gary Light House Charter School & Pat's Preschool. I am 5 foot even and yes my siblings are now taller than me (LOL). I came to the Get on My Level workshop with my mothers friend (LORI). I have also gained new friends & although I may not name them all my hearts are with Charise & Jordan & Johnathan. Tireza is the shyest & T is the loudest. Last but not least Brittany's just all around neutral. They say I am the meanest, but I just figure they say that, because I am the most serious. Andy and Steve have been dolls since I've been here. So far the experience has been good, and i've learned more about computers than I knew before. I have also learned to just be me, because with being all that I am I can exceed greater than being a phony. So all I have to say is this, this is 2008, a new year. It's time to explore the world & get like me!!!

LET'S GET THIS STARTED!

2008-01-28T20:59:00.000-08:00

This is a new blog from the GET ON MY LEVEL workshop at STREET-LEVEL YOUTH MEDIA in Chicago, IL. Our workshop blends learning skills in digital media and developing media literacy. Last Fall and early Winter were the first days of this program. Together we learned a lot of essential skills in programs such as Illustrator and Photoshop, as well as essential skills in concept development. It was amazing how quickly and easily all the youth got into it.

Despite all that, there was something nagging at us at the end of that session. After a lot of analysis we realized our problem was that the work wasn't leaving our workshop. We've got to get this stuff out into the world! So this session we'll post on this blog as the beginning of our web presence and we'll also be bringing our projects out into our neighborhoods and larger communities. When we do something in the real world we'll try to document it somehow and post it here too. There will be a lot of different youth posting on here very soon and very often. So please keep checking in with us.

"WHAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO ABOUT IT"