CHAT: WHAT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY?

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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. 

Next Post:

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