....from My Professor
Current mood: grateful
Category: anticipatory Life

"Our commitments to social democracy require that we live with kindness as our duty, but that same commitment requires that our resources be dedicated also that our young can be nurtured and uplifted in social democracy now."
                                                                                         John Eskridge, Ph.D
                                                                                         
                                                                                            

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TO MY YOUNG PEOPLE
Current mood: thoughtful
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

Youth Partners is a 'movement' focusing on young people. You are single mothers and fathers, perhaps in need of help, direction, guidance or mentorship. Problem is, you're too old to be treated like children and too young sometimes, to know exactly how to navigate through life's turmoil. Some of you have begun to abuse your parents and grandparents because of feelings that you know not how to vent properly. Where you congregate in numbers, chaos often exists and there is much apprehension about your presence. Everybody doesn't feel that way. Some of us, 'oldheads' love to be around you, whenever we can.

What we're going to attempt is to create an environment where we can be of service to our young people and you can benefit us too. We would create a win-win situation, all the way around.

If we can get you to 'slow your roll' for just a minute, there are things we need to get accomplished. By heredity, you are little Princes and Princesses (whether you know it or not) and we need to place emphasis on that.

Some things need to happen within the system. We can change some of it, but we need to get together, to form 'safety nets' for you and us.

We face many problems in life - all of us. We have got to 'get our act together' in order to effectively deal with what comes at us, as a people. People come here from other countries, getting businesses, with full networks in place. They mock us, as we struggle to survive, filling the prisons (which seem to be designed with revolving doors). There are 'gifts' due us, but we have to be unified to reap the benefits. We need to learn from each other and we need to respect one another.

Since you never get too old to learn, I would like nothing better than to sit and talk with some of you. Whenever I get an opportunity to do so, I take advantage of it.

We have begun planning our social events and television shows. We are looking for everyone who is interested in the state of the community. If you are having problems and want or need someone to talk to about it, we'll be there. If you have ideas to share, our ears are open.

I say to our young people, "You are my future and I am so very concerned about you and the messages you're hearing these days. We must find a way to bridge this gap and restore our communities. Work with us..."

~Ms Flo~

Currently listening : Remixed & Reimagined By Nina Simone Release date: 31 October, 2006

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IN OTHER WORDS...
Current mood: optimistic
Category: Life

Do unto others...this is the essence of Community. Pretend I am your sister, your mom, your twin. You love me. We share the same features. I am a part of what makes you, you.

We need the same things, we come from the same place. We both feel the world against us, sometimes. We know injustice. We have no time for sibling rivalry. WE MUST GROW UP.

Why should we fight each other and KILL EACH OTHER - Will somebody, please tell me why, when we need so much and need each other so much?

In light of these things you should know that it is only through unity and working together do we make progress. It is only through unity that we find solutions where they exist.

If you have a problem, you tell me. If I have a problem, I'll tell you. Not for Gossip, but because we might know somebody that knows somebody that knows somebody who can help. We've got to share and comfort each other - don't Hate. And even if we can't solve it, we can share the burden and assure each other of our connection.

We're all in this together and some of us really, really care. So, if solutions are possible some of us are drawing the line and looking and asking and seeking. And I think that if we can get togther and work together...whatever the problem is, it'll get better. In fact, I'm sure of it!

Currently listening : Lean on Me-Best of Bill Withers By Bill Withers Release date: 30 May, 2000

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SNITCHIN’
Current mood: discontent
Category: Life

..> ..>

This is a very perplexing issue for me. I talk about it regularly because I work with young folks who are incarcerated, sometimes due to the fact that they have seen something, been present where a crime has been committed or have been involved in situations where they are now afraid to speak up.  There is a part of our culture that speaks to the perpetuation of crime. It affects our children. They develop a 'get them before they get me' mentality. They are extremely intelligent. They know that in order to survive, they must 'rise to the occasion' and become a part of the dominant culture. Depending on where they live, the dominant culture is a culture of crime, disharmony and competition and where the true concept of Brotherhood is nothing more than a romantic notion.  I encourage everyone to please comment on this - it will definitely be one of the topics covered regularly in the Youth Partners Television programming (PCTV, Channel 21, Pittsburgh). Please post your replies here on this page and/or in the Youth Partners Forum which I will get back to directly! Apologies for the absence, but we're moving to the next stage of our projects and I'll keep you posted... Thanks in advance for participating! Flo Taylor

Currently listening : Me Against the World By 2Pac Release date: 10 March, 1998

3:03 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

TO MY FRIENDS JOINING YOUTH PARTNERS
Current mood: busy
Category: Friends

Since my friends are not visible, when signing onto this page, please comment the page so folks will see you!

Thank You!

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THE FOUR AGREEMENTS - Don Miguel Ruiz
Current mood: thankful
Category: Religion and Philosophy

Sandra Ford-Gould conducts seminars on several subjects and among them is a discipline called THE FOUR AGREEMENTS. The book on which the subject matter is based is described as 'A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom' and is a Toltec Wisdom Book, written by Don Miguel Ruiz. If you are not familiar with The Four Agreements, I can only tell you that this knowledge certainly changed my life and I've been talking to people about the belief system from which these wisdoms were born. When I talk to my young people, I certainly include these exerpts. Learn, grow and love!

BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD - Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using 'the word' to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY - Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS - Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST - Your best is going to change from moment to moment - it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to when you're sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse and regret.

*My little 'Grambie' is an Usher fan!

Currently listening : Usher By Usher Release date: 30 August, 1994

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MISSION POSSIBLE - OR DO WE STAND IN OUR OWN DAMN WAY?

AS WE BEGIN THIS MISSION OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, IT SEEMS THAT THE CENTRAL BARRIER TO UNITY IS OURSELVES. WHEN I SEE OUR CHILDREN RUNNING RAMPANT IN THE STREETS, I KNOW THAT IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT….IT'S OURS. THEY ARE SAYING THAT WE  DROPPED THE BALL.  WE DIDN'T MEAN TO, BUT WE DID.

                                                                                copyright 2007

4:52 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

AM I REALLY MY BROTHERS KEEPER?

There is a vibe that runs rampant in our community.  It speaks to separatism and negativism, it speaks to the C.A.T.B.O.T.B. syndrome, it speaks to Willie Lynch and unfortunately, it speaks to disrespect, or maybe I should say, not appreciating each other.

It is so difficult to see ourselves and we become so defensive when others (even friends, sometimes) give us 'constructive criticism'. One of the things I ask people when they complain about someone else is, "Have you told him/her, since this concerns them, and they might not realize this 'tragic flaw'?"

If you've told them and you're now simply venting your frustration, then OK.  Now you can just sit back and watch while they fall.  If you have not gone to the source, however, you become part of the issue. You might have been able to prevent a negative outcome.

The question then becomes, "Am I my brother's keeper?"  Do you imagine yourself a bystander, existing simply to report and/or be a critic or do you feel that you can possibly make a difference?  And if you could make a difference, would you want to?  How you answer these questions determines your outlook on life and how you imagine your position or your responsibility in the grand scheme of things.

Living in the most positive spirit is where progress lies.  We become expert in 'judging' and 'putting people down', looking for the 'dirt' and being critical and cynical.  Typical.  Depressing.  Our mission in life, for the best kind of life, should be to promote each other.  "If you can't say something good about someone, try not to say anything", is a good adage and a sparkling rule to live by or aspire to. Words like 'improve', 'aid', 'augment', 'assist', 'facilitate', etc., suggest the kind of spirit that promotes positivity. We need not forget these concepts.

I was told a long time ago that if I wanted something to happen, not to look for a black person to take care of it.  I thought it was a curious statement and each time I've heard it, I inquired further and usually protested.  Upon further scrutiny, though, I'll say that most definitely there is a vibe that runs rampant in our communities.

Being aware is a step, wanting to improve, is another step, searching for a solution yet another step with actual progress being the final goal. Let's not be passive and apathetic about life.  Quality living demands of us that we first look at ourselves. If you're not sure about yourself, ask someone you trust to tell you the truth about YOU.  Once you have that information (if you can handle it), you have a peripheral vision that will enable you to see yourself and how you can impact life instead of just reacting to what goes on around you – if you really want to.

11:49 PM - 1 Comments - 1 Kudos - Add Comment

JUSTICE & PEACE FOR ALL!
Category: News and Politics

Mr. Tim Stevens (Pittsburgh activist/artist) recently gave me a video on the Jerry Jackson case that pointed out once again, how difficult it is to deal with injustices perpetrated against some of us.  I still have not gotten over little Michael Ellerbee, a child shot in the back. 

The disturbing fact here is that after 10 years the case still hasn't been resolved…. with police misconduct acknowledged.  What we see is that violence is perpetrated against us and injustice is blatantly obvious in some cases.  I think this in part results in community apathy that is so thick you can cut it with a knife. There are many instances where we are treated like

3^rd class citizens' and we all feel the sting of that injustice.  Some of us do not sleep very well because of it and will remain committed to righting these kinds of wrongs.  Our Peace is disturbed.

We're here now to talk about the other kinds of wrongs.  The wrongs we perpetrate against each other.  We have situations in our communities that speak to actions needing to be taken on our part.  When something is wrong in our community, we are all affected.  Once a neighborhood becomes so saturated and inundated with police incidents, there is either a reluctance to respond or a police vigilance that we might not want. 

Our Peace is disturbed.

We talk about more police presence but on the other side, I think that in the spirit of community …calling the police when I know the parties involved is not my option.  I think that if we're neighbors, we have something in common.  We've talked to each other so we've shared space.  We know each other's children, who play together.  Sometimes we know about problems brewing in a community and in those cases, we should be vigilant and helpful if we can be.  If you see someone trying to pry my door, beating up one of my children, please get involved.  If you hear that someone in the neighborhood is stealing, please address it. 

So many times we just say nothing and effectively add to the problem.  Our Peace is disturbed…and on that note:

• Minor incidents w/loud music - when I'm going to have a party, I like to let my neighbors know. To me, that is being respectful of others' space. 
• If I live over you or under you or next door to you and I'm not invited to your party, let me know anyway, so I can take my pictures off the wall & go to a movie or buy ear plugs or something.  I'm a good party crasher, so I'd probably just come over – can't read, write or sleep anyway if it's really a rolling event.
• If you like to blast your music all the time, use headphones or find out if I like it, so that it won't matter.

In these types of incidents, either the police are called or nothing happens and folks endure it and complain about it.  In my concept of community, someone who knows the individuals should call them.  My first inclination is always to see what can be done before law enforcement is called.  Just be friendly…you know…exercise that 'Golden Rule' thing. Confrontations occur where we can't settle things peacefully and then there is a price to pay.  Our Peace is disturbed.

The examples I just mentioned are incidents where you know what's going on.  We aren't going to be privy to the details about the most serious incidents in the community.  With gun activity, or any hint of it, police do need to be involved.  People are restless, depressed, anxious, and generally their Peace is disturbed…in some areas more than others.

What is needed is interaction from those who know the individuals, if you know how to do it.  We need to balance the intervention and not become intrusive.  There's a fine line here. You risk being considered an intruder in someone's business, but so often we need help and won't ask.   We need to get to know one another.  I realize that there can be a negative consequence to that idea, but we'll discuss some guidelines.  If your business is such that it interferes with what I'm doing, we need to talk.  If we're going to live together, we must observe certain guidelines or we need to go to an island and do exactly what we want.  The strongest definition of community implies that we should be vigilant about taking care of ourselves and our children in both an individual and in a collective sense.

One of the biggest problems in any kind of relationship is a lack of communication.  We should try to return to the days when neighbors talked to one another.  There was a time when we could chastise any one of our children if we needed to.  We should have the phone numbers of our neighbors to be able to network  - for good causes, too.  We should have regular meetings …just because (especially where problems exist).

We should not be afraid in our own neighborhoods…we must not become prisoners in our own homes, afraid to take a walk in the evening if we want to.  Now we're afraid to speak to people…afraid to interact.  We can't be so defensive that we can't hear what is being said to us by our neighbors, by our elders.

The message is loud & clear…we need to make our communities as safe and livable as we can.  We need to roll up our sleeves and get in it and 'be about it', if we're going to resolve it. Then and only then can we begin to effectively address the changes that need to happen to insure that we get equity and justice and make progress as a people.  When we are in harmony, we will be able to more effectively handle all our business, locally in the community and everywhere else.  We will not be disturbing the peace and we can more aptly defy anyone who disturbs ours!  

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YOUTH PARTNERS - WHAT & WHY
Category: Life

                            ShoTime Pittsburgh 

 P O  BOX 3949

PITTSBURGH, PA 15230

412-583-9008

myspace.com/youthpartners

To Whom It May Concern:

As part of our outreach effort, ShoTime Pittsburgh has initiated a program aimed at networking with as many young people as we can, wherever they happen to be.  We have begun a series of television shows that are being produced and directed by young people.  These shows began airing on PCTV, channel 21 last June.

YOUTH PARTNERS is not only a television show, but it has become a 'movement' designed to provide an alternative to young people by establishing an ongoing relationship that will, among other goals, introduce them to several phases of the media.  Mentor interviews will also be included in this programming, promoting links with significant individuals from the community.

Although most of the YOUTH PARTNERS television shows will be produced and directed by the young people themselves, some of them will have set agendas and content.  The first group was from Urban Youth Action's Entrepreneurial Program. The second group comes from one of the juvenile justice system facilities that we are now reaching out to.

Our volunteer efforts have begun, full time!  We started with the OG Chronicles, dialogues about the community….what's going on, how to possibly improve the situation with caller suggestions.  The next step was to actually operationally define, 'progress' as we began periodic events aimed at community uplifting and empowerment.  Some of the television shows are filmed at these events.  One of our constant concerns has been the direction of our young people, so we decided to fully engage those within our reach! Please get involved with our young folk and be supportive of them – we need full community collaboration if we are to check recidivism and generally impact the community in a positive way!

Sincerely,

Flo Taylor

Executive Director

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