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Congressman
Elijah E. Cummings |
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Congressman
Elijah E. Cummings |
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by Congressman Elijah E. Cummings
Near my home on Madison Avenue, there are two one-way streets that run in opposite directions. McCulloh Street runs north toward Druid Hill Park and Baltimore City Community College. Druid Hill Avenue runs south - toward the Maryland Penitentiary and Baltimore City Jail.
Everyday, on the corners near where I live, I see young people who once played near my home. Now, too many of them have dropped out of school, filling the street corners of my neighborhood.
I am determined that these youngsters will travel north on McCulloh toward college, not south on Druid Hill. When I look into their eyes, Fannie Lou Hamer's compelling reflection comes to mind:
"...I love [these children] and want to help them, for they are the leaders of tomorrow. I see some little kids just six years old and they already look defeated," Ms. Hamer declared. "I just want them to feel proud to be human beings, whether they're black as this skillet or white as that stove. So you see, it's important for me to stay here, because I'm not actually living for myself. If I left, there would be so many children who'd have no way of knowing life doesn't have to be a tragedy because they're black."
I, too, must stay where I live for the children in our community. "If you will make the decision to return to school," I promise them, "I will do my part to help you gain the skills that will earn you a good job and a better life...."
I do not make that promise lightly. I am confident that I can help because the City of Baltimore has created an Office of Employment Development that, under its Director Linda Harris, has become a model for the entire country.
Last weekend, Senator Paul Sarbanes, Senator Barbara Mikulski, Congressman Ben Cardin and I were able to fulfill a long-time dream of mine and make a substantial down-payment on my promise to our children.
President Clinton and U.S. Labor Secretary Alexis Herman announced $223 million in Youth Opportunity grants to bring education and job training to 44,000 young people in 36 communities nationwide. Baltimore's "Youth Opportunity" partnership will receive $11 million during the program's first year - $44 million overall.
During his announcement, President Clinton used Baltimore's success as a model for the nation. "These Youth Opportunity grants will draw on the experience and dedication of people like Jacquelene Sharp Massey of Baltimore's Career Academy," he noted. "She has helped hundreds of young people turn their lives around -- people like 20-year-old Michael Dupree, who...has gone from being a high school dropout to a biotechnology lab assistant...."
Last Monday, we were honored to celebrate this major vote of confidence in Baltimore's vision and plan at a Youth Opportunity Center in West Baltimore. We listened to Michael Dupree describe his promising future and watched the other young people work at the computers that will take them across the "digital divide."
"Now," I thought to myself, "we can show thousands of young people the better road to success, not just give them directions for their journey."
Now, they will receive "one-stop" job training, computer training and other educational services (along with parenting help and drug counseling) at two full-service Youth Opportunity Community Centers:1510 W. Lafayette Avenue in West Baltimore and 1200 N. Wolfe Street on the East Side. Within the next several months, the City will open 4 additional job-support offices.
Michael Dupree's story of perseverence and success reminds us that, when we look at our young people, we dare not miss their dreams and capabilities.
All children desperately want to succeed. They can move forward toward their dreams if we give life to Fannie Lou Hamer's words and give our young people the knowledge and skills to succeed in life.
We all benefit when a young woman or man decides to take that journey north on McCulloh Street toward job training, college and success.
-The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings represents the 7th Congressional District of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives.
