Bridge Project Helps North Lawndale Youth

Men for Better Lawndale

By: Clemolyn (Pennie) Brinson
North Lawndale Community News

Men For A Better Lawndale (MBL) is an organization focusing on preparing 6th and 7th grade boys to be entrepreneurs in technology through a program called The Bridge Project. Julius Anderson, retired principal of Hughes Elementary School, founded the organization and program two years ago to bridge the gap between computer literacy in North Lawndale and other communities.

“When I retired from being a school principal here in North Lawndale I saw the need for this development, and the galvanizing of men in North Lawndale to be in leadership and managerial roles in directing the development,” said Anderson.

To date, MBL has worked with Mason and Henson elementary students. MBL calls the two schools foundation schools because the organization hopes to be working with more schools in the future with the support and approval of CPS CEO Arne Duncan. Faruq Al-Amin, the program’s assistant director, said when The Bridge Project was presented to the students, the young men were excited about it.

“Not only were we talking an alternative to gang and drug culture,” he said, “but they were also able to see African- Americans from the community representing an alternative, with professionalism. They wanted that natural bond.” The organization met with the students during their lunch breaks or close to their last hour of school for a day twice a week to teach them how to rebuild computers. Thirty-seven students were selected by the schools.

MBL has no part in selecting the students, but suggests that the schools choose students from different educational and behavioral levels. This way, said Al-Amin, a student with a low academic level could feed off one with a higher academic level and boost his educational inspiration. As long as a student does not have a severe behavioral issue where he is toxic toward the program, Al-Amin said they could accept him.

After the young men graduate from phase one of the projects, they will be eligible to participate in phase two, which meets after school at 1859-B South Pulaski. There, they will be taught the business of E-Commerce and civic journalism. They will also learn how to develop a WiFi Network (free wireless Internet access) for the North Lawndale community through a partnership with One Economy and Motorola.They also receive stipends in this phase of the project. So far, twelve students have participated in phase two. Once they reach a certain level, they are eligible to become assistant instructors.

“They will have leadership skills, and we will graduate another class,” Al-Amin said. “That is the big goal and the vision. We want this to be a revolving door to possibly fulltime employment.” Al-Amin is a certified alcohol and drug counselor with a BA in both Political Science and Sociology from Roosevelt University. His plan was always to work with youth in the Lawndale community because he appreciated in the past when somebody thought of him.

“I struggled in this community growing up and felt alone and like the world didn’t pay us any attention,” he said, who is proud to admit that he loves his career.

“We have some dynamic men involved,” said Anderson. “We have a rich history being the offspring of an African culture and surviving so many difficult challenges in this country. So I think that strength needs to be directed toward our managing our youth as opposed to someone else doing it.”

The program is funded by organizations such as the CPS and Arne Duncan, the Steans Family Foundation, Harris Bank, and their newest supporter the Local Initiative Support Corporation. MBL hopes to set up a scholarship fund for the youth in North Lawndale to keep our young people learning.

Anderson extends his appreciation to all those who have committed to the advancement of the project. “With this organization and the commitment we’re getting from people, we’re confident that they can be the entrepreneurs in technology,” he said.

For more information about The Bridge Project. visit www.thebridgeprojectit.com and see the ABC news clip featured by Harry Porterfield. You may also call (773) 542-1443.

Clemolyn (Pennie) Brinson is a poet and writer for NLCN and Residents Journal. To comment on this article visit our weblog at: www.nlcn.org.