Multi media educational entertainment

This Generation: Diary of a Youth Worker

                         Published November 26, 2009     

By Deon Price

A photo of a 5th grade basketball team hangs on my office wall. It is a prominent memorabilia that is a significant icon of my development as a youth advocate. It is also a symbol of my success as an athletic coach yet failure as a life skills coach. This photo was taken ten years ago and has suffered a few falls and is slightly faded by over exposure to the sun. A recent chance visit further emphasized why this aging snapshot is so dear to my heart.

I recently attended my nephews High school football game in the Mid Peninsula Area. At half time I joined many of the several hundred fans to the snack bar lured by the scent of hot Barbequed Tri tip. Just as I was good and ready to tear into this beef sandwich I had just purchased, I was startled by a deep male voice, ”Coach D”. I reacted to the voice of a huge 6’4 nearly 300 lbs young but clearly grown man with a full beard. I reluctantly responded, “Hay…” drawing a blank as to who this person was. It’s not that unusual for me to have an extended conversation with a person who for whatever reason is quite familiar with me while I walk away wondering ‘who in the world was that’? Not sure if my selective memory is a casualty of age or being left handed. As I drew closer to the large strange figure before me, I begin to see some familiar features in his face. It was Jessie, the 10 year old phenom who was the center for my undefeated Belle haven Tigers championship team in 1999. He is now a defensive end for the Oregon State ducks in his second year of college. Jessie was one of the few members of that team who survived their teen years without being incarcerate, murdered or strung out on drugs.

After a very successful couple of seasons working with these young athletes, I earning a great deal of respect , was honored and awarded as a winning coach for bringing an unofficial City Championship to Belle Haven School. Shortly after that I begin to learn that these same team members were now facing serious issues through their pre teen and adolescent years. At one point I had three of them incarcerated on the same unit I worked in as a Juvenile hall Counselor. I then began to be embarrassed to even talk about or mention the success we had as a basketball team. It was obvious that my presence in these young boys lives was not enough to redirect them from life threatening trouble. I removed the their picture from my wall when I realize that besides our accomplishments on the court, I had failed these youngsters by not taking more time to emphasis life lessons.

Ten years later that picture hangs on my wall not as a badge of Honor but as a reminder of how critical it is to use sports and the arts as a draw to teach life skills to youth. It is imperative these days in particular for coaches, teachers or anyone working with youth in extracurricular activities to take the time to implement life skills into their program.

I have currently re entered the arena of coaching basketball this time at the High school level. I am focused on being a mentor to these 15 young athletes by way of instilling discipline, motivation and self improvement all through a camouflaged net of basketball.

Deon Price is a youth advocate and freelance writer who lives in Suisun City. He can be reached at Deon_Price@att.net or www.twitter.com/youthgeneration

By Deon Price                                                 Published November 13, 2009                  

This week, we took a group of young people to an Omega Boys Club meeting in San Francisco for a youth leadership academy. As Dr. Marshall addressed the nearly 50 or so young men and women between the ages of 14 through 24 -- in a passionate, yet soft-spoken tone -- he delivered an aggressive and unapologetic message regarding the lack of adult presence. Leading with a clip from the film, 'The Great Debaters,' he focused on how there was a time when adults weren't afraid of youth. Referring to the scene in the film when Denzel Washington's character intervened with a young man who was involved in a violent bar fight over a women, he drew the connection with the current youth generation, how these incidents are still happening today.

The difference is that there are no adults to intervene. Dr. Marshall's message speaks true in just about every aspect of the issues concerning today's younger generation. Where are the adults and particularly, where are the men?

Where were the men when a 15-year-old girl was brutally raped in Richmond? Where were the men when an honor roll student was beaten to death on a public street in Chicago? Where were the men when 12- and a 13-year-old boys were shot and stabbed while trick or treating on Halloween in San Jose?

Who will be there to intervene when your child is in the process of making a bad decision that could cost him his life, his education or his freedom? I know there are many active and responsible men in this community who are owning up to the role of being a responsible parent. Unfortunately, it's not enough to just be there for your own. We have to take up the slack for those who, for whatever reason, are not there to provide proper guidance to their own child. As we have witnessed in very recent events, youths who have active and responsible parental guidance can become victims of those youths who are out of control and have gone astray.

Last Monday, I attended a very critical local school district community meeting regarding issues concerning closing the achievement gap between African American/Hispanic and Caucasian/Asian students. There were approximately 150 people in attendance and to my disbelief only six African American men, including myself, were present. Prior to that, I attended a local youth football game, a high school football game and a recreational men's basketball game all the same week. All were very well populated with responsible male adults who are genuinely concerned about the well-being of the youth in this community. I made a reasonable effort to spread the word about the need for their presence. Yet, as in many troubled communities throughout the nation, when it comes to non-sports related leadership and community activism, the African American male is missing in action.

We may be physically present but are making very little impact on the advancement and improvement of our culture or community. We are -- as Ralph Ellison eluded to in his critically acclaimed revolutionary novel -- the very essence of 'The Invisible Man.' There are pockets of evidence where male activism and presence have clearly made a difference. The 'alive and free' movement adopted by the city of San Francisco under the umbrella of Dr. Marshall's Street Soldiers program, has resulted in a drop in youth crime and violence, particularly a significant decrease in homicides. Geoffrey Canada's Harlem Childrens Zone has turned around a community that was once devastated by taking an active role in providing nurturing community services to children from infancy to college. This program is being modeled to communities throughout the United States. These are just two examples that illustrate the high ideals of men taking personal responsibility for the well being of their community. Your presence is needed.

Deon Price is a youth advocate and freelance writer who lives in Suisun City. He can be reached at deon_price@att.net or www.youtube.com/priceedutainment

This Generation: Are black youth headed in the wrong direction?

By Deon Price | |                                                Published October 02, 2009

What is the current state of African American youth? Are they in a better position than they were, say, 20 years ago?

When you consider the conditions of black youth in terms of education, health or overall quality of life, it is very disturbing. Although there has been a slight increase in African Americans earning bachelors degrees, recent findings reveal that there has been a decrease in their academic progress.I was particularly bothered by recent statistics published by the National College Board on the 2009 SAT scores by ethnic groups. African Americans scored far below the scores of Caucasians and also trailed the scores of every other major ethnic group in the United States: Asian Americans 1103;Caucasions 1064; American Indians 979; Latina/Hispanic Americans 916; Puerto Ricans 902; African Americans 855.

mong each minority group, consider these alarming facts: The highest homicide rate, the highest high school drop out rate (35 percent), the lowest number of high school graduates and the most incarcerated are African Americans.

What that indicates is that there is a low value for life, education and freedom among black youth.The study reveals an alarming 40 percent increase in black juvenile homicides since 2000 despite the fact that national juvenile crime statistics have continued to report an overall decline.Released by criminologists at Northeastern University in Boston, the study showed that black males, ages 14 to 17, who were victims of homicide, increased 31 percent nationwide from 2002 to 2007. The number of black male juveniles accused of murder rose by 43 percent over the same time frame, which indicates how the deterioration of the black community is affecting the younger generation.

African Americans also show the highest rates of death, incarceration, unemployment and relatively low levels of college graduation rates. This all raises concerns for African American families. The contribution of social factors to the health problems of young African American men deserves further attention.By documenting the extent of the problem and by examining the factors associated with the lives of young black men who avoid problems and lead successful lives, policy makers will be better informed to develop and implement solutions.

These grim indicators should inspire and encourage more efforts to improve conditions to foster a new value for life, education and freedom among our young black children. The obvious starting point is in our immediate families. I have deputized my own children to not only be the example of academic excellence, good behavior and high moreal standards, but I also gave them the responsibility to help redirect their peers who may to be headed down the wrong path. I know it may be a heavy load to place on the shoulders of a 15- or 12-year-old, but youth workers can testify that young people influence other young people more often than adults.

We also have an obligation to challenge community leaders to address these concerns with preventive and intervention programs to help raise awareness. Perhaps we could summon the same passion and competitive spirit we have for athletics and art to transform our youth into productive citizens. Although there is great reason to be hopeful, let's not sleep on the fact that we have a great deal of work to do to improve the quality of life for African American youth.

Deon Price is a youth advocate and freelance writer who lives in Suisun City. He can be reached at Deon.Price@comcast.net or www.youtube.com/priceedutainment

This Generation: Fatherhood is always 'Job One'

By Deon Price |                                                Published | June 19, 2009

There are many debates on what is the most important occupation in the world. Is it a doctor, teacher, lawyer, engineer, cook, governor, president, construction person or farmer? All are extremely critical for our society. Yet at the end of the day, you're just a dad. A more detailed perspective would be to consider that a father is the most critical role. Although we often go unnoticed and not openly appreciated, arguably the greatest contribution to the world is the cultivation of the greatest resource in the world. The best position to do such nurturing of a child is as a father starting with your very own. The greatest act of love the world has ever known was demonstrated by a father for the benefit of us all.

Let's take a moment once a year to give some much needed acknowledgment. The role of a father transcends all career or worldly responsibilities. No matter what your day job is, once you clock out and arrive home, your real job begins. You get no days off, you can't call in sick. You are on call 24/7 and 365 days per year. Claims of fatigue will not be accepted as excuses from your roles or responsibilities. You are the playmate, provider, supervisor, servant, disciplinarian, mediator, coach, counselor, teacher but not the boss. You humbly take orders and perform your duties with no reward, acknowledgment or fanfare. You simply do what you do. If you show me a fatherless community and I'll show you a community in chaos.

Your children could care less that you are exhausted after work and just got out of an hour and a half of traffic. You just suck it up and muster enough energy to play catch or show some excitement for the picture he colored just for you. Our commander and chief, who holds the most demanding and powerful position on earth, set a fine example of this perspective when he acknowledged his first order of business as president of the United States is to up hold his promise to his daughters to purchase them a dog. We may never fully understand the complex role of a father in the life of his child but here are a few famous visionaries on the matter of fatherhood:

J. August Strindberg -- 'That is the thankless position of the father in the family . . . the provider for all, and the enemy of all.' Sigmund Freud -- 'The greatest gift I ever had come from God, and I call him Dad!' George Herbert -- 'I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection.' Margaret Atwood, Cat's Eyes -- 'One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.' Helen Rowland -- 'All fathers are invisible in daytime; daytime is ruled by mothers and fathers come out at night. Darkness brings home fathers, with their real, unspeakable power. There is more to fathers than meets the eye. You know... fathers just have a way of putting everything together.' The Bible has also greatly mentioned about the role of a father in a child's life. Proverbs 'A wise son is the one who makes a father rejoice and a stupid son is the grief of his mother.'

Take a moment this weekend to show some love and appreciation to the father or male figure in your life. Consider the impact or influence that individual had on you that helped you navigate through some of life's most difficult terrain. He probably won't expect much so any gesture will be appreciated such as a phone call, a card or dinner. Having said that, I would like to offer a few humble suggestions. Although he will never complain regardless of how bad the gift is, here are a few Items to avoid; Socks, ties or anything that will be categorized as an accessory. I'll go crazy if I get another tie clip or shaving kit. Happy Fathers Day! You are appreciated.

Deon Price is a freelance writer and youth advocate who lives in Suisun City. He can be reached at Deon.Price@comcast.net or www.youtube.com/priceedutainment.

Deon Price

This year's NBA playoffs have been extremely competitive and exciting for regular basketball enthusiasts. I enjoyed the tough and aggressive play for the most part until I realized that in some cases players have crossed the line.

So far there have been an unusual number of technical fouls and ejections and we just finished the second round of the playoffs. Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard was suspended for a game for throwing an elbow. Houston Rockets forward Ron Artest was ejected from a game for a flagrant foul that could have resulted in an injury.

Lakers guard Derrick Fisher was ejected and suspended for exploding into a player like an NFL linebacker that resulted in an injury. And Rafer Alston of the Orlando Magic was also ejected and suspended after he slapped an opponent in the back of the head after a three point basket which lead to an altercation.

It has been flat-out ugly. As an athlete and a coach, I truly understand and encourage aggressive competitive play but don't condone the type of dirty, below-the-belt type of action that the NBA is currently showcasing to the world.

    By Deon Price                           Bad Luck or Bad Decisions?

After a weekend that consisted of a series of unfortunate events including several murder-suicides that are happening at an alarming rate, I made an effort to help console a grieving coworker who had lost a nephew to gun violence in Fairfield. These recent events provoked the conversation with students about cause and effect and how to prevent negative incidents.

The perspective of many of our youth about why bad things happen to people is understandably cynical. The most common response from this youth generation is: 'If something's going to happen it's going to happen regardless' or 'If it's your time, then it's just your time. There's nothing you can do about it.' When I hear such pessimistic comments, I swiftly offer a more proactive perspective dipped in reality and delivered from an optimistic voice of reason.

Consider this perspective of a sociologist from a local social development training program: Actions and events aren't isolated occurrences. Things don't just happen. When something happens there is a cause, something or someone that makes it happen, and an effect, what happens as a result of the cause. Understanding the relationships and connections between cause and effect helps us to predict the consequences of our actions.

Although we don't have a road map to help us find our way through life, we can learn through our own experiences and the shared experiences of others to predict where a certain path might take us. Prediction is a powerful skill that helps us increase the number of positive, wise and helpful choices we make using both our reason (gathering and thinking about useful information) and our emotional intelligence (awareness of our feelings and instincts).

I not only agree with this point of view but I am a living example of its validity. In an effort to redirect misguided youth I often share my experience as a youth faced with a decision that could have resulted in grave danger for me and several of my peers. A simple invitation to a party was a life-or-death decision based on the environment I was unfortunately residing in. My decision to pass on the invitation was guided by fear and common sense. Most of us even today recognize that some areas or neighborhoods are more dangerous than others and are more likely to have a violent confrontation occur.

My intuition was loud and clear enough for me to absorb a barrage of criticism, maintain my position and not give way to peer pressure. The decision not to go could very well have saved my life as several of my classmates and friends who attended this party were shot and some were killed.

More recently, I decided to delay my scheduled maintenance of my vehicle which needed service to the rear brakes. During my morning commute a sudden stop resulted in my losing control of the vehicle which drifted 180 degrees crossing three lanes. I braced myself for impact with a large Ram truck that stopped just inches from slamming into me head on.

Fortunately, actually miraculously, there was no collision and no injuries. If I had suffered any injuries at all, I would have only myself and a bad decision to blame, not bad luck. In both examples it was my decisions that dictated what could have been severe consequences.

We are in critical times where every decision you make could have a tremendous impact. Thinking ability and considering consequences could be the difference between life and death.

Deon Price is a freelance writer and youth advocate who lives in Suisun City. He can be reached at eon.Price@comcast.net.">Deon.Price@comcast.net.

         Bad Luck or Bad Decisions?

By Deon Price

After a weekend that consisted of a series of unfortunate events including several murder-suicides that are happening at an alarming rate, I made an effort to help console a grieving coworker who had lost a nephew to gun violence in Fairfield. These recent events provoked the conversation with students about cause and effect and how to prevent negative incidents.

The perspective of many of our youth about why bad things happen to people is understandably cynical. The most common response from this youth generation is: 'If something's going to happen it's going to happen regardless' or 'If it's your time, then it's just your time. There's nothing you can do about it.' When I hear such pessimistic comments, I swiftly offer a more proactive perspective dipped in reality and delivered from an optimistic voice of reason.

Consider this perspective of a sociologist from a local social development training program: Actions and events aren't isolated occurrences. Things don't just happen. When something happens there is a cause, something or someone that makes it happen, and an effect, what happens as a result of the cause. Understanding the relationships and connections between cause and effect helps us to predict the consequences of our actions.

Although we don't have a road map to help us find our way through life, we can learn through our own experiences and the shared experiences of others to predict where a certain path might take us. Prediction is a powerful skill that helps us increase the number of positive, wise and helpful choices we make using both our reason (gathering and thinking about useful information) and our emotional intelligence (awareness of our feelings and instincts).

I not only agree with this point of view but I am a living example of its validity. In an effort to redirect misguided youth I often share my experience as a youth faced with a decision that could have resulted in grave danger for me and several of my peers. A simple invitation to a party was a life-or-death decision based on the environment I was unfortunately residing in. My decision to pass on the invitation was guided by fear and common sense. Most of us even today recognize that some areas or neighborhoods are more dangerous than others and are more likely to have a violent confrontation occur.

My intuition was loud and clear enough for me to absorb a barrage of criticism, maintain my position and not give way to peer pressure. The decision not to go could very well have saved my life as several of my classmates and friends who attended this party were shot and some were killed.

More recently, I decided to delay my scheduled maintenance of my vehicle which needed service to the rear brakes. During my morning commute a sudden stop resulted in my losing control of the vehicle which drifted 180 degrees crossing three lanes. I braced myself for impact with a large Ram truck that stopped just inches from slamming into me head on.

Fortunately, actually miraculously, there was no collision and no injuries. If I had suffered any injuries at all, I would have only myself and a bad decision to blame, not bad luck. In both examples it was my decisions that dictated what could have been severe consequences.

We are in critical times where every decision you make could have a tremendous impact. Thinking ability and considering consequences could be the difference between life and death.

Deon Price is a freelance writer and youth advocate who lives in Suisun City. He can be reached at eon.Price@comcast.net.">Deon.Price@comcast.net.

The recent high profiled incidents involving  pro athletes and guns have exposed a cloud of concern in the world of professional sports particularly in the NFL. Are today?s pros becoming prime targets for armed robbers or is this another exaggerated trend based on a few over exposed media induced incidents?  The latest  episode starring New York Giants receiver Plaxico  Burris,  added a new  layer to the issue. Now the concern  is how do we protect these multi-million dollar athletes from themselves. Some of the more serious incidents involving professional athletes is indicative of what occurs in the urban environment and is a reality check for what has become the culture of violence.

Prominent athletes seem to have the same issue as prominent entertainers, especially hip hop artists and every day urban youth who choose to live a flashy and materialistic life style that puts them at risk. I don?t buy the argument that the NFL players need to carry guns because they are high profile celebrities and everyone knows their financial status which put them at risk of being Jacked or robbed at gun point. If that is true then why are we not hearing about pro. baseball players or hockey players having this problem? Besides what happened to Paul Peirce several years ago who survived a near fatal knife attack, we don?t see this as a problem for NBA athletes either who are even more visible and recognizable because they are not camouflaged by 15 pounds of equipment and 21 other players.   

With the exception of the tragic home invasion that took the life of Washington Redskins Pro Bowl Safety Sean Taylor, the majority of the gun related incidents involving  NFL players are self inflicted. No pun intended Mr. Plaxico. They choose to put themselves at risk by being in certain environments that they know may have some criminal elements such as ?Gentlemen?s? clubs, Night clubs, Gambling houses or places where illegal drugs are around. To further complicate things or add additional risk factors, some draw more attention to themselves by flashing money or wearing a hundred thousand dollars in Jewelry which makes them an easy target.  Why do some pro athletes feel the need to live a flashy ? hay look at me? life style? Do they not have enough exposure and attention already? It would be in their best interest to at least try to keep a low profile while in public. One of the richest men in the world could be sitting in the same room as a group of regular or common folks and unless you are a part of some geek squad fraternity you would never know it. Why, because Bill Gates would probably be wearing a worn out button down collared shirt and some $20 Docker pants.  No need for a concealed weapon or even a body guard.   

Did Plaxico Burress believed he needed to carry a firearm in a nightclub or was his just following a trend of wanting to feel like a gangsta?   One would argue that if he did then maybe  he should not have been there in the first place. Good old fashion common sense . I hope that many young athletes are looking and learning from Burress?s  bad decision. Particularly at a time when high profile athletes have gravitated or fallen for the glorification of gun violence which pervades too much of  urban youth culture.

I understand the desire to feel protected in the night clubs or in public. Its quite often that you hear of a rapper or athlete being robbed for his jewelry and hence the need for safety. The late-night attack on Jacksonville Jaguars offensive linemen Richard Collier which left  him paralyzed and Oakland Raiders receiver Javon Walker who was seriously injured during a robbery in Las Vegas have put players security at the top of teams concerns. What I don?t understand is if you choose to live a high profiled life style with all the flashy bells and whistles, then why not take the extra step in precaution and hire some professional security?

Deon Price is a youth advocate and freelance writer. He can be reached at eon.Price@comcast.net">Deon.Price@comcast.net