As part of a five-day LearnChicago! program to explore poverty and community, Ball State University students met with Prexy Nesbitt (center) to frame a discussion about issues of poverty in Chicago and worldwide. Prexy is also a recognized expert on race relations in the United States and South Africa.
I learned that in Chicago
I learned that in Chicago
Poetry is whats up and Chicago know it
I wish I was a chicago poet
I’d write a poem everyday and let Chicago know it
God, give me chance, I promise I won’t blow it
I’d run wit verbal balance
And that bring verbal malice
Cause I got verbal talent
Especially on them herbalics
But Im from the Northwest
So I get support less
Instead of the windy city
Im from the city of stress
A couple summers ago I gave my city my best
It was called “Say What?”
But on that open mic night, no one showed up
If I was in Chi-town, there would have been no where to sit
But I was in my town, so there was no one to spit
Maybe I didn’t have enough connections
Or maybe the flyer had the wrong directions
So I said fuck say what!
Fuck the say!
Fuck the what!
Then I heard you say
What the fuck?
But you don’t cuss, yeah me neither
I been called a poet, a prophet, and a leader
But if I put on a event, who’s gonna be there?
Like Mocha, Ugly and aqua moon
Stephanie Rose, Mars, Esteban Colon
Like Christopher Sims and Kimberly Lightfoot
I’m just tryna step off on the right foot
Just trying to make this next step right
Like that Iverson cross-over, I’m like left, right, left, right
Even J.O. got left, that night, right?
How am I gon talk about the greatest in his own city?
Especially if I don’t got my own city wit me?
Well, I don’t really care who’s the greatest
Or who’s your favorite
I got respect, but I’m not losing nathin
If that last word I said needs translation
I’m not from a different nation
But I’m from a different region
We speak a different language
So instead of nothing, we say nathin
Make it do what dowey my nig, yadidamsayin?
And these phrases probably just migrated north from cali
But when I hear this language it just brings something out me
For some reason it just gives me faith
There’s a need for culture but it needs a face
And first it needs a body
somebody’s that wanna be somebody
But these somebody’s might need somebody
To teach ‘em how to reach somebody
God, give me another chance, I promise I wont blow it
Poetry’s what’s up
I want my home to know it
I wanna be a Tacoma poet
Students pose with veteran Rick Davis, after spending time absorbing the art and words of American and Viet Namese veterans.
Fatimah Baeshen, a Saudi-American, introduces us to some elements of Islamic culture, and especially to the perspective of a Muslim woman living in the contemporary United States.
On the 19th, we met in the home of Leesa Albert to explore the issue of growing up bi-racial in Chicago in the 1970′s. Leesa’s parents were married only a few years after the Emmett Till lynching, when it was still illegal in 25 states for blacks and whites to marry. Says instructor Mitch Covic, “Leesa Albert is on the leading edge of explosive growth curve around issues of biracial relationships in the United States.”
New York Times 1.21.07
“With fog and doubt shrouding Soldier Field on Sunday, Bears Coach Lovie Smith kept his unbending faith in his quarterback. Smith kept the championship hopes of a franchise, along with his place in football history, in the hands of the quarterback whom Smith insisted on measuring by wins, not passing numbers.
“Rex Grossman, putting together the best drive of his career, popped open a tight game and sparked the Bears to a 39-14 victory over the New Orleans Saints in the National Football Conference championship game.
“Smith became the first African-American coach to lead his team to a Super Bowl and was doused by the perfunctory cold bucket of beverages at the two-minute warning. Super Bowl XLI will be played Feb. 4 in Miami against the Indianapolis Colts.”
Lovie Smith is doused by Adewale Ogunleye as the clock winds down on the Bears’ NFC title-clinching game.
(Chicago Tribune photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo)
Rashied Davis breaks away from Saints cornerback Fred Thomas (22) for a 16-yard gain on an end-around in the first quarter.
Whitworth College of Spokane, Washington spent three days with us as part of their three-week long Prejudice Across America Tour. Their LearnChicago! Program included hearing Julian Bond, Chairman of the NAACP, a visit to the DuSable Museum of African American History, a visit to Devon Street, a port-of-entry for the Indian and Pakistani communities in Chicago, a South Side Tour, a Mexican Murals tour, blues music, a play, a tour of the Puerto Rican community and a visit to the Cambodian American Heritage Museum.
The images below were taken at the Cambodian American Heritage Museum, where tour guide Ms. Chris Olsen introduced students to Cambodian history and the legacy of the Killing Fields. Students also met with Mr. Kompha Seth, Exectutive Director of the Cambodian Association of Illinois and a survivor of the Killing Fields.
Today in church I witnessed one of the most amazing things ever. I went to a spirit-filled Catholic church and was in awe as I saw the white Catholic priest ask an African American Methodist pastor, who was the guest speaker, to pray for Louis Farrakhan’s health, who is the leader of the Nation of Islam.
As I sat there I couldn’t help but to think about the whole situation. As I sat in this church service dedicated to honor Martin Luther King Junior, I began to think of how more moments like this could take place. What would it take? First and foremost, it would take a very passionate leader like Martin Luther King Junior to live a life dedicated to fighting for something they passionately believed in. This man’s life was spent fighting for the rights of other’s and he died before he could truly benefit from his own work, however he did not die in vain. He did so much in the 39 years of his life that his life may have been cut short in time, but not in value. This man deserves to be honored and remembered for many years to come. We need more people like him that will fight for what they believe in. Through this, the world could be changed.
Second, we need to look past the outer layer of every single person. There should be no reason for people to be judged and treated differently because of their race or ethnicity. Every person should be viewed as a human being no matter what they look like. I never realized how far we are from this goal, until I had moved to Chicago. Segregation is so evident in this city. I know that Chicago is not the only place that racism exists, although it is the place with the most visible racism. We need to fight against the many ethical issues in this country. I hope that people would not want to continue to live their lives knowing that we live in such an unfair world and not be willing to do something about it.
The third thing that needs to happen for this to take place is called respect. We need to be able to respect other people’s beliefs. We need to be able to look past our different ways of thinking and begin to find ways that we can work together, no matter how we may differ in beliefs.
Finally I am going to quote Rev. Joseph Lowery, who spoke in church today. “We need to move from Charity to Love. For Charity is seasonal, but love lasts forever and charity is selectional, but love is inclusive.”
Chicago Center Apprentice Joe Taylor reflects on his experience with Whitworth College’s LearnChicago program. The program took place over King Day weekend, and included many events that celebrated the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Today I had the chance, with students from Whitworth College LearnChicago Program, to attend Rockerfeller Memorial Chapel to hear Mr. Julian Bond speak. Hearing him speak was especially moving for me because not only was he a founder of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee in Atlanta, he is currently the Chairman of the NAACP. Mr. Bond touches on many of the issues and causes which were dear to Marting Luther King Jr. but also brought more recent events into perspective such as Katrina.
Mr Bond also called attention to the fact that is not unpatriotic to question your government; it is in fact your job to question the government during times of war. He gave a moving speech which brought the audience to their feet in applause.
It was great to be a part of this special event, right here in Hyde Park, and give students from outside of Chicago a glimpse of what is so important to us here in the city.”
Milton Mizenburg is an incredible individual. His house itself is his biggest masterpiece. Having grown up in the city of Chicago and dottled in the gangs and drugs when he was younger he had turned out to be an incredibly famous, and super humble, individual that claimed he is just “reaching for his dreams.”Having not completed high school, many people looked down upon Mr. Mizenburg sure that he would not be able to become anything worthwhile, but his fight for his dreams surpassed the doubt. He and his wife had dreamed of having a house like Aretha Franklin’s that they saw in an edition of Ebony magazine.
One day driving alongside Lake Park they saw the perfect dream house and any regard to the neighborhood full of project housing and trash was disregarded. They bought the house and Mr. Mizenburg went to work. However, it was not as easy as it appeared.
Mr. Mizenburg could only afford the rehabilitation of his new house or his aspiring art work; there was not enough money to do both. On top of that, he and his wife had three children and were trying to put them through school. Mr. Mizenburg spent 4 years recontructing his house as well as cleaning up the neighborhood and serving as a mentor and leader in his community.
In his mid-forties he was diagnosed with a cancer that spread throughout 90% of his blood and bones. In addition to the damage to his heart, he also needed a kidney transplant which he received from his oldest son. He has since then been blessed with his talent and his ability to continue his art and sculpture work and consistently adding to his house and making it into an incredibly creative piece of work. His latest sculptures that we were able to view were going for as much as $15,000 dollars!
Mr. Mizenburg continuously said to keep following your dreams and setting them high so that you will work hard to achieve them. He also said to surround yourself with positivity and people that share the same desire to do big things. He made an impact on me and served as a role model and success story that I will always remember.
Submitted by Suzanne Switzer
