Dreanda Cordero
Having a safe environment for youth and young parents to learn and gain access to a brighter future and plan to lead to success rather than a life of poverty is to provide what may hinder them from success and give them further guidance and motivation to see beyond their community, giving them guidance and experiences that may not be afforded to them due to demographics of age, or lack of experience. The hustle of street life or the judicial system is often a trap for young people who need appropriate guidance. Kids become parents at an early age and do not have much support to find their way up, and when life gets hard, they quit. Having a support system is the primary key to succeeding in life. It is easier to gain access to drugs and alcohol in the community to buy, sell and use than to get a job. Gathering data by asking questions can help mold how these young adults can be helped. What is a struggle they are having, and what would make them continue to want more out of life? Do they have a support system, and what are they looking for in a support system? Those with kids are driven to do well for their kids, but the lack of support stops them. Family not being supportive or not having childcare is blocking them. Younger kids may or may not have a goal or a plan. If they have a purpose, they do not have a plan, and if they have a plan, they are stuck trying to figure out a destination, yet they want to be successful. These ranges are from 11 to 25 years old. They are a target group who are still trying to figure out life, wanting better, and wanting help but do not know precisely what they need. How can we help our youth and young adults? Are there enough support and community-based programs to help youth and young parents stay on the right track in the Harlem/Upper West Side community? Getting information in the community from youth can be difficult due to fears and not believing in anyone helping for change. In my Initial survey, I reached nine community members, so I took a different approach.
The community needs to provide the guidance and assistance that teens and young adults would like. During my first interview with teens, one admitted, “You’re trying to change the world, and I want to be here for it.” His friend added, “We need more people like you; I wish you were my mom.” These are the significant impacts that the community needs. To provide these children with the opportunity and hope that they will feel heard and that they matter. The more I learned, however, the more I realized I would have to reach more than just teens; I would have to get parents and young parents, teens, and adults in the community who wish to see changes for the better; I needed quantitive results and questions to ask the community. The purpose of my research was to determine what the community lacked since these teens weren’t without concern for their lives but rather had access to more accessible resources where they did not feel judged or inadequate. Although street life can be dangerous, it can also provide a sense of belonging to young people.
Methods
Teens, young adult pregnancy, and struggling youth is nothing new to most of us significantly growing up in New York City. In 2016 there were 8,429 pregnancies from females ranging from ages 15 to 19 (2016). Although rates drop, teen pregnancy and pregnancy in young adults still happen and will always transpire. In addition, 100,000 students in New York City were homeless in the 2021-2022 school year, a 42% increase since 2010, according to the children’s rights movement (AP News 2021). Homelessness often leads to drug addiction or selling drugs because of quick money and easy access. It is also a way many may deal with the stress of life.
In 2011, a teenager, Afrika Owens, age 17, was arrested on gang and gun charges due to affiliation with her then-boyfriend and long-time friend. Fortunately, with the help of her community and church, she was able to turn her life around. She had been an honor student in a private high school. However, it’s easy to be accused or involved in community activities that instantly change your life. Her community helped her to get back on track and achieve her dreams (Italiano 2013). Unfortunately, there is a considerable lack of understanding among young people concerning how much help is available to them to stay grounded. This is primarily because they tend to get into trouble so quickly. How can we help the community and give opportunities to our youth and those like young Afrika Owes?
Twelve questions were asked to 18 people of various ages and ethnicities about issues that can arise in the community. These questions concern issues that may impede the success of youth and young parents in the community. Lack of support and education often leads to youth and young parents struggling to achieve success. This often leads to them turning to drugs and alcohol and struggling to provide for themselves and their children or homelessness. The community has many negative influences, such as alcohol, drugs, family, friends, and media. Lack of support, money, knowledge, and guidance often results in people struggling to care for themselves and their families. Youth and young parents typically have no direction or knowledge of how they want to accomplish a goal. Some influences are causing the youth to lead to drug/alcohol addiction and, selling drugs, dropping out of school. Most feel they are part of a group that cares and will support them, so they find “family” in street activity. Lack of knowledge. They are unsure what they want to do or how they plan to achieve that goal or provide childcare for their children.
Results
8 out of the 18 people surveyed were between the targeted age of 16-25 who seemed to feel that they could relate to lack of education and lack of experience because they were not around a person that could teach them something they wanted to know or would be helpful in their lives.
6 out of the 18 were ages 26-35, the millennials who felt that mental health and lack of knowledge significantly affected youth they have personally endured.
1 of 18 aged 36-45 felt that drugs, family, and friends being involved in drug or gang activity are a huge part of youth and young parents struggling to succeed or easily being involved in negatively impacted activities and the influence of drugs/alcohol resulted in young pregnancy.
3 of 18 aged 46-56 felt that lack of positive influence and easy access to drugs/alcohol were significant factors that cause youth struggling to gain success or have a path they are trying to reach.
Every age group has had different experiences with youth and young pregnancy in the community and growing up in a different time. Each age group recognized a result of struggle, mental health, lack of knowledge, and education; some were unsure and thought of why because they may not know anyone or see it in the community but had an idea of what may lead to these issues. Every age group shows that all the reasons can be a reason for the lack of success in youth and young adults. Also, a factor in different parts of the community may appear very different from the next, giving a different reason. A personal experience can explain why so many thought various issues play a huge part in the community.
56% of the surveyors were Hispanic or African American, and many of the issues they described exist in their families or among people they know personally
21% of the assessors consisting of American Indians, Asians, and Caucasians, didn’t seem to know or be as affected by many of the issues. Based on the data, the environment may have played a role.
28% of respondents said this deterred youth and young parents from achieving success. The environment included answers such as family or friends actively involved in activities, needing to be more supportive, or stopping them from getting a job in some way due to age or not wanting to assist with childcare. They say you are a product of your environment, and with support and direction, many can believe that they can achieve what they know.
11% of the surveyors believe the media is another influence as society plays a role in how kids and some young adults choose to live. It is their thought that because through drug and gang activity, money is easy to access or cool, or it is someone they may idolize and mimic their life to an extent.
33% answered that lack of knowledge, guidance, or resources in the community for them to succeed was a significant reason that it made it challenging for youth and young parents.
The demographics of ethnic background can often be a reason for different experiences as well; culture seems to be an essential factor. Most of those of Hispanic and Black/ African American background seem to have more of a personal experience than those of Caucasian, Asian, and American Indian/ Alaska Natives as Harlem changes often see more minority groups in poverty and trying to gain access to money and addicted to or selling drugs. Also, know that our judicial system is built up of 30% between the ages of 16-24. In 2012, 57% were black/ African American, 33% were Hispanic/Latino, 7% white and 1% Asian, and the rest were other or unknown (Department of Corrections, 2013).
The surveyors were asked if parents are educating the youth enough to gear them for success. The majority also indicated that parents’ lack of knowledge or guidance was a significant reason why youth were likely not to know how to interview for a job or fill out a resume. In addition, 46% of the surveyors felt this was a result of why youth and young parents struggle in the community.
Media has less of an impact than most would believe because youth look at celebrities as role models that youth often aspire to be like and think they are cool. Lack of experience would be a principal factor, but there seems to be more of a cause and effect of lack of family support that may be causing a lack of experience.
Media will always influence the community and the environment, but giving these youth experience and a chance and teaching them what they want to know but may need access to help them can make a difference. Giving youth mentors to help aid and support them when they need it, with mental health, when they need guidance, and someone to talk to can provide them opportunities to learn who they are. By supporting youth and changing, what we can change is the way they think, the way they act, and what they learn. It makes a difference when you have the guidance and support to help you rather than trying to learn on your own or learn what those close to you know. Giving a child a purpose gives them a chance at something more significant than they may feel they can achieve.
Many youth and young parents often have difficulty gaining stability and fear facing reality and the challenges of adulthood. Growing up is difficult and even harder without the proper knowledge and guidance. “The city saw 13.8 births for every 1,000 girls and women aged 15 to 19 in 2017, marking a 56.2 percent drop in the teen birth rate from 2008” (Department of Health, 2018). The rate of young moms per 1000 women is 64.2% between the ages of 20-29. 11.2% are between the ages of 15-19 in New York, which does not include the number of abortions or miscarriages (March of Dimes, 2022).
Discussion
The goal is to help build fewer kids who can lose their life to the street hustle and judicial system; giving them opportunities to find their way will help them early on build good habits and see there is more to life than what they can currently reach. It makes the community proud to see that a difference can be made. Allows youth and young parents to take pride in themselves and feel they have a purpose. Taking the information and implementing a system that will help the youth gain experience, guidance, and mentorship will allow them to have a purpose and not feel like a product of the environment and see there is more to life. Giving the youth and young adults opportunities and giving them the practice to be able to navigate life in an actual career field, helping them gain more confidence and allowing them a safe space to talk about their struggles as community members believed depression and lack of communication played a part in drugs and alcohol.
The assumption is that drugs, gangs, and alcohol play a significant factor in the youth and their thoughts, what stops them from gaining stability, and experiences. Not having the knowledge or support is also a factor because what you don’t know, you can’t achieve, and without support, how are these youth learning something other than their environment? Growing up is difficult and even harder without the proper knowledge and guidance. Getting a job or getting hired is an issue for youth and young parents because of a lack of resources, opportunities, education, and skills. The use of drugs and alcohol is an obstacle that prevents them from providing for themselves and their children because of the quantity of stress. Selling drugs and being in a gang are more accessible than getting hired. Nowadays, youth and young parents are influenced by whom they socialize with and the events around them. This is because it is like a cycle that repeats from one person to another. Each one teaches one, and giving the opportunity to one can open an opportunity for all. For instance, the amount of violence and crime committed in the streets and other areas. The lack of help, mentorship, and support leads to these people giving up on themselves and their children because of how expensive items are or even receiving support and guidance. Giving these youth and young parents guidance, experience, and knowledge, continuing to teach them and aid them along the way, will provide them with a foundation for success and to want more for themselves and others around them. Education can determine the struggle of the streets and the success of your future. These youth are taught through media and their environment and believe only what they can see. Education goes beyond the home and classroom; it takes a village to raise a child. Helping our youth and young parents in our community thrive in life is their future goal.
It was my pleasure to present my CEEP Project to a group of community members, which included members of the National Urban League, the Blue Nile Rites of Passage of Harlem, teenagers of the community, and family members and friends. I received valuable feedback and questions that helped me remain on track to meet the needs of youth in the community. This panel challenged me to think outside the box and build a community. This was because some panelists were unaware of certain things and how reaching out to youth was a great start.
Now, the community members are looking to make a big change and have the power to impact in ways I cannot do alone. By providing appropriate support and resources to young people in the Harlem/Upper West Side community, this research aims to assist them in overcoming their struggles. Research also aims to understand better why youth may turn to drugs or alcohol or become involved in street activities. It also aims to provide them with more effective alternatives.
I was offered the opportunity to help organize various community events and programs and collaborate with local organizations such as the West side YMCA and Blue Nile Rites of Passage to encourage community involvement. As part of our community program, we also intend to include schools by offering services to those schools that believe their students possess potential but need the right help and training. This leads to the benefits of gaining other resources and collectively working to improve the lives of youth in our community.
References
Admin. (2013, August 22). NYC’S JAIL POPULATION: WHO’S THERE AND WHY? New York City by the numbers. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://ibo.nyc.ny.us/cgi-park2/2013/08/nycs-jail-population-whos-there-and-why/
Associated Press. (2021, November 8). Report says 100,000 NYC students were homeless in 2020-2021. AP NEWS. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://apnews.com/article/new-york-education-new-york-city-homeless-shelters-social-services-21a29700af1b5ca0997ddd903a3e29f8
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, August 20). Reports, Fact Sheets, and publications. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/reports_factsheet_publications.htm
Department of Health. Table 30: Total Pregnancies and Teenage Pregnancies by Type and Resident County New York State – 2016. (2018, March). Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/vital_statistics/2016/table30.htm
Gwynn, Charon. (2019, July). Summary of vital statistics 2017 the city … – New York City. NY1. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/vs/2017sum.pdf
Italiano, L. (2013, June 10). ‘preppy gun moll’ Afrika owes has gun-running conviction vacated. New York Post. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://nypost.com/2013/06/10/preppy-gun-moll-afrika-owes-has-gun-running-conviction-vacated/
March of Dimes. (2022, January). Births overview. March of Dimes | PeriStats. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/data?top=2&lev=1&stop=2®=99&sreg
Research Question
The research question is relevant and addresses a significant issue in the Harlem/Upper West Side community. It seeks to understand the availability of support and community-based programs for youth and young parents. However, the research question could be more concise and focused to better guide the study.
Methodology
The methodology is clear and addresses the research question through surveys and interviews with various age groups and ethnicities in the community. However, the methodology could benefit from more detail on how the participants were selected, and the survey design could be further explained.
Data Collection
Data collection was done through surveys with 18 participants from different age groups and ethnicities. Although the sample size is small, the researcher managed to obtain diverse opinions. A more extensive and more diverse sample would have been better to make the findings more generalizable to the larger community.
Analysis
The analysis provides insight into the experiences of different age groups and ethnicities concerning the issues faced by youth and young parents in the community. The researcher identified themes and trends in the data, such as the role of the environment, lack of knowledge, and guidance. However, the analysis could have been more in-depth, and the relationship between the variables could be better explained.
Community ReportBack
The researcher presented their CEEP Project to a group of community members, including members of the National Urban League, the Blue Nile Rites of Passage of Harlem, teenagers of the community, and family members and friends. This allowed the researcher to obtain valuable feedback and questions, as well as connect with local organizations to organize community events and programs.