The Power of a Grandmother's Heart
Syndicated from huffingtonpost.com, Aug 29, 2012
Amid rampant gang violence in a Chicago South Side neighborhood, a grandmother has an open door policy.
Roseland resident Diane Latiker, 54, started a nonprofit community with 10 kids in her living room in 2003. The program, Kids Off The Block, has grown to become a successful mentoring site and haven for Chicago's youth, serving 300 kids last year, CNN reports.
Latiker, who has eight kids and 13 grandkids of her own, has been recognized as a CNN Hero. She talks about her work with the young people who count on Kids Off The Block:
"It doesn't matter where they come from, what they've done," Latiker said. "We've had six gangs in my living room at one time...But that was the safe place. And you know what? They respected that."
On any given day, 30 to 50 young people show up at the center for tutoring sessions with teachers and retired educators, job interview training and field trips to museums or the movies.
Last year, Latiker was able to move the program into a building next-door to her house -- but not before making her share of personal sacrifices. She sold the family television for program funds and gave away her dining room set to make room for a computer station.
Maurice Gilchrist, 15, tells CNN how grateful he is to Latiker.
"I was 12 when I got in a gang -- robbing people, stealing. Miss Diane, she just changed my life. I love her for that."
This article is reprinted with permission from the Huffington Post's Good News Channel. More from them: Elderly Couple to Marry Despite Language Barrier Polio Victim Break Dances With Crutches Service Dog Saves Woman By Bringing Her Phone
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2 Past Reflections
On Aug 29, 2012 deborah j barnes wrote:
"It doesn't matter where they come from, what they've done," Latiker said. "We've had six gangs in my living room at one time...But that was the safe place. And you know what? They respected that."
YES!! when in place of real love , people respond. Risk the love! Now upping the ante, what next?
Studies show that when we are cared for, nurtured, appreciated for what and who we are and supported in real and sometimes measurable ways..we will all thrive and create a healthy world. We will not need to procreate, step on others, compete in struggle for survival or otherwise need to dominate in order to show up or validate who we are "supposed to be." That game is over but the new stories are only beginning and without the new stories what next becomes intimidating. We need to start the infrastructure for an inclusive, loving, potentiating, enabling, healthy whole systems (mind, body spirit aligned with rest of planet's natural systems) next act.
On Aug 29, 2012 deborah j barnes wrote:
PS I think we write the new stories by living them. I think we can redesign our economic system to support the whole of our interconnected systems once we understand the relationships and recognize why and how we went off kilter. When we realize we can forgive the ignorance and change the entire story, we will. We are born wonderful, we each have a unique gift for the world and setting up new systems that respect and appreciate the juxtapose between the individual, the society and the biosphere ( more some subtle, some not, too many threads to show them all) we can get it "more" right in the next chapter.
Thank you Latiker for holding the light on the loss and being a beacon for the living. I hope the new meaningful work reformation arises soon. I'm working on it and would love to hear about others doing the same.
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