Kid Gloves: Young voices, young choices

I had the opportunity this past weekend to be involved with a talent contest for "at risk" youth. Youth who live their lives around bad influences, and bad choices that they either get sucked into, or have to steer themselves away from. These kids have seen things, and been around things that no kids should have to fight against, but there they are. Because of some good concerned people who put together great programs like the one that sponsored this event, these kids may be able to look at alternatives to the path that their lives can take. Many of these kids are very smart, but shy away from books and education because they have been mistakenly led to believe that being smart is not cool. Many have raw talent in the arts, but have had no way of expressing or cultivating that talent to the fullest, or no one to encourage them to do so.

I remember being a kid first learning how to play music, and realizing that I had a knack for music, but no way to be in front of folks. I had to wait until I was 17 or 18 to go to open mic nights to see what playing in front of folks was all about. But then again, I knew what I wanted. The world is a much different place than when I was a teenager. There was and always will be bad influences all around youth and bad things that they can get into that distracts them, but this day and age is much more dangerous, and much more information based, so kids can be distracted by tons of things that are no good for them on many different levels. When a kid finds out that he or she is good at something, often times especially in urban areas where there is bad influence, they never can dial into that talent to see if there really is something. That is where the community comes into play, and takes the ball like this particular community did, and says to these kids that education is a great thing, and if you have talent, then let's see what you've got.

It was a pleasure to see these kids who got the opportunity to get up on that stage to be a contestant. Many were nervous, as it was their first time onstage in front of folks trying to perform what they had perfected in their rooms. There were musicians, poetry reading, cultural dances, rappers, and singers, all trying to find their way in life, and all doing their best to "take it to the stage". The encouragement and support from the other kids and folks in the crowd was heartwarming as some kids forgot words, but were cheered and encouraged to shouts of "That's all right!" and "You can do it!" Something like that can change a young person's life, and they can say to themselves, "I'm staying away from all of this crap..I want to do this stuff instead." And if just one kid says that, and pursues education, or works on a craft, then there is one less kid to be a statistic.

Many kids don't have a venue such as that, and it's a shame because that is a valuable tool for community improvement, and betterment of a kid's outlook on life. If a young person sees the value of hard work on the part of not only others, but themselves, and sees the rewards also, then isn't that what it is all about? A way to reach back and give kids that really don't have a lot in life some hope. Hope that they are allowed to have dreams and be what they want, and can achieve things. Also hope that somebody cares about them, and what they may have to offer. And to many people in general that is the most important thing you can have. Hope. Because as the saying goes, "The most dangerous man in the world is one who has nothing to lose". Having hope assures the possibility of being able to dream. Dreaming enables action to achieve it, and someone achieving their dream means that the world becomes a better place, because that person will want to show everyone how they achieved their dream. And to kids who have a choice of drugs and crime, or believing in themselves so they don't take that route, it is imperative that they have an opportunity to shine. The opportunity to feel important and respected, and feel like they are special. The opportunity to feel that they are just a good as everyone else.

I may not have done much there at this event on the surface. I talked to some kids, I was the host at the podium announcing contestants, and I had the opportunity to play some songs with Solistic for them. But I was very cognizant in how I carried myself, and what I said, and how I said things because like it or not, kids watch very closely, and they are influenced very easily. I wanted to be a positive role model even if I said nothing to them, because Unbeknownst to me, I could change a life somehow, just as everyone out there reading this could. The greatest feeling that I could possibly have in the future is to be approached later in life by an adult who says that he/she saw me when they were a kid, and I was an influence in them pursuing their dreams, and how they conducted themselves. That would make my year. So all of the young voices that I had a chance to watch this past weekend, if you read this somewhere..Keep on keeping on! You matter, and you can do or be anything you want. You have choices to make. The hard one is to do the right thing..But the hard one is way more rewarding than you can ever imagine....Because the winner is you.