Preventing Students from Joining Gangs | Jose Segura | TEDxMontgomeryBlairHS
Summary
TLDRThe speaker shares his journey from a tough upbringing in Washington DC to working at Blair High School. He discusses the importance of family and community in preventing gang involvement, emphasizing that the issue is not with gangs but with family dynamics. Through his work in gang intervention and prevention, he highlights the power of opportunity and building bridges, sharing stories of students who have turned their lives around through mentorship and support.
Takeaways
- 🏫 The speaker started his career at Blair High School, focusing on gang intervention and prevention work.
- 🌱 Growing up in Washington DC, the speaker was influenced by his street environment and his mother's resilience as an immigrant from El Salvador.
- 🎓 After serving in the Marine Corps and moving to South Carolina, he began mentoring middle school students, despite not having a clear plan.
- 🔄 The speaker was later let go from his job with the Washington Wizards due to Michael Jordan's return to basketball, leading him to a career in security and eventually gang intervention.
- 👥 At Blair High School, he connected with ESL teachers to create an indoor soccer program that brought together diverse student groups, fostering unity and understanding.
- 🔑 The speaker emphasizes that the issue is not with gangs but with family dynamics and the need for support and opportunities for young people.
- 🤝 He highlights the importance of building relationships and offering opportunities to youth, rather than telling them to leave their social circles.
- 💼 The speaker shares a story of a former gang member who, through an internship opportunity, became successful and is now managing federal contracts for a company.
- 🌉 He encourages the audience to create bridges and opportunities for young people, which can lead to significant positive change in their lives.
- 🙌 The speaker concludes by emphasizing the power of providing opportunities and building bridges, rather than focusing on the problems of gangs.
Q & A
What was the significance of the speaker's upbringing in Washington DC?
-The speaker was raised in Washington DC Northwest until the age of 12. The streets played a significant role in his upbringing from the age of five to twelve, which shaped his early life experiences and understanding of the world.
What did the speaker's uncle's comment reveal about his past?
-The speaker's uncle's comment about expecting him to be dead by now highlighted the dangerous environment he grew up in and the surprising fact that he survived despite the odds.
How did the speaker's experience in the Marine Corps influence his later work?
-The speaker's experience in the Marine Corps planted the seed to give back to the community. After leaving the Corps, he moved to South Carolina and started a mentoring program in an underserved area.
What was the impact of the indoor soccer program at Blair High School?
-The indoor soccer program at Blair High School brought together 125 students daily, including magnet and ISAW students, fostering unity and reducing segregation among different groups of students.
Why did the speaker emphasize the importance of relationships in his work?
-The speaker emphasized the importance of relationships because building connections with young people, including those involved in gangs, allowed him to understand their backgrounds and provide them with the support and opportunities they needed.
What was the speaker's role when he first joined Blair High School?
-When the speaker first joined Blair High School, he worked as a security assistant and was referred to as the 'gang coordinator' for the security team.
How does the speaker view the issue of gangs in Montgomery County?
-The speaker believes that Montgomery County does not have a gang problem but rather a family issue. He suggests that the problem is not limited to any particular community but is a broader societal issue affecting families across different ethnicities.
What is the speaker's approach to addressing the 'family issue'?
-The speaker's approach to addressing the family issue is to provide opportunities and build bridges. He encourages relationships between students from different backgrounds and provides opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of opportunities?
-The speaker emphasizes the importance of opportunities because they can change the life trajectory of young people. He shares a story of a gang member who, through an internship, not only got a job but also had his college education paid for and is now a successful manager.
What is the speaker's message about the role of schools in addressing social issues?
-The speaker's message is that schools should be places where students from different backgrounds can come together, learn from each other, and be given the opportunity to succeed. He suggests that schools can play a crucial role in bridging gaps and fostering a sense of community.
Outlines
🏫 Early Life and Career Start
The speaker begins by sharing his early life experiences in Washington DC, emphasizing the influence of the streets on his upbringing. He mentions his mother's background as a Central American immigrant and the challenges of navigating between home and street life. He reflects on a pivotal moment at a party where his uncle's surprise at his survival made him reconsider his life's path. The speaker then discusses his transition from the Marine Corps to working in an underserved school in South Carolina, where he initiated a mentoring program. He shares his journey of becoming a security assistant for MCPS and his role in developing relationships with students at Blair High School, highlighting the importance of understanding and connecting with youth.
🥅 The Power of Soccer and Community Building
The speaker recounts the success of an indoor soccer program at Blair High School, which attracted over 125 students daily. He highlights how the program brought together students from diverse backgrounds, including magnet and ISAW students, fostering unity and reducing gang tensions. The speaker emphasizes the profound impact of building relationships with students, including those involved in gangs, and understanding their family dynamics. He argues that the real issue society faces is not gangs, but family issues that affect communities across different ethnicities. He stresses the importance of recognizing and addressing these family issues to support youth.
🌉 Building Bridges Through Education and Opportunities
The speaker envisions a scenario where magnet students tutor ISAW students in English, suggesting that such initiatives could build bridges and foster relationships. He recounts the success of the soccer program in bringing together students from different backgrounds, leading to the sharing of cultural flags and a sense of unity. He emphasizes the importance of providing opportunities to youth, such as internships and educational support, which can change their lives. The speaker shares a story of a former gang member who, with the help of an internship, went on to become a successful manager, illustrating the transformative power of such opportunities.
🎓 Opportunities and the Impact of Support
The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of providing opportunities to youth, as exemplified by the story of a student who, with the help of an internship, went on to become a successful manager and earn more than his parents. He stresses that it's about building bridges and providing chances for youth to expand their horizons. The speaker encourages the audience to be the ones to create these opportunities, as they can have a profound and lasting impact on young lives.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Gang
💡Mentorship
💡Navigating Worlds
💡Family Issue
💡Opportunity
💡Soccer Program
💡Gang Coordinator
💡Cultural Divide
💡Internship
💡Building Bridges
💡Reflection
Highlights
Blair High School hosts its first TED talk, emphasizing the importance of being the first to do something.
The speaker's career began at Blair High School with gang intervention and prevention work.
Raised in Washington DC, the speaker credits the streets and community for much of his upbringing.
The speaker's mother was part of the first wave of Central American immigrants to the US in the late 60s and early 70s.
A pivotal moment at age 20 when an uncle expressed surprise the speaker was still alive, prompting reflection on his life.
Started a mentoring program in an underserved part of Columbia, South Carolina, with a large Latino population.
Worked for the Washington Wizards before becoming a security assistant for MCPS.
At Blair High School, the speaker coordinated a security team amidst gang issues.
An indoor soccer program brought together 125 students daily, bridging divides between different student groups.
The speaker observed that students from different backgrounds were like him, navigating complex cultural worlds.
Now a team leader for a gang intervention prevention program, the speaker emphasizes the importance of opportunity.
The speaker argues that Montgomery County doesn't have a gang problem but a family issue.
The speaker suggests that family issues are not limited to any one community but are widespread.
The speaker proposes a hypothetical scenario where students help each other across divides.
The speaker recalls a soccer game that brought together a diverse group of students, fostering relationships.
The speaker emphasizes building bridges and providing opportunities as a way to address family issues.
The speaker shares a story of a gang member who, with the right opportunities, became a successful manager.
The speaker concludes by encouraging the audience to be the ones to build bridges and create opportunities.
Transcripts
good evening it's always tough to be the
first to do something it's awesome that
we here at Blair high school at the
first TED talk not sure why they asked
me to talk but so if I do terrible you
can talk to mr. Haig no I'm back home my
career really really started here and
the gang intervention and Prevention
work and I'll get into that in a second
just a little bit of background about
myself
was raised in Washington DC Northwest up
until the age of 12 single family home
for the most part the streets really
raised me from the age of five to two
twelve years old and I don't say that
bragging I think that my my mom did her
best that she could to provide and and
my best friends in the in the district
were my my leaders my mentors so saying
that you know I was able to learn how to
navigate the worlds of being at home
coming from a central American family my
mom from Oh salvadore she was part of
that first wave that initially came over
in the late 60s and early 70s and
navigating that world between home the
streets was a plan I didn't understand
it initially but as I got older I began
to see it at about the age of 20 I
hadn't seen my uncle in a very long time
and we're at a party and he saw me and
he looked at me and he said man you're
still alive I thought she would be dead
by now
and it really hit me because at that
point I really began to reflect on my
life and where I'd come from and he
began to tell me some of the stories
that he remembered about me and my
brothers my older brothers and how we
kind of ran the streets as little kids
and this that and the other and and it
just really began to resonate
fast-forward as I was in the Marine
Corps got it getting out of the Marine
Corps I'm sorry I moved to Columbia
South Carolina to go to the University
of South Carolina and Columbia at that
time that that seed was planted in me to
really give back I went into middle
school in the underserved part of
Columbia South Carolina the name of the
school is didn't middle school large
Latino population started a mentoring
program didn't have a clue what I was
doing but I just wanted to give back and
was able to build relationships with
seventh graders and eighth graders and
and really began to do some good work
this is the year about 1998 fast forward
working for the Washington Wizards I get
fired thank Michael Jordan for that he
came back out of retirement and I was
let go from that position lo and behold
I wind up looking for a job just trying
to provide ends meet for my family and
myself so I become a security assistant
for MCPS it's not something I studied
it's actually somebody I knew and said
hey why don't you come do this until you
find you know what your career I was
like hey cool let's do it you know
started my career at MCPS at Silver
Spring international middle school who's
from Silver Spring international school
[Music]
amazing and and from there I came to
Blair high school started working as a
security assistant here now this is in
the heart of what I call the the gang
major issues here in this area
I was quote-unquote the gang coordinator
for the security team here at Blair high
school knew all the young men all the
young ladies what was neat about is that
I connect it with a esal teacher who had
a passion for young people like myself
we we began to do a indoor soccer
program we had literally I'm not kidding
you here at Blair high school 125
students coming to our indoor soccer
program on a daily basis I discovered
something I discovered that students
loved soccer what was neat about this is
we had magnet students whose magnet
students here we write is shout out bag
of students we had isaw students playing
together in this indoor soccer program
and the gains were phenomenal they were
incredible it was fascinating to watch
to be a part of developing relationships
with young people developing
relationships with quote unquote gang
members getting to know them getting to
know their family is getting to know
their moms and I made a connection well
you guys know what that connection was
they were like me they were growing up
like me their mom was working really
hard
the streets were raising them they were
navigating to worlds from trying to grow
up in a Central American home when you
go home and you're speaking Spanish or
then when you come out here you're
speak in English and trying to figure
this thing out over here and you're
going back and forth and that's pretty
complex believe it or not you have to be
pretty talented to do that and I can
tell you that some of the young men that
I came across thankfully are now doing
really really well really well fast
forward now what I'm doing now now I'm a
team leader for a gang intervention
prevention program I'm a part of a team
of some awesome caring people people say
to me and they say to our staff hey so
what are you doing about this gang
problem that that Montgomery County has
my response to them is that Montgomery
County doesn't have a gang problem our
country doesn't have a gang problem our
region doesn't have a gang problem our
state doesn't have a gang problem what
what are you talking about we're seeing
young ladies get kidnapped we're seeing
the the young lady found murdered in
Virginia there's an issue let me share
with you guys tonight what's the issue
unfortunately our issue is we have a
family issue let me say that again to
you guys we have a family issue it's not
only happening in the Latino community
it's also happening in the
african-american community it's also
happened in a Caucasian community it's
also happening across the races this
ethnicities there's a family issue
parents man I'm probably one of them
working really hard to try to provide
the best that we possibly can for our
children I pray every day that I don't
miss it with my children making the
sacrifices that are needed so our kids
can be in a place where they're doing
well and I'm sure many of you are in
that same boat but the reality is this
we miss it we're missing it this school
here for example we're talking about I
think probably right now 2,500 to 2,800
students here round about my correcting
saying that three thousand now wow that
that's what it was when I was working
here you know you you walk the halls and
you see the segregation magnet students
over here
he saw students over here other students
over here and we see this issue of
separation men let me ask you this
question what would it be like and I'm
not sure if this is happening but let's
just let's just let's just give the
example here hypothetically speaking
what would it be like if we took magnet
students that are really smart right
managers are pretty smart that's what
I've heard is that true no what would it
be like if we took students who man
we're pretty good at English and they
begin a tutor isaw students on how to
speak and read English man think about
that bridge that would be built there
think about the
relationships that would happen
rewind we were playing soccer in this
gym right behind us here hundred 25
students there sometimes it was even
bigger one time the the administration
let us use the the big gym and we
brought the bleachers out in the end of
the the bleachers were packed kids came
in there were flags from their countries
other kids came in with a US flag he was
amazing it was absolutely amazing and I
just sat back and watched and all we did
was we gave people the opportunity and
relationships were built students that
would never be a part of the soccer team
here at the school man
established relationships with some guys
that would give him the information on
how to tryout how about going into
physical and being in a position to make
the team because they had the skills
they just didn't know the process
the process when you don't know the
process you're left out when you're left
out there's someone there to pick you up
people say to me do you tell kids you
tell students to get out of the the gang
I would never tell a young man or a
young woman to get out of the gang what
are you talking about that's let me just
ask you guys a question I'm not sure how
much time I got
just give me five characteristics of a
healthy family name and please love
trust give me another one respect
communication support let's stop there
we could keep going these are all
qualities that again gives young people
you guys realize that so if I was to say
to a young man or young woman hey you
need to get out the gang I'm telling
them you know do you need to leave your
family I would never do that
I would never tell you hey you know what
sir you need to leave your wife and your
kids and come hang out with me but what
can I do what can I do I can give you
opportunity I can give you an
opportunity to expand your horizon what
do I mean by that and I can take you
canoeing and you go down to Potomac
River I don't know if you guys know this
but one of the most fascinating rivers
in the entire country and it's 20
minutes from here and it will change
your kid's life I can offer you an
internship with a company I'll say you
know what true story man we really like
you in fact we're going to pay for your
college and we're going to give you a
job after you graduate I won't
mentioned the kids name I get a call on
graduation day for Blair got a minute
left I got to tell the story real quick
kid calls me a bawling-crying
known gang member I mean he's crying I'm
thinking oh man somebody got killed
something's wrong
I mean he's bawling and I'm like hey
what's wrong man and he couldn't talk
literally for about a minute and he said
I just want to thank you I said what are
you talking about
he said the kid we had gotten him an
internship with a company a software
company the company hired him starting
at 15 bucks an hour first thing he said
to me I'm making more than both my mom
and my dad now he said not only that mr.
Gura check this out they're gonna pay
for my college this kid now right now
today is the manager over the company's
federal contracts make it more money to
me and I'm thankful for that I really am
because it's all about the opportunity
it's all about the opportunity be the
one to build a bridge you never know
the opportunity I will come from thank
you guys
[Applause]
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