My Block My Hood My City founder Jahmal Cole on why he started M3

Summary

The video script narrates a poignant tale of Chatham, a historically affluent African-American neighborhood in Chicago, now grappling with economic decline and crime. The speaker, an activist, shares his experiences and observations, highlighting the community's struggles with gun violence, poverty, and lack of resources. He emphasizes the importance of community engagement, personal responsibility, and the need for change from within. Through his initiatives, he aims to inspire hope and action, encouraging residents to take ownership of their blocks and work towards a better future for Chatham.

Takeaways

• 🔊 The script highlights the experience of ordering food at KFC through a bulletproof glass window, symbolizing the challenges faced by communities in areas like Chatham.
• 🏛️ It discusses the historical significance of Chatham as a once affluent African-American neighborhood with a strong sense of community and home ownership.
• 📉 The speaker laments the current state of Chatham, with a significant decrease in property values and an aging population, leading to a loss of community vibrancy.
• 🚔 The narrative touches on the pervasive sense of crime and the need for constant vigilance, which weighs heavily on the residents' minds.
• 🏡 The speaker aspires to revitalize the community by turning his home into a community center and buying up foreclosed homes to improve the neighborhood.
• 🏃‍♂️ The concept of 'block fit' is introduced, where the speaker encourages running through one's neighborhood to fall in love with it and become an activist.
• 🔍 The script points out the stark contrast between the resources allocated to monitoring technology and those provided to educational institutions in the area.
• 🚦 It describes the harsh realities of living in a neighborhood with high crime rates, including the presence of bulletproof glass in local businesses and the constant threat of violence.
• 👮‍♂️ The speaker emphasizes the need for community involvement and the importance of knowing one's neighbors as a foundation for a safer and healthier community.
• 🌟 The script concludes with a call to action, urging individuals to take responsibility for their neighborhoods and to contribute positively to their communities.

Q & A

What is the main challenge faced by the residents of Chatham when ordering food?

Residents of Chatham have to order food through bulletproof glass windows and often have to yell their orders, which is indicative of the neighborhood's struggle with crime and safety.

How does the speaker describe the students' initial reaction to his presence at Cook County Jail?

The students at Cook County Jail initially did not want to hear the speaker, showing a lack of interest in engaging with him.

What realization did the speaker have about the students' sense of ownership and identity?

The speaker realized that the students identified with their blocks or hoods but not with their city, indicating a disconnection from a broader sense of community and belonging.

What is the speaker's strategy to prevent students from going to jail?

The speaker aims to show students that a world exists beyond their immediate surroundings, hoping that by exposing them to different experiences and opportunities, they will be motivated to avoid the path to jail.

How does the speaker characterize the historical Chatham neighborhood?

The speaker describes Chatham as a neighborhood with a strong sense of African-American home ownership, entrepreneurship, and community organizations, which was once affluent and known for its well-maintained homes.

What is the current state of Chatham according to the speaker?

Chatham is now characterized by a decrease in property value, an aging population as younger residents leave, and an increase in crime, which affects the quality of life for its residents.

What is the speaker's vision for his block in Chatham?

The speaker envisions turning his home into a community center and buying the foreclosed home nearby, with the hope of attracting more families and improving the neighborhood.

Why does the speaker run three miles a day in his neighborhood?

Running helps the speaker stay mentally tough, observe the neighborhood's conditions, and identify areas that need improvement, which is part of his activism and community engagement.

How does the speaker use social media to promote a positive image of his neighborhood?

The speaker posts photos of his running route and the neighborhood's positive aspects on Instagram, using hashtags to encourage others to 'fall in love with their neighborhood' and be 'block fit.'

What is the speaker's perspective on gun violence in Chicago?

The speaker views gun violence as a reflection of racial and economic injustice, poor neighborhoods, under-resourced schools, high incarceration rates, and high unemployment rates, rather than an isolated issue.

What actions does the speaker's organization take to support the community?

The speaker's organization provides support to seniors, delivers resources during emergencies, helps small businesses affected by looting, and organizes educational field trips for teenagers to expose them to different experiences.

What is the speaker's philosophy on creating change in the community?

The speaker believes in taking personal responsibility for improving one's block and community, emphasizing the importance of knowing one's neighbors and being proactive in community development rather than waiting for top-down solutions.

Outlines

00:00

🏘️ Chatham's Struggle and Hope

The speaker reflects on their experience in Chatham, a neighborhood in Chicago, where they observe the challenges faced by the community. They describe the difficulty of ordering food through bulletproof glass windows at KFC, which symbolizes the pervasive crime and fear in the area. The speaker also recounts their time volunteering at Cook County Jail, where they engaged with incarcerated youth and realized the importance of showing them a world beyond their immediate surroundings to prevent future incarceration. Chatham, once a thriving African-American community with homeownership and entrepreneurship, is now struggling with crime, economic decline, and a sense of hopelessness. The speaker is determined to make a difference by turning their home into a community center and buying up foreclosed homes to improve the neighborhood.

05:04

🏃‍♂️ Activism Through Community Engagement

The speaker emphasizes the importance of mental toughness for activists, especially in challenging neighborhoods. They share their daily routine of running three miles to stay connected with their community and to identify areas needing improvement. The speaker uses social media, particularly Instagram, to showcase the positive aspects of their neighborhood and to encourage others to 'run through their neighborhood' and fall in love with it. They also discuss the broader issues of gun violence in Chicago, attributing it to systemic racial and economic injustices, and the lack of resources and opportunities in underprivileged areas. The speaker is involved in youth development programs that expose teenagers to new experiences and cultures, aiming to inspire them and provide them with a broader perspective on life. They also engage in community development work, supporting seniors and small businesses affected by the pandemic and civil unrest.

10:06

🌟 Taking Action for Change

The speaker advocates for personal responsibility and community engagement as a means to instigate change. They encourage individuals to take simple actions that can have a positive impact on their immediate environment, such as getting to know their neighbors and taking care of their block. The speaker believes that democracy and community improvement start at the local level and that connecting with one another can lead to a safer, healthier, and happier community. They also discuss the importance of understanding how systems work and being proactive in engaging with them, rather than waiting for top-down solutions. The speaker expresses frustration with the ongoing issues of racial injustice and gun violence, but instead of just hoping for change, they are taking action by voting, volunteering, and getting involved in their community. They envision a collective effort where small actions in different neighborhoods can create a wave of positive change across the city.

Keywords

💡Chatham

Chatham is a neighborhood in Chicago mentioned in the script, characterized by a strong African-American community with a history of home ownership and entrepreneurship. The script discusses the decline in property values and the challenges faced by the community, such as crime and a lack of opportunities for the youth. It is used as a backdrop to illustrate the broader issues of racial and economic injustice.

💡Gun Violence

Gun violence is a recurring theme in the script, reflecting the safety concerns and the harsh reality faced by residents in certain neighborhoods. It is depicted as a symptom of deeper societal issues like poverty, segregation, and lack of resources. The script suggests that addressing these root causes is essential for reducing gun violence.

💡Community Activism

Community activism is central to the script's message, with the narrator discussing their efforts to improve their neighborhood and engage with the community. This includes initiatives like running 'Block Fit' campaigns to encourage residents to take pride in their area and organizing educational field trips for teenagers to expose them to different experiences.

💡Economic Injustice

Economic injustice is highlighted as a key factor contributing to the challenges faced by the community. The script mentions the decline in property values and the lack of opportunities, such as banks and job prospects, which contribute to a cycle of poverty and hopelessness.

💡Racial Injustice

Racial injustice is implied throughout the script as a contributing factor to the disparities in resources, opportunities, and treatment faced by the African-American community in Chatham. The narrator discusses the historical context of racial segregation and its ongoing impact on the community.

💡Youth Development

Youth development is a significant focus of the script, with the narrator detailing programs aimed at providing educational and cultural experiences for teenagers from underprivileged areas. These initiatives are intended to inspire and empower young people, offering them a broader perspective and opportunities beyond their immediate surroundings.

💡Community Center

The concept of a community center is introduced as a potential hub for positive change and a place for residents to gather and engage in activities. The narrator expresses a desire to transform their home into a community center to foster a sense of unity and provide resources for the neighborhood.

💡Block Fit

Block Fit is a term used in the script to describe the initiative encouraging residents to run through their neighborhoods, fostering a sense of pride and connection. It serves as a metaphor for taking ownership of one's community and being an active participant in its improvement.

💡Hopelessness

Hopelessness is a sentiment expressed in the script, reflecting the despair felt by some residents due to the prevalence of negative influences and lack of positive role models or opportunities. The narrator contrasts this with the potential for hope and change through community engagement and activism.

💡Segregation

Segregation is discussed as a historical and ongoing issue that has shaped the demographics and experiences of the Chatham neighborhood. The script touches on how segregation has led to the concentration of poverty and lack of resources in certain areas, contributing to the challenges faced by the community.

💡Nonprofit Organizations

Nonprofit organizations are mentioned as crucial players in addressing community needs and providing support where government and other institutions may fall short. The script emphasizes the importance of valuing and supporting these organizations in their efforts to improve conditions and opportunities for residents.

Highlights

The experience of ordering food at KFC through a bulletproof glass window symbolizes the community's reality.

Volunteering at Cook County Jail revealed a disconnect between the incarcerated youth and their city.

The realization that many residents have never visited downtown Chicago despite its proximity.

Chatham's identity as a neighborhood with a strong African-American community and a history of affluence.

The economic decline in Chatham, with property values decreasing and residents unable to afford living there.

The burden of being constantly aware of crime and the impact it has on residents' daily lives.

The initiative to turn a home into a community center to attract families and improve the neighborhood.

The importance of mental toughness for activists in challenging environments.

The concept of 'Block Fit', encouraging residents to run through their neighborhoods to fall in love with them.

The contrast between the technology used for surveillance and the lack of technology in classrooms.

The prevalence of currency exchanges with bulletproof glass and the metaphorical 'robbery' of community wealth.

The role of nonprofit organizations in addressing community issues and the need for their recognition.

The impact of gun violence as a reflection of racial and economic injustice, not just a standalone issue.

The importance of taking teenagers on educational field trips to expose them to different cultures and opportunities.

The community development efforts during COVID-19, including support for seniors and small businesses.

The philosophy of taking personal responsibility for improving one's block and community.

The call to action for individuals to engage in their democracy starting at the block level.

The idea that small, positive actions by individuals across neighborhoods can create a wave of hope.

Transcripts

before you leave chatham today actually

go try to order some food go to go to

kfc

and see have you ever ordered your food

through a bulletproof glass window you

gotta yell yo hey i want the doritos

hey what's the not the that's the spicy

matcha the cool ranch

the blue bag right you gotta yell it

[Music]

when i was volunteering at cook county

jail the students didn't want to hear me

speak and so i just asked the kids in

the jail you know all right y'all want

to hear me speak where are you from

let's just have a conversation where are

you from

and kids will be like my block is 21st

street or my hood is the low end

and i say well y'all say my block and my

hood like i own something

yo why don't you ever say my city and

that's when i realized that none of that

is a mystery this ain't my city i know

black people downtown ain't no black

people in wicked park

i was like raise your hand if you've

actually been downtown

crickets you can see the sears tower

from the room i was in in the jail

nobody ever been there

they'd never been nowhere so i was like

you know what okay god i hear you

um if you show people better they can do

better so hopefully if i can show

students

a world exists outside of their block

they won't go to jail that's the idea

it's that simple

[Music]

welcome to chatham chatham isn't really

a neighborhood it's more of a state of

mind

and that state of mind is

african-american home ownership

african-american entrepreneurship

block club organizations community

groups we used to be like cosby land in

chicago if you want to be honest like

this is where all the

you know affluent black peop

police people you know they lived here

you'll you'll notice us by our manicured

lawns our brick bungalows our victorian

and ranch style homes

it's a beautiful neighborhood man right

now it's probably 70 singers

right because all the all the people my

age left

it's it's real you can't afford to live

in chatham i mean if you buy a home in

chatham for

you know i'm i'll buy a home and chat

them for 250 thousand dollars

but then 10 years from now my home is

worth a hundred thousand dollars you've

lost 150 thousand dollars like they

nobody trying to lose 150 000

i can't it'll make a lot of sense and

then you also have crime

like that's not i mean that's um that's

a big

when you have to have a we have to be

aware so much when there's a burden of

being aware

and you gotta carry a burden around like

a backpack and look over your shoulder

it's like don't nobody wanna

we wanna be you wanna walk for walks you

wanna raise a family you don't wanna

have stray bullets hitting people

and um if you look in chatham you know

helicopters flying over people houses

you got to order your food through

bulletproof glass windows and we're so

close to the highway that we keep on

getting

robbed you know i mean people pull up

right off off the highway and prey on

our seniors and right and so

it's just not um the branding of the

whole south side of chicago right now is

not good

i'm trying to start with my block right

i'm turning this home into a community

center

i want to buy that foreclosed home right

there right and i want to buy my block

and hopefully you know success is what

you attract

not what you pursue so if we if we make

this block attractive we can attract

more families you know what i mean and

then that can spread so that's kind of

that's that's my philosophy on it

[Music]

it's a good way to fall in love with

your neighborhood if you can run three

miles a day after you've done it i feel

that's a win that's an easy win to be an

activist you got to be

you you gotta be mentally tough man but

it also gives me opportunity to see the

boarded up buildings see what

simple things i can do like there's like

on 79th and cottages there's trash

everywhere i can like okay i need to

mobilize here today

i have empathy already but when you when

you see things you can have compassion i

want to do something about it so i just

it's a good way to keep your eyes in

your neighborhood

so we have 79 in cottage grove they say

this is one of the worst streets in

chicago

it's a real lack of hope over here a

lack of inspiration

you know it's hard to be inspired when

you got liquor stores in every other

corner

it's hard to be inspired when you have

the currency exchange

oh yeah

thank you she said they'd bother you

shooting it's a gang territory right so

it's like

this is a prime gang territory in

chicago and it's hard to be inspired

when you've got a currency exchange in

every corner and the currency exchange

got three inch bulletproof glass windows

uh

meanwhile they charge you three percent

of your money like who's really being

robbed

you know what i mean uh it's hard to be

inspired when you got microphones on

every corner they're listening that's

shot spotter technology

they listen to gunshots they let the

police know where the gunshots happen

and the police can respond immediately

to any gunshots fired there's more

technology on our light poles than it is

in the classrooms ain't no laptops in

the classrooms whether it's technology

in your pool

you guys want to keep moving

like how many boarded up businesses you

see 16 so far

you can count them 17 18.

to be an activist in chicago you got to

be mentally tough

like you got to stand guard at the door

your thoughts anything can happen out

here but it's not about what happens

what you do about it

if you eat healthy you're probably going

to run around the block

if you run around a block you'll see

what's going on in your neighborhood

if you don't know what's going on in

your neighborhood you probably won't

vote if you don't

vote you probably don't volunteer

everything affects everything every

discipline affects another

you gotta feel good to do this work bro

if you don't feel good

how you gonna inspire other people

i feel good i feel good

it's another way to just have a good win

when you start the day off running three

miles you feel like you same boat

you're like i feel like i'm an active

activist

[Music]

it's after the three miles i go to

instagram and i take a photo of my watch

and my time

and i try to show some scenery off and

chat them right these this manicured

lawns the bungalows

the beautiful bushes the trim bushes the

victorian style homes and i post it on

instagram

and i say block fit encouraging

everybody be block fit run through your

neighborhood fall in love with your

neighborhood

and i hashtag chatham or a hashtag

whatever community i'm in that day

so that's how it looks really simple

post my time

it's a good way to hold yourself

accountable but also

you know a little humble brag if you go

your coffee

at the coffee shop somebody's like

coffee over to you and say

be careful and you'll be like oh what

what

what is the lid not on properly you know

um is there you know not a logo is there

not a coffee sleeve in the clock is it

too hot should we go oh no

i just meant to be careful when you go

outside today they've been shooting them

up you know be careful

it's that's shocking when they say that

to me because i it's like

i'm expecting the courteous alert to be

safe but you expect them to say all

right man be safe

but now they're starting to elevate the

caution from be safe to saying be

careful

right and then um you know next year

when you walk around and say

look out like duck there's violence man

it's gun violence

be careful you know what i mean it's

like gun violence is uh um

the way the way poverty and segregation

contribute to that is poorly understood

in chicago

right people say be safe and stuff

because they think gun violence is a

reality

it's not a reality like gun violence is

a reflection

of racial and economic injustice um it's

a reflection of poor neighborhoods

under-resourced schools high

incarceration rate and high unemployment

rate

if you got those five things you're

gonna have gun violence right it's like

ingredients right you take a pinch of

racial and economic injustice you take a

cup full of

poor neighborhoods you take a a spoonful

of

uh um high incarceration rate you stir

all that

gun violence that's what you get and

that's that's what that's what they're

saying be safe out here

do i think it's getting worse i think we

need to start respecting and valuing

nonprofit organizations that are doing

work in the community working with you

you can't it can be a top-down approach

you can't pay your way out of violence

you know you have to like

reach people where they're at yeah so we

work with youth you know we we

all all the buzzwords that come out they

say defund police

we do programs that look like that in

practice already we work with kids from

these divested community areas where

there's

you know 15 currency exchanges and no

banks you ask a kid what's a job at a

bank they don't know

never been to one right they have to

order their breakfast every morning

through bulletproof glass windows you

wonder why kids are always yelling they

gotta yell to get their food

you know you got german shepherd sniff

you when you're on a train you got a um

people marketing louis vuitton caskets

in the windows or funeral homes and

gucci fake gucci caskets

that's why there's so much hopelessness

it's just you know it's just hopeless

so is it getting worse i think um

i can't say it's getting worse i can't

say it's getting worse because that

i wake up every day in a good mood so we

take teenagers on educational field

trips and we expose them to different

cultures different professions different

cuisines

so we take kids from these areas on

expirations we call them so if you've

never been to a bank we'll take you to a

bank if you've never been to greek town

we'll take you to the national holiday

museum

if you've never been to devon avenue

we'll go eat some indian food up there

right

you can travel the world without leaving

chicago but most kids have never been

downtown they've never left their

neighborhood they've never waved for a

taxi

they see lake michigan and they say what

ocean is that right they've never been

an elevator but they want to

work in a marketing company that's

tragic so we take those teenagers we

work with 150 teenagers from 10

different schools

and once per month every student goes on

this exploration so that's our youth

development side of things

on community development we do we take

care of people no matter what i mean you

probably see us if it's a snowstorm

we shovel for seniors if it's a heat

wave we deliver fans deliver water to

singers

during cobia 19 we're still going on

about 7 000 seniors have reached out to

us

and we've been sending them ppe

connecting them to primary health care

physicians

hand sanitizer disinfectant spray all

that good stuff and um

with all the writing and the looting we

just raised a million dollars for small

businesses that were impacted that

needed

help with painting glass repair

construction and a graffiti removal

stuff like that

i could sit here and make excuses all

day and say hey the city's messed up the

country's messed up the people's messed

up well i think that philosophy is

messed up

i'm gonna go get my education i'm gonna

write down a list of my goals

instead of blaming stuff on people like

what's something simple i can do

that'll make a positive impact on my

block what's something simple i can do

like put the onus on yourself that's why

i always say my block my hood my city i

don't want to give

ownership to nobody else what's

something i can do i think democracy

starts from the block i don't think we

should wait for big city government to

come

and change everything i think if the

more connected we are the safer we are

the healthier we are the happier we are

if there's 16 houses on this side of the

street and 19 houses on that side of the

street that's 35 homes man

go walk your block and get to know who

your neighbors are the block gets better

when you start doing stuff like that

like the mayor doesn't demand that you

know your neighbors you want your block

to be better you better demand that of

yourself so i'm all about

again them 15 words what's something

simple i can do but i have a positive

impact on my block

i always tell my kids like get on the

good side of the way things work

how you feel about it is how we feel

about how we feel about it but get the

information

first be on the good side of the way

things work like if you

you know if you drive a car off the

bridge right now they can be like oh

jamal was a good person didn't know the

game work

if a police officer pulls you over you

start making these oh

you're dead that's not how the game

works so how i feel about that

is how i feel about it right but

unfortunately in this country it feels

like

um

they need to stop shooting people what

they need to stop doing

because we fed up with that i don't

you know put a hoodie on for trayvon

walked for laquan pry for betty jones

held my breath for eric i'm tired of all

this stuff i'm tired of these slogans

enough is enough and um they need to

stop shooting

people will stop protesting i got hope

but

i'm i'm putting action behind my hope

you know what i mean

i want to vote i want to volunteer i

want to get involved

i want to ask questions all those things

is what it means to hope to me it's not

just like i'm just going to hope things

change i wish no that's not hope if you

do something simple in pilsen

i do something simple chatham somebody

do something similar uptown we're all

creating these ripples

and they can come together and create a

wave of hope in chicago that's how i

feel so

that's the truth like it's it's a the

problems can't be solved from the top

down if they could they could

pay some money right now to stop this

stuff they would

you