A Paradigm Shift

by Rev. Nelson Johnson

Mar. 24, 2009

[The attached proposal grew out of a meeting between the Beloved Community Center, the Pulpit Forum of Clergy of Greensboro and Vicinity, the Mayor, the City Manager, and the Director of the Human Relations Commission.  Copies of the Paradigm Shift were presented to the Greensboro City Council, the City of Greensboro Human Relations Commission and the Sherrif of Guilford County Sheriff,B.J. Barnes.  ]

A Proposal to Engage Street Groups or “Gangs” As a Potential Resource for Safe Communities, Justice Making and Community Building

(From the Beloved Community Center and the Pulpit Forum of Clergy of Greensboro, NC)

Preamble:
Perhaps the greatest challenge facing any family, community or city is the challenge of modeling, guiding and nurturing the growth of children and teenagers into responsible adults.  It appears that we as a community are not doing well with this undertaking, especially as it relates to low income youth and children of color.   There comes a time when it becomes important for us to reexamine and perhaps reframe our basic approach to making progress in this area, an area of deep concern to the whole community.  We are convinced that the time has come for our city to make such a change.  With humility and hope, we offer this proposal as a step toward making that change.  (Note: It might be better to read the last section first, entitled: Time for a change! Is there Hope?  What’s the evidence?)

Background and Recent Developments:
It is apparent that some of the major factors contributing to the current plight of youth are the breakdown of the family, the disintegration of extended family networks, and the related loss of a sense of community responsibility, nurturance and mutuality.  While an explanation of why such breakdowns are occurring is beyond the scope of this proposal, we believe that some of the contributing factors include poverty and racism, combined with consumerism, materialism, individualism, and the absence of a positive community spirituality and ethos.  At any rate, we are convinced that it will take the entire community engaged in a “learning and doing process” to turn this situation around.

It is in the spirit of finding a way that works and that involves the whole community that we advance this proposal.  Although not explicitly  spelled out,  inherent in this proposal is a call for the strengthening of families, neighborhoods and the cultivation of a spirit of community that seeks to affirm, nurture and care for all of its members, especially those historically abused and most marginalized.

In late June of 2008 we were privileged to meet a group called the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (ALKQN).  The Inca (leader) of the group – King J (Jorge Cornell) – shared with us his desire to cultivate peace among “gangs” or street groups, to promote greater unity between Black and Brown people and to engage the prejudices and injustices, especially as experienced by Black and Brown people. 

To read A Paradigm Shift in its entirety, please download above.

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