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Barnabus Shakur was “raised amongst gangs, drugs, violence and other struggles associated with economically disadvantaged communities,” according to his own biography. And when a 19-year-old buddy received a life sentence, Shakur decided to harness his life and send it in another direction, helping other kids in Bedford-Stuyvesant to stay away from those gangs, drugs and violence through his non-profit, Project Re-Generation. He’s gathered an army of such kids, turning them into Foot Soldiers, his name for a teen job training program that has kids “remove litter, leaves, snow, weeds, and trash from your front yard, stairway, and sidewalk” in exchange for a few bucks a week. Yes, they’ll do the backyard, too, if you have one. The kids can earn community service hours for high school credits and they take money management workshops, so they don’t spend their stipends all in one place.


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  1. Chime,

    The best and most honest work is physical labor. It has done wonders for my soul and sense of self worth. It grounds you with a sense of humility which fosters an appreciation of those who do more complex jobs. I see no danger of “acculturation” particularly. There is no such janitorial culture. work is work.

  2. chime, I understand your concern. But before I became a high-powered g-man, I mopped floors, washed dishes, cleaned bathrooms and whole bunch of other stuff that taught me to show up on time and get the job done. None of those jobs “acculturated” me to a lifetime of menial labor. If anything, the jobs gave me incentive to aspire to more.

  3. They will come to Crown Heights, at least most parts of Crown Heights North. I plan to support them, as well.

    Good work habits learned in this program can lead to so many opportunities, including discipline for academic endeavors. Who knows, a kid can be working for someone who turns out to be the connection to a scholarship, a job, or the inspiration for a whole new direction in life. We have all benefited from connections often casually made in life, the key is in leaving one’s comfort zone to meet new people. This program is a good thing for the kids and the communities they serve.

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