Taking the Opportunity
Growing up in violent East St. Louis, Dr. Harry Edwards never could have imagined that he’d end up being the owner of four Super Bowl rings, the author of seven books and over 300 articles, the man who has spent 31 years on the faculty at Berkeley, or the man that has lectured all over the world.
It was through hard work, perseverance and high expectations of himself, that the author, activist and 49ers team consultant has become one of the most well-known and well-respected professors in the world.
It was that message that Dr. Edwards shared with a group of former juvenile offenders who have exited the system and are now part of San Francisco’s District Attorney Kamala Harris’ “Changing the Odds” program. The group attended 49ers training camp yesterday.
“We pick our path; we do not choose our journey,” Dr. Edwards told the attentive youngsters. “The journey is something that comes to us, that we are put in a position to take advantage of. But you have to be prepared for the journey that comes your way. You have to keep the faith, you have to work hard.”
The youths are now on their own journey and to help them reach their success, Dr. Edwards and 49ers alumnus Guy McIntyre shared words of wisdom to help inspire the group.
“You have to have high expectations of yourself. You cannot allow your situation to dictate what you are, where you go, what you are to become,” Dr. Edwards continued. “You have to get above that. If you’re going to be successful, you have to begin to be as if. You have to take full advantage of the only proven shortcut. There is a proven, demonstrable, unequivocal, full-proof shortcut that you want to take full advantage of, and that shortcut is hard work.”
The participants of “Changing the Odds” have been given a second chance in life and are jumping at the opportunity.
The program, a joint partnership between the District Attorney, nonprofit organizations, leading businesses and City departments, gives employment opportunities to these youth and prepares them for the working world and for life in general.
“I really believe strongly that one of the smartest ways that we’re going to create good public safety and keep our communities safe and health is to prevent crime from happening – going to predictable places and stopping crime from happening,” explained DA Harris. “One of the best ways to do that is to focus on youth who have been in the system and do what we can by way of intervention to get them support, to get them job training and skills, so that they don’t end up being a problem for us as an adult. It’s really just a wonderful example of a healthy and strong public/private partnership around the idea of not only doing what is right and what is good as it relates to youth in the community, but doing what is right and what is smart around good public safety.”
The kids got to see first-hand what hard work and perseverance can get you. They had the opportunity to meet Donald Strickland, the 49ers safety who grew up in their same neighborhood, Bayview/Hunters Point, and for many, attended the same high school. To see what Strickland’s determination has produced hit home with the kids.
“I’ve been living in San Francisco for four years,” said Leajay Harper, a 24-year old participant of “Changing the Odds”. “I came out here and I was homeless and living on the streets of Berkeley. I’ve been homeless since I was 17 years old. I came out here because I was pregnant and I didn’t want Child Services to take by baby, so now I’m living in transitional housing and I have two kids. I was incarcerated when I was 18 and basically now I’m trying to be a role model for my two daughters.”
Harper who is now working in the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families in San Francisco is on her way to being that positive role model.
“It’s not about a hand-out, it’s about giving them a hand,” explained DA Harris. “It’s about self determination. It’s about self fulfillment and about a community coming together around them.”
What is really comes down to, is taking advantage of the opportunities that present themselves to you. District Attorney Harris took advantage of her community partners when she created the program.
“Dr. Edwards was the first person connected with the 49ers that I reached out to because he’s obviously been such a great leader around so many issues around self empowerment and helping people to figure out how to be responsible to themselves and responsible to their communities,” she said. “I reached out to him and it was through that relationship with him that we developed a strong relationship with the 49ers. As we’ve progressed in the program, the 49ers have sent out players and coaches who have come to and talked with young people about the need to exercise and think about what they eat. These kids look up and see someone that’s associated with the 49ers and that’s a hero to them and it’s somebody that they want to emulate. It’s somebody that they think is doing the right thing. So when that person says to them, ‘stick with this program, get training, think about your education, be a responsible parent, exercise and eat right,’ when a 49er is telling you that, they listen.”
It was apparent that the messages coming from Dr. Edwards were absorbed by the program participants who are looking to change their lives and grasp the opportunities that present themselves.
In closing, Dr. Edwards declared, “In the end, the path you take may not lead to where you think it’s going to lead you, but where it does lead to, is going to be alright, because you picked the path, you didn’t pick the journey. Life isn’t that simple.”
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In addition, 30 youths from San Francisco’s Japanese Community Youth Council (JCYC) attended practice and participated in the 49ers Gatorade Junior Training Camp.
The JCYC is one of San Francisco’s most prominent youth organizations. While still committed to children and youth from the Japanese American community, JCYC has evolved and grown into an organization which annually serves over 5,000 young people from all socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds.
The attendees were from three of JCYC’s programs, the Mayor’s Youth Employment and Education Program (MYEEP), the Independent Living Skills Program, and SF YouthWorks.
These programs provide subsidized employment for low-income youth, and provide training and support to youth in the foster care system. The JCYC strives to offer young people a comprehensive array of services to ensure that they have the resources and support necessary to grow into healthy, productive adults.
The kids learned football skills like passing, ball carrying and tackling while also learning about proper hydration.
During camp, more than 1,500 youth visit the 49ers training facility to watch practice and participate in a 49ers Gatorade Junior Training Camp. To learn more, visit the Youth Football section on 49ers.com.
