2008 Woodie Awards
"An Urban Cancer that is Spreading"
Brandy Metott
Issue date: 11/28/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Graphic photos, violent videos, devastating voicemails, and lost youth all overcame the big screen in the Lally School of Education, in the Carl E.Touhey Forum. Ron 'Cook' Barrett used humor and the devastating truth to present on gang prevention on Monday morning at 9 a.m. The College of Saint Rose was exposed to the truth for a little more than two hours on the "urban cancer that is spreading," said Barrett.
Barrett informed the audience that there are several gangs present in the Albany area, along with the rest of New York. Gangs such as the Bloods, Cribs, and Latin Kings have flooded onto the streets and are stealing the youth of this generation. Local gangs such as the Jungle Junkies, Tally, and Original Gangsta Killas also pose a real threat to the youth.
Barrett expressed how no youth are safe from these gangs, while many authority figures including police turn a blind eye to this epidemic. Being "proactive and not reactive," was Barrett's response to the ignorance of these groups. Children as young as nine are being recruited for these gangs, and it hits every neighborhood. Gangs can include whites, blacks, Asians, Latinos, male, female, and every child that is lost and looking to belong can be a targeted for recruitment.
"Why not be with a family that holds me down," stated a youth on the video, showing one of the reasons that youth belong to gangs.
Two symbols present in gang life are the five and six point stars. The five point star represents love, sacrifice, respect, honor and obedience. While the six point star represents knowledge, wisdom, understanding, life, love, and loyalty. These symbols represent noble qualities in any person, and it is easy to see why youth would want to be apart of the gangs that represent these qualities. However, they are being twisted in gang life.
Barrett feels that the media is one of the greatest influences on youth. Movies such as "Scarface" and "Training Day," and hip-hop and rap music all leave impacts on the youth. Many magazines are also being published that deal directly with gangs and life in prison.
Barrett had many compelling stories that show that gang prevention is his life not only his job. Calls at all hours of the night and helping teens get out of gangs are a few ways he dedicates his life to this cause. His last story was about a young girl that he considered his daughter. As he spoke of this 13 year olds tale of her gang rape initiation, hysterectomy, 67 day coma and suicide, tears came to his eyes as he wiped them away with a red bandana that represented the gang the girl belonged to.
"Each One Teach One - We cannot save every young man or woman, but we can give them the opportunity to make good choices," read the last slide of the power point presentation as Barrett pleaded for anyone to get involved to help with his program and help the youth fight this "urban cancer."
Barrett informed the audience that there are several gangs present in the Albany area, along with the rest of New York. Gangs such as the Bloods, Cribs, and Latin Kings have flooded onto the streets and are stealing the youth of this generation. Local gangs such as the Jungle Junkies, Tally, and Original Gangsta Killas also pose a real threat to the youth.
Barrett expressed how no youth are safe from these gangs, while many authority figures including police turn a blind eye to this epidemic. Being "proactive and not reactive," was Barrett's response to the ignorance of these groups. Children as young as nine are being recruited for these gangs, and it hits every neighborhood. Gangs can include whites, blacks, Asians, Latinos, male, female, and every child that is lost and looking to belong can be a targeted for recruitment.
"Why not be with a family that holds me down," stated a youth on the video, showing one of the reasons that youth belong to gangs.
Two symbols present in gang life are the five and six point stars. The five point star represents love, sacrifice, respect, honor and obedience. While the six point star represents knowledge, wisdom, understanding, life, love, and loyalty. These symbols represent noble qualities in any person, and it is easy to see why youth would want to be apart of the gangs that represent these qualities. However, they are being twisted in gang life.
Barrett feels that the media is one of the greatest influences on youth. Movies such as "Scarface" and "Training Day," and hip-hop and rap music all leave impacts on the youth. Many magazines are also being published that deal directly with gangs and life in prison.
Barrett had many compelling stories that show that gang prevention is his life not only his job. Calls at all hours of the night and helping teens get out of gangs are a few ways he dedicates his life to this cause. His last story was about a young girl that he considered his daughter. As he spoke of this 13 year olds tale of her gang rape initiation, hysterectomy, 67 day coma and suicide, tears came to his eyes as he wiped them away with a red bandana that represented the gang the girl belonged to.
"Each One Teach One - We cannot save every young man or woman, but we can give them the opportunity to make good choices," read the last slide of the power point presentation as Barrett pleaded for anyone to get involved to help with his program and help the youth fight this "urban cancer."
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