At the Roots, Reaching for the Sky chronicles nearly 40 years of my experience working with families and children in neighborhoods in the city of St. Louis, MO. Through my work, I was able to meet, get to know and love African American residents of the community. Together, we were able to overcome differences of race and class and build a peaceful community where everyone's background and experiences made our accomplishments all the better.
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John Pachak. At the Roots, Reaching for the Sky
PRAISE FOR THE WORK OF MIDTOWN
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
MIDTOWN
OUR WORK
SOCIAL WORK METHODS
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES—CHILDREN
YOUTH PROGRAMS
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES—ADULT
FAMILY ASSISTANCE
ADULT HEALTH PROGRAMS
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
ADULT GROUPS
POVERTY
THE QUESTIONS OF POVERTY
POVERTY’S EFFECT
STOP GENTRIFICATION!STOP EMINENT DOMAIN!
COMMUNITY
OUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
PEACE
HOPE
TO OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN NEIGHBORS
AND IN THE END THE LOVE YOU TAKE IS EQUAL TO THE LOVE YOU MAKE
AFTERWORD
GLOSSARY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ENDNOTES
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The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart.
Dorothy Day
.....
I met thousands of African Americans over the nearly 40 years I worked in St. Louis. I would have to say there is something special about the people I met. They were more generous, patient, concerned about their neighbors, non-judgmental and willing to work with white people than I ever expected. Maybe the pain of slavery and its aftermath has made them a different kind of people. I know they are willing to forgive this American “original sin” and move forward as complete members of our society. I think there is much more African Americans can teach other Americans about life and living. What we as white people must do is repent the sin of slavery, seek forgivenessand repair our relationships with the descendants of slaves.
I learned this about African Americans through nearly forty years of relationship-building and nearly 20 years of community organizing and development. Although initially our goal had been to work with our African American neighbors to help increase opportunities for social mobility, our efforts changed to include working toward Social Liberation. Unlike social mobility which requires conformity, social liberation goes to the root of our divisions: class and race. This would mean our neighbors could work on the issues most directly causing the stagnation of social mobility.
