Deriving Power from Injury
Evaniya Shakya
Eastwood, a small neighborhood in Chicago, is weighed down by the world’s view of them; poor, predominantly black, violent and in need of “help” (9). In Renegade Dreams, Ralph tells the story of activists, gang leaders, patients and teenagers while constantly refusing to portray them as victims. He does not want our judgments clouded by statistics like “57% of all Eastwoodians were involved in some way in the criminal justice system” (10). He gives us a glimpse into East wood, “a community that was battered but far from beaten.” (12) . He shows us that they are not “doomed for failure” (10) because many Eastwoodians have learned to rise above the injuries inflicted on their psyches and their …show more content…
The church’s intentions are not bad, they are idealistic. However, they are contributing to form of social injury inflicted on Eastwoodians who will no longer be able to afford to live in their own homes. This dream of giving Eastwood a “middle-class” makeover only served to further aggravate an already polarized community. We are asked to consider the many after effects following this process of gentrification. How many more people will be homeless? How many will enter the drug trade? How may more will be injured? The church undoubtedly wants to help its “neighbors” and consequently the “neighborhood” (34). But their actions do not help those that are in immediate need of help. Like Eric Childs, activist and former gang leader, claims the TIF is a business more concerned about overall profits than the welfare of the entire …show more content…
Ironically, the older members of the gang view the new generation of members in the same light, as renegades. Ralph tells us that “Spending time in Eastwood has helped [him] see how community leaders – and even a substantial portion of gang leaders themselves, fail to understand the youngest generation” (82). People like Mr. Otis and Red hold on to their version of the past so tightly that it inflicts a form of injury on the new gang members. Mr. Otis glorifies the Knight’s political activism in the past blaming the next generation of leaders for the gang’s association with violence and greed. Red’s generation however longs for complete loyalty. Stuck between their nostalgia, the younger members are powerless and without the essential support and mentorship of the gang. These young members are not only criticized by their leaders but they also feel scrutinized by the Eastwood Church. Dancers meet in the church to participate in “footworkin”. Though this activity is solely organized for their own benefit the young gang members frequently disrupt other performances and church services with outbursts. Ralph explicitly states a “crucial point”(152) – the outbursts and protests are all a result of the gang members feeling dismissed or censored by people with
Evaniya Shakya
Eastwood, a small neighborhood in Chicago, is weighed down by the world’s view of them; poor, predominantly black, violent and in need of “help” (9). In Renegade Dreams, Ralph tells the story of activists, gang leaders, patients and teenagers while constantly refusing to portray them as victims. He does not want our judgments clouded by statistics like “57% of all Eastwoodians were involved in some way in the criminal justice system” (10). He gives us a glimpse into East wood, “a community that was battered but far from beaten.” (12) . He shows us that they are not “doomed for failure” (10) because many Eastwoodians have learned to rise above the injuries inflicted on their psyches and their …show more content…
The church’s intentions are not bad, they are idealistic. However, they are contributing to form of social injury inflicted on Eastwoodians who will no longer be able to afford to live in their own homes. This dream of giving Eastwood a “middle-class” makeover only served to further aggravate an already polarized community. We are asked to consider the many after effects following this process of gentrification. How many more people will be homeless? How many will enter the drug trade? How may more will be injured? The church undoubtedly wants to help its “neighbors” and consequently the “neighborhood” (34). But their actions do not help those that are in immediate need of help. Like Eric Childs, activist and former gang leader, claims the TIF is a business more concerned about overall profits than the welfare of the entire …show more content…
Ironically, the older members of the gang view the new generation of members in the same light, as renegades. Ralph tells us that “Spending time in Eastwood has helped [him] see how community leaders – and even a substantial portion of gang leaders themselves, fail to understand the youngest generation” (82). People like Mr. Otis and Red hold on to their version of the past so tightly that it inflicts a form of injury on the new gang members. Mr. Otis glorifies the Knight’s political activism in the past blaming the next generation of leaders for the gang’s association with violence and greed. Red’s generation however longs for complete loyalty. Stuck between their nostalgia, the younger members are powerless and without the essential support and mentorship of the gang. These young members are not only criticized by their leaders but they also feel scrutinized by the Eastwood Church. Dancers meet in the church to participate in “footworkin”. Though this activity is solely organized for their own benefit the young gang members frequently disrupt other performances and church services with outbursts. Ralph explicitly states a “crucial point”(152) – the outbursts and protests are all a result of the gang members feeling dismissed or censored by people with