Chicago’s gun violence and racial tensions within its black and Latino communities attracted the national spotlight in 2016. Addressing the root causes of these problems will require a nuanced approach—and considerable investments of time and money. Now, one local organization is in the national spotlight for being part of the solution.
He grew up frustrated with the situation, along with the lack of resources and opportunities around him.
“They may say, ‘Mom taught me how to be a man,’ or ‘The streets taught me how to be a man,'” Smith says. “Rarely do you hear them say, ‘My father taught me how to be a man.'” Most black children grow up in single-parent households, Smith notes, with various social factors taking parents out of their kids’ lives.
The Dovetail Project recruits in the community—on street corners, at CTA stops, and even going door to door. Potential students can also apply online. The program is offered twice each year, in the spring and in the fall, with recruitment taking place between sessions.
Today was the Dovetail Project 14th Graduation! It’s official #245Fathers. Support us by making a donation at https://t.co/Nzls5jcb55 pic.twitter.com/nrQDeHlacl
— The Dovetail Project (@dovetailproject) December 16, 2016
“My father was in and out of my life,” he says. “I maybe cried about it until I was 23 or 24. But I was able to overcome it, be a great father to my daughter, and stay focused on what I needed to do to move the organization forward.”
