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Monday, February 6, 2012
Getting real with Antwone Fisher and Ricky Ross
by Christopher Shannon, published on May 29, 2010 at 12:36 AM
Storyline: Community and Events
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Overcoming the life and lure of crime was one of multiple topics discussed by Antwone Fisher and Ricky ‘Freeway’ Ross at the “Sacramento Youth Gets Up Close & Personal with the ‘Real’ Antwone Fisher” event at the George Sim Community Center.
“I had to find protection,” said Fisher as he described his days of being emancipated and entering a men’s shelter. “Butch, this guy who was my protector, gave me a job and my job was to collect money from the prostitutes who worked for him.”
“He was the first person, that I felt, who really cared about me.”
Fisher discussed his time with Butch, and how it came to an end.
“He also had these cards that had addresses on them, and people he would send to me to get these cards from me, they would give me $200, $300, whatever they had written on the back, that’s how much they would give me for the card,” said Fisher.
“So I had this regular customer that would always hold the card for him, and this particular day he didn’t show up. So when I gave Butch all the money, whatever I had that card was with it, and when he saw it he just started beating me up.”
“Everybody who had been my friend, or I thought were my friends up to that time, was just standing around watching. And I couldn’t understand why he got so upset about it. And when I ask when it was all over, it was explained to me that drug addicts were exchanging their children for heroin. Those addresses were where the children were.”
“After that, I left and went back to the shelter and got some of my things out of the trunk in the storeroom and I left.”
Ross’ desire to leave the life of crime and channel his energy elsewhere occurred as he served time in prison for drug trafficking.
“I started off on the wrong path,” said Ross. “The only opportunities that I saw was in my neighborhood. The things I thought I was going to be able to survive on was hemp, dope dealing, hustling, gang banging; none of the other things that I see now were even an option for me at that time.”
Ross, who garnered the nickname “Freeway” due to the numerous properties he owned along the Harbor Freeway in Los Angeles, is otherwise known for the drug ring he presided over in Los Angeles during the early 1980s.
“It took me getting incarcerated, facing a life sentence, to really find out who I was,” said Ross. “Even though I made over a million dollars a day, maybe more, a still had a low self esteem about myself.”
Ross recalled how he was too embarrassed to tell his lawyer he couldn’t read or write. He took a legal document from his lawyer back to his cell and gained a desire to read it.
“When that desire came, I learned how to read,” said Ross. “In two weeks, I could remember every word on the page, I could remember what they meant, and I understood what they were saying.”
“What that taught me is I could do anything if I really put my mind and heart to it and if I have a reason.”
While in prison, Ross wrote two books, three movie scripts, and came up with ideas for two reality shows.
Fisher served in the United States Navy for eleven years, followed by work as a Federal Correctional Officer and a security officer at Sony Pictures. Fisher has worked in Hollywood for sixteen years as a writer and producer, with fourteen writing projects with the major studios to his credit. This includes work on Rush Hour, Antwone Fisher, and Training Day.
The event was organized by the City of Sacramento’s Neighborhood Services Department, in partnership with Black Men Who Mean Business (BMWMB).
Councilmember Kevin McCarty was also in attendance.
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Now that McCarty is running for office - he wants to act interested - typical politician.
Hammond is another one who should never speak about helping youth - she openly disparages youth organizations, and singlehandedly spearheaded the demolition of the Police Athletic League building.
When the City was offered a FREE federally funded youth training program that would have provided HUNDREDS of well paying youth jobs, they actually FOUGHT to keep it out of Sacramento. To them, politics are more important than lives.
However hard this may be to believed, I didn't at first, there are individuals on the Council, and running in District 5 that have been bad mouthing and trying to undermine the Boys & Girls Club - which I suspect has affected their fundraising. That candidate for D5, and his son, have been trying to start their own youth center, with a lot of tax payers support of course, - clearly he hates the competition. I could name names, but it should be obvious...
The point is, this City could care less about our youth, they let the County deal with them when they are incarcerated.
McCarty, announced the event after the council session, when the council members speak of events occurring in their district, he was genuine in his excitement to attend this event.. Perhaps that’s the reason he was on stage.
McCarty was concerned with at-risk youth prior to running for office. He's not acting interested. He is interested. Typical caring individual. I would speak more of his genuine. efforts but I had not had the pleasure of attending many programs in his district , I’m busy elsewhere. McCarty's heart is sincere.
Hammond should speak about helping youth. She held and participated in several youth forums, prior to running for this office as well. She met with youth at-risk and youth who were beyond at risk but living the nightmare. Hammond, PannelL, Sheedy held youth forums. I was there and I attended and I saw Hammond speak up for the youth and give the youth a voice. I have seen her openly speak up to organizations who were profiting off the backs of youth but not effectively, significantly helping the youth. I’ve seen her embrace the programs/organizations that were. She’s genuine in her efforts to help the youth. Her heart is sincere.
Since you mentioned McCarty and Hammond I did as well. But it doesn't stop with them. I've seen Fong at at-risk youth events as well as Sheedy. Heck, I know Pannell addresses youth violence. I live in her district and I see, regularly the love coming from Pannell to the youth of Sacramento.
Former Mayor Fargo opened her heart, arms to embrace at risk youth. She held open special sessions to address youth violence. The Office of Youth Development was developed under her leadership. Lynn Corbett does an excellent job running amok to meet with everyone with a program, everyone wanting a program......
The point is the City does care about our youth. (Mayor Johnson is the ONLY one in the City that held an event for self promotion and not actually for the youth. (Granted I have not seen/ witnessed efforts of all on the council but they didn't masquerade their self promotion as a youth event.
So much is going on in the City. So many in the City are doing far more than waiting to let the County deal with them when they are incarcerated. Your comment is far from accurate. I suspect you or someone you know had a program denied funding. So I'm going to the source and asking you?????
Besides being a nice guy, Lynn Corbett has done nothing of substance, well he does get paid handsomely to appear interested.
Name ONE program that Corbett or the city has offered that makes a REAL difference - everything I've seen has been a dog and pony show, nothing they have offered will make a difference to at-risk youth. PLEASE I am dying to hear.
Summer job programs that pay minimum wage do nothing at all to provide real opportunity for education, training and jobs. AND the youth that really need intensive attention - are never going to take these jobs - they make more money on the streets.
In April I attended a city council session upset and threatened the mayor/ council actually promised them I'd be back.... That week I received several calls from Corbett, went to his office and discussed my concerns. We shared info I was given information on the many programs, many of which I knew about some I didn't. I was invited to the Sierra Health Partnership meeting where MANY organizations addressing youth violence were in attendance. I could not make it. I was with my own son on that day, but have the notes given to me from Corbett of who is doing what.
You can do as I did, attend city hall or contact Lynn Corbett. When I go to city hall to address the needs of at-risk youth I am often standing alone!!! And I will NOT debate this issue with someone who has not stood there to complain, or who I have NOT known from ANY of the youth violence meetings I have attended. Heck, so many folks do not come out to the town hall meetings, city council sessions, summits UNLESS money was available for their program or they think they should start program. I see you didn’t answer my question.
You're wrong the youth that need intensive attention are taking these jobs, They don't make more money on the streets, many are robbed, many are killed, many are arrested, many are mourning the death/ life sentence of a friend, family member..... contrary to the belief of some they are often making "money on the streets" to get by and welcome a real job a honest living. Summer job programs are not the end all but they do help at a time when adult family members can't get a job.
So if you're dying I suggest you catch your breath and call the office of youth development and learn what I have learned. Call 311 and ask about programs/ services for youth, attend city hall with your concerns, attend youth summits, town hall meetings…
I think some people have me mistaken; I don’t have to save face or prove myself. FYI, I’m tired, exhausted of debates…. My actions (movements going to so many places) speak for itself.
Give a man a fish he can eat for a day; teach him how to fish he can eat for a lifetime!!!! I won't give you anything more than what I gave you. I'm not here or elsewhere to debate, but to share what I have seen. Since I do more than post; I debate at nearly every forum I attend. You can take it or leave it for all I care. My conscious is clear Let me know when you’d like to come by and go through all of material I have obtained. I did the hard part; I went to the MEETINGS, summits, workshops, council sessions without getting paid. You can go through all the boxes of material, info I have yourself; if you’re genuinely concerned. Surely you have more energy than I do.
I truly thank you for attending the program and for sharing with us the events of the program. I could not attend and I thank you for bringing it to us. I truly enjoyed reading your article. You brought the people to us and I appreciate you for doing so. It was good to read your article, while some of what they said was sad it showed a rainbow after their storm of bad decisions.
I apologize to you. It was not my intention to overshadow your excellent article with my comments or me commenting to a post. The good does outweigh the bad; your article is so very good. Thank you. I apologize for my previous comments which were off subject.
No offense taken by your comments. In fact, your comments provided information on the efforts made by City leaders to combat youth crime.
Please fill us in on how this city is combating youth crime.
I have developed, wrote the curriculum and managed a federally funded vocational training program that has graduated thousands of students in the bay area.
I have a degree in Criminal Justice with emphasis in Juvenile delinquency
I've been on the Board of Directors of a Boys & Girls Club..
I am the Co-founder of Build America a non-profit youth training program.
I am a former at-risk youth.
Any other questions?
I've read many of your posts here and elsewhere. I knew you care about the youth. I knew you were involved…. But you kept avoiding my first question. Heck, sometimes it's like we have to play chess with people. I was betting on you being a proud person…..
Build America sounds familiar...
I have a memory that is actually pretty darn good. A while back I received an email from a friend concerned the city wasn't supporting his friend in Natomas who was developing a training program.... He explained to me what his friend was attempting to do...... Then later he wrote a blog about it on his online site. I can't remember the title. He was questioning or insulting the city for not supporting a particular program or encouraging the city to support a particular program...
That's why I asked if you had a program that the city didn't embrace. I've noticed you will pic and pull what you want to discuss, choose what you want to address *(that's why I wouldn't provide you additional info. We'd go back and forth as you pic n pull. )
Don’t get me wrong your labor is impressive and appreciated. I've been doing this a long time and I know everything sounding impressive isn't always effective... But I don’t make light of your efforts, in fact I applaud you. I'm not saying you attacked the city due to personal reasons but I have seen it done time and time again, when people who did not get the support they wanted they in turn attack the city and see all other efforts as a waste of time.... And you continuously avoided answering that first question.
So yes, I do have another question, a couple, in fact it's like pulling teeth, heck, I had to play a game of chess to get it out of you. If the city had embraced, supported... a program you co-founded would your first comment been the same? Was it your program you mentioned in your first post as being a FREE federally funded youth training that you say the city fought to keep out of Sac? This didn't have to be this exhausting. And when you failed to answer it in the beginning, even after previously reading your impressive comments regarding youth on another site I thought maybe I hit the hammer on the nail
There are many ways the City looks to manage crime amongst youth.
According to the Sacramento Police Department’s Annual Report, the Department has a Youth Development Program using one-on-one mentoring to involve qualified students toward a carrier in law enforcement. SPD partners with local middle and high schools to identify candidates for the program.
The Sacramento Police Department also has a Youth Advisory Committee (YAC), whose mission is “to provide a teenaged perspective on various issues to the Chief of Police so that the Department can better serve the youth and citizens in the Sacramento community”.
The upcoming Kops N Kids program, now in its 24th year, partners not only with the Sacramento Police Department, but with other local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, local fire departments, educators, and community volunteers all to provide a week-long summer day camp to 300+ children ages 9-13 in the Sacramento area. This camp features gang resistance, drug awareness, and violence prevention curriculum and activities, among other things.
Fighting crime isn’t limited to SPD. The recent Neighborhood Summit put on by the Neighborhood Services Department had workshops on crime detection and prevention. The mission of the city’s Office of Youth Development is “to assist Sacramento in becoming a youth friendly city by providing an infrastructure of support and resources to ensure youth are successful”.
I assume by your username that you live in Natomas, so surely you heard about the opening of the T.E.E.N. Center (Together Enriching & Empowering Natomas) for teens and young adults in mid-April. I assume you also know of the Natomas Police Resource Center, which opened in December 2008 with the help of Angelique Ashby, who is currently running for Councilmember in District 1.
Hope this helps in answering your question.
Sorry I couldn't help answer your question.
You seem to have a lot of knowledge regarding this subject, so I was wondering if you could elaborate on some programs for us (city sponsored or other), not just for me but for the benefit of our readers who may want to assist or may in fact be an at-risk youth looking for help.
Thanks again for your input and assistance.
Any youth program that does not DIRECTLY provide REAL alternatives is a waste of time and money.
Next to the City of Oakland's youth boot camp, I cannot name ANY government ran program that makes a difference. The government is incapable of developing any succesful program. That being said, the government has the ability to put MILLIONS of youth to work at no additional cost to the taxpayer, but they dont due to pressure from public employee unions.
Jennifer
Also the window of federal funding has all but closed... it would be almost impossible to get funding now...but one never knows. The funding was for start up, the program is self sustaining after that.
I dont want to leave my email address on here, so I sent you one at your hotmail address.