y
r
ith u.s. labor t' jc � 0 ing
BI youth unemployment currently
ding t 50 percent' mo major
citie ,and ith the real rate of jobl
De for B teen en proachi.nl 90
percent, many B1a organiz tions are
m ne attempts to pin jobs for
Bl youth. In e York City, for
exampl, some B teen en h ve
t en the truggle for jobs to the reet.
"Don't op here your children
can't 0 ," fumed 14-year�ld Deardr
Gaines, e and 25 other BI ck teen-
e from the Flatbu c 'on of
Brooklyn formed picket line in front
f the T 0 Stars oe tore, located in
their community' commercial through­
fare. A the mainly Blac and Hispanic
opper p the store the teenager
urg d them not to enter, explaining that
the 0 r h b ed t their reque t
to hire Bl � teen ers. But after four
hour of virtually no bu .
pi ced ign in hi indo hich read
"Help anted - BI Youth Only.'
Th m rchant' illingne to com-
promise no rp to the teen ers,
ho are members of the Black Unem­
ployed Youth ovement (BUYM), a
Brooklyn gra root organiz tion m de
up of 35 youth ( ed 14 to 19) and
14 dult dviser. Since the organization
a formed in early 1982, it h ged
boycott ainst 21 local merchant
ho h d refu d to hire. re 'dent teen-
en. 'the Flatbu community's over­
helming support of the boycotts forced
the merchant to compromi , resulting
in 21 part-time job for Black teenager.
In Flatbu ,Black and Hi anies make
up pproximately 60 percent of the
pop lation.
BUYM contends that because of the
high rate of Blac youth unemployment,
similar boycott ill spring up nation­
ide, within the next two years.
, e're hoping that BUYM will be
model aero the country in dealing with
Bla youth unemployment, ys
Oma alle CI y, former shop steward
ith the United Auto Workers and for­
mer union representative of the Coalition
of Bl Trade Unionist (CBTU), ho is
o esnan for the movement.
Clay e plain th t BUYM i an out­
gro th of "Fightb ,t' a Brooklyn and
Harlem labor rights organization that
has struggled for nearly 20 year to
secure more job and fair treatment for
Bla sin, the construction industry .
During the fall of 1981, Fightbac '
leader join d with other community
ctivist to plan ays to obtain more
job opportunitie for Blac youth-
o that most of the young member
of BUYM have been hired oc cler s,
cashiers and espeople, the adult advis­
er ar planning a rie of meeting with
the 0 ner of local department store
to discu the po ility of establishing
youth training programs at the ores.
Rondu Rodriguez, a 15-year-old mem­
ber, says that the benefits of the move­
ment go beyond finding a job. "You
learn about your history," Rondu says.
"The movement gives you If-respect
and teaches different busine ills that
help you to deal with different types of
people. The mo ement is preparing
us for the future, well be stronger
and h ve a strong b in the commun-
ity." ,
Clay ys that BUYM has historical
links ith pa boycott by Blac and
wa designed to echo the Harlem boy­
cotts of the 1940, which were spear­
headed by the late Congressman dam
Clayton Powell, and the massive grass­
roots demonstrations of the late 1950
and early 60 such as the ontgomery
bus boycott. "This i more than ju a
job-hunting exerci . It's like a historical
training ground for our youth," y
Clay.
To join the B teen er mu
not only be arching for a job but al
mu be willing ro or hard to acquire
it. Utilizing th ir profe ional ill
and adult advi IS conduct mar t
re arch tud ies decide hich ore to
boycott, and prom' to find every youth
a job. The youths, in tum, are required
to pay $2 a ee in due in order to
particip te in the organization and to
attend meetings once a ee t hich
job training 'on are offered and
Blac history is taught by the u of
lectures and film °
Despite any bitterne s the boycott
may h ve rked, many of th mer-
chants ho hired the youths m ple d
ith their ne employees. ' They're
pretty good or ers," y Gen Chou
anager of T 0 Star Shoe Store.
"They're sm rt ids d th y like to
wor ."
-0 id J. Dent
Bille Enterp ,
p
CO
I
CHICAGO - Rev. Je L. Jackson,
national pre 'dent of Operation PUSH
(people United to Serve Humanity),
has annou need th t the national civil
rights organization' 12th Annual Con­
vention will be held in Atlanta, July
24-30, ith the Pe htree Plaza, the
orld's taIle hotel, as convention
headquarters.
Thousands of person from all cro
the United States, Canada, the Carib­
bean, Africa and Europe are expected
to attend and participate in PUSH's
yearly five-day event, chaired by Gary's
ayro Richard G. Hatcher, chairman
of the Board of Director of Operation
PUSH. ajor addre on the current
economic, educational and political crisis
ill be given by notable busine politi­
cal, civil rights and religiou leader.
Rev. Jackson will deliver hi convent­
ion keynote ddre on ednesday
night, July 27, "Economic Justice Day."
Other daily themes are 'Education,"
"Politics" and "Labor." Beside bre -
. fasts and luncheons the conv ntion
discrimination in employ­
ment. President Roosevelt,
heeding the call, issued Ex­
ecutive Order 8802 which
. established the Fair
Employment Practices
Commission.
The depression was a
crisis of American mentali­
ty. The public began to
believe that the United
States faced a future of
limited opportunities. The
e
eek ill also include ° anti Pre-
Convention Gospelfe t, an Award Ban­
quet and a Concert.
, e are structuring ell thought-
out and ell plann d convent 'on, a
working convention and a riou con­
vention,' Rev. J c son ates. "There
will be mething for everyone - high
hool and con ge student; young
people and adults; busine 0 n r d
profe ional peopl; educators and
dmini trators: lawyer and I ymen;
medic and th media' the employed
the under-employed and the unemploy­
ed' publisher politician and pre cher .
The current economic depre 'on and
the cial crisis that onfront BI
pe pl in particular and the nati n in
general demand nothing le !
Persons ishin to participate in the
12th annual convention ould cont t
Operation P SH ttn: 1983 Con ention
Coordinator, 930 E. 50th St. Chic 0
IL 60615 1-312/373-3366 or (toll-fr
1-800/621-1558.
Co . 2
for three percent. He also too
steps to red racial ten­
sion. Today, economic
problems and r 'a1 tell-
, cer ed b
'0 R
ministration.
In writin off b , as
t council for the
CP
his campaign
out
old venues of rugged in- Huey Lon called
dividualism and sanctity of "sharin the ealth."
business ere sm hed. Another difference in the
Certain advocated Great Depression and the
movements found large present recession is th
followin . Retired physi- F.D.R. heeded the pli t
clan Townsend called for a and took action for relief.
monthly pension for people He closed the banks until a
over 6S. Father Coughlin, a solution as found to th ir
priest, advocated na- problems, established the
tionalization of banks, ew Deal hich instituted
ut il it ie and natural pro rams that reduced
resources. The late Senator unemployment to around
10