500 Words Except When It Is More ….The Kids Are Terrified

“In the 42 years i’ve done this program it’s never been this bad. This hard. Trump’s policies are a nightmare. The kids cry. The parents cry. I don’t know how long I can stay open. We’re close to bankrupt and people need more food than usual but somehow we keep feeding them. I can’t work miracles. I’m really exhausted and there’s not a lot I can do to make things better.

Everyone is terrified.”

While watching a play last night my phone was blowing up with messages telling me the above. This 500 Words will be another more up close and personal 500 Words, ones about people I know, not read about.

The following interview is with Shari Fenton, director of Asian Youth Services- an after school mentoring program in Albany Park. Burnt out from nonstop cooking I was looking to volunteer teaching drums @ her bursting to the seams 1 woman storefront operation The day we met she said “it doesn’t matter what you teach. It’s your presence the kids need… that counts. If you can’t commit to being here weekly for say 3-4 months, you may as well not start.”

“The last thing these kids need is another disappointment.”

That was 15 years ago. Since then I’ve taught drums to 100’s of kids along with the social skills, math, creativity and feeling of accomplishment that go along with playing an instrument. It was for these kids that we organized some groceries for while SNAP is being held a political hostage. Portioning out 25 bags of staples (milk, eggs, chicken, rice, pasta, cereal, oil, canned tomatoes, peanut butter) I recorded our chat:

“The kids are scared. Food is important when you’re in fear and they don’t feel safe. I mean, they feel relatively safe here because they’ve known me for 100 yrs… but they don’t feel safe other places and food is a big issue. If you don’t have enough food at home kids panic.

I can’t do everything, I wish I could. I don’t get much money donated
anymore. Ideally I’d send families a bag of food once a week. There are
people who are going to die because of losing SNAP.

We did 25 families. Could we have done more?

Easily.

Have you had any experience with ICE?

Ice is in this neighborhood. There’s been a couple high profile incidents within blocks. Everyone is scared. The New Trier kids (suburban high schoolers that have volunteered for 30 yrs) aren’t coming anymore because of ICE. It’s not that they don’t want to. Their parents are worried and don’t want them in the city. Especially here, so last week they quit. They’re going to try to raise some money for me instead, which would be nice but the kids need the relationships more. When ICE is gone they’ll come back, but not before.

You told me that the first day we met. It doesn’t matter what you teach, it’s your presence. It’s one of the things that resonates with me… why I still do it.

It’s still true don’t you think?

The other night I was here alone and they came inside, masks on, no i.d… I have no idea who they were really. I didn’t know if they were ICE or crazy people. There was no way to tell so I asked for I D but they ignored me. They wanted to know what I do here. I told them I help kids with homework. I don’t think anything I do is their business. I was polite. I told them they need to read history.

They didn’t seem very happy with that. I don’t really care.

They pulled a woman out of her car and zip tied her right on the corner last week. Turns out she’s an American citizen. They’ve also hassled our alderperson Rossana Rodriquez-Sanchez twice. Blocked her in an alley with her chief of staff saying she was obstructing them and a few days later tried to intimidate her when she was blowing a whistle- sounding what’s become the Chicago ICE alarm when witnessing their presence. 1 long whistle means it’s an active arrest, 3 short ones means ICE is in the hood. People are wearing them around their necks.

They know she’s an alderwoman and still did it? Boy, if they do it to her
they’ll do it to anyone.

Terror in the community is the point.

It’s working. People are very scared.

Have you seen a significant decrease in how many people are on the street or in the stores or coming here for that matter?

Absolutely.

My barber down the street told me the same thing. She won’t be able to last if she has another month as bad as this.

I don’t want to order milk if no one’s coming. I can’t afford it. It’s scary here. The first few days after this stuff started I was afraid to come here. Friends were telling me it was really bad. The kids stopped going to school and coming here. They were afraid their parents would be gone when they got home.

I have no volunteers anymore.

So many people have walked out of their lives. So many people they’ve
learned not to trust anymore.

Let me just make one point here. The fact that New Trier High School isn’t coming back says a hell of a lot. 1/2 their parents are prob doctors or attorneys, it’s not like they’re at risk. The fact that they’re intimidated to go into the city… They really want to help. It would be nice if they donate money or send groceries but the kids need people in person. Honestly, relationships are the things that keep people going and change lives.

I mean, people trust you (me) because you’ve been here forever. They love the lessons but even filling these bags… they’re having such a good time.

I’ve even doing this 42 years now. I never imagined I’d have to deal with the likes of ICE. That kids would call me telling me about their nightmares about ICE, or their mom’s being taken away…

How old are the kids calling you?

All ages. It’s not just little kids. 6 year olds don’t really use the phone but they tell me when they’re here so lets say 6-15.

It’s traumatizing a generation.

It’s traumatizing all the kids even if they say it’s not. I try to send some
groceries home every week. Eggs got too expensive for awhile but milk
and whatever else i can afford that week.

Any last comments?

I think it’s un-American that we have a president that hates and discriminates against people. This country was built by refugees. Besides Native Americans everyone came here from somewhere else. Nobody is above anybody else in this country. It’s just wrong and the way we’re treating people is outrageous. Kids are terrified and I can’t say or do enough to make them feel safe. I have no control so I can’t promise anything. It’s very sad.

I want them to come here, eat a hot meal, do their homework, do well in school, graduate, be able to do whatever they want, make good choices in their lives… and not be scared.

You’ve told me your own past was one of fear, and why you advocate on behalf of kids.

Yeah. Yeah.

Kids have a right to feel safe, to not be scared. To have food 3 times a day. To have people care about them and to feel safe enough to care about them back. To not have to think about your parents being deported while they’re at school. In the meantime I’ll be here for them. I’ll have food for them. That’s all I can promise.

Can I ask you a question?

Of course.

Does this scare you?

Yes!

Do you think it’s ever going to be safe again?

Not until he’s gone. I know we’ll have his shit to clean up but i don’t think there’s a likely successor. No one that has hold over MAGA like he has. He’s the cult. Not someone else. But it’s not like I’m an authority on right wing politics.

What’s happening to children… I started doing this when I was 17. I didn’t know shit but I knew it was important for kids to feel safe. And I knew kids that weren’t safe. I still know kids that aren’t safe. They’re smart, they know what’s going on and that’s not ok. I don’t know what else I can do. I can’t guarantee what’s going to happen. I can’t tell them everything will be ok.

I can’t say oh no, that will never happen. Look what already has.

If you’d like to help fight the good fight feel free to donate to the cause. http://www.asianyouthservices.org/donate.html