In October, 2005, three important events brought HRC to Chester on the
request by Brotha Richard Tut Carter an HRC Advisory Council Member and
native of Chester. On October 16, HRC members, Sista Patricia and Ham'Diya
and Brotha Tut joined the Million More Movement of Delaware County on a bus
trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in the MMM which brought hundreds of
thousand from diverse faith groups, grass roots and community activist.
And, on Oct. 22, HRC sponsored an open house public meeting on what HRC can
do for Chester.
On Dec. 22, 2005 HRC-Chester was formed and officers assigned to
positions at the Community Hospital in Chester. On July 7, 2006,
HRC-Chester entered into a "service-for-rent" agreement at the YWCA of
Chester. HRC-Chester organized a team of six youth to perform non-license
type general contracting work at the Y; while under the supervision of Phil
Carter, an HRC-Chester supporter these youth show up Saturdays to help with
the process of renovating the YWCA of Chester. These young people performed
so well that most the Y's interior walls ceilings and floors have been
restored to their original beauty. To reward these children HRC-Chester was
given their own Youth Outreach Project -- wherein, they receive an
hourly stipend while learning how to replicate community-service into
gainful employment.
This spring HRC-Chester joined Peace in the Streets...Peace on Earth!
of Chester to organize the Youth Support Network to address the growing
problem in public schools relating to High Risk Youth. In early August we
were also joined by the Chester Youth Collaborative and members of the
Chester school district for a violence intervention workshop. HRC-Chester's
role includes hosting job development and life skill programs designed to
encourage youth to seek education and skill training programs as the way to
safe, productive and happy lives. On Oct. 1st HRC-Chester's community
resource center commence skill training for its staff and facilitators
who'll receive stipends for their enrollment and attendance.
On Jan. 2, 2009, HRC-Chester's Youth Outreach Project plans to hire 3-6
High Risk Youth for its Youth Work-study Program. And, HRC-Chester plans to
organize a re-entry program linking x-offenders to transitional aid and
personal assistance. While addressing youth at first, as our capacity grows
we'll also develop other far reaching programs that aid elderly and veteran
x-prisoners.
HRC-Chester's Mission Statement
Human Rights Coalition-Chester Community Resource Center and Outreach
Project (HRC-Chester) is comprised of prisoners families, former and current
prisoners and concerned citizens working together for prison and re-entry
reform and better laws. We also work to build community programs which aims
to prevent school drop outs and rally support for remedial programs for High
Risk Youth. HRC-Chester is a branch of the Human Rights Coalition and
regional member of the NAACP's Pennsylvania Prison Project and Education Not
Incarceration Delaware Valley.
HRC-Chester's Commitments (1st steps)
1. to build thriving preventive and remedial programs for High Risk Youth;
knowing that these youth have already experienced arrest and confinement and
that many of them our the children of incarcerated parents --- HRC-Chester
is committed to place the rights and welfare of High-Risk Youth first and
foremost as our initial cause and,
2. to build a thriving partnership with local and regional prisoner's rights
organizations to strengthen HRC’s support base so we'll one day have the
resources and sizable membership base in the Southeastern Pennsylvania,
Jersey and Delaware areas to effectively organize rallies to address prison
abusive treatment and the need to work to change prison culture through
changing laws, relationships and purpose and,
3. to build a thriving communication network where HRC may organize local
events that raise awareness and bring stronger support for the rights and
welfare of incarcerated citizens, their family and children and how
communities can work to strengthen social policies and practices regarding
prisons and re-entry issues in their area.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HRC-Chester, contact: Brotha Tut,
hrcchester@yahoo.com or, call him at: 610-876-8226 or, 215-390-4114
____________________________________________________________________________
