In this blog I will write formal letters about my position regarding the problem to four of the following individuals best suited to change the problem. I will write a letter to the mayor, a New Orleans House of Representative,

Dear Mayor C. Ray Nagin,
Sorry to bother you, but there is an epidemic that is plaguing the New Orleans Metro areas. The children of these low-income communities are starving, but not necessarily for food. They are being deprived of an opportunistic future, and they are being bound to knowing only the actions that they see in their neighborhoods. This is a problem for many reasons. It is a known fact that most children who are raised in these communities are not likely to leave the community as they become adults. It is not fair to the child, that he is predetermined to a less opportunistic future. Then there is the fact that in these low-income communities, the attention that these kids are receiving is very dismal. A lack of attention from positive minded persons is very vital to a child’s upbringing. Without this adequate attention, children often seek it in other and more negative places; such as drugs, violence, and from older delinquents of the community. As this is ignored, or shallowly attended to, the number of children, as the generations go on, is only increasing. Not to mention the poor schooling system that New Orleans has, which further hinders the children’s opportunity of a plush future.
I am aware that you are aware of the problem, by the citizens of New Orleans passing of the 2004 Bond Initiative. I think that this is a gigantic first step. However, this should only be the beginning, because there is a large part of the youth population that is left out, and in my opinion, these are the ones who need to be reached the most. I am talking about the children who are in their pre-teen years up to those in high school. The building of playground and playground renovation will not help to nurture and get them out of the way of wrongdoing. Therefore, I would propose that some of the money be utilized to create recreation centers and centers for those of the adolescent age group, because these are the children who are making the transition into adulthood, and this is when they need help the most.
So, if you can please take all that I have mentioned into consideration and even think further then what I have proposed and directed your attention towards, I will be so grateful, and I am sure that the children that the changes impact will be even more grateful.

Sincerely,
Terrance Swift

For those that don’t know, the 2004 Bond Initiative was passed on November 2, 2004. The citizens of New Orleans passed this $260 million bond issue, which is the largest in the city’s history. The bond issue includes funding for playground renovation and new playground equipment, long-term street repair and reconstruction, library renovations, extensive improvements to city buildings, new senior centers, and much more.

This next letter is the Louisiana’s 2nd district Representative of the House.

Dear Mr. William J. Jefferson,
Sorry to bother you, but I think that there is a cure needed for a dire crisis. It’s a cure for the youth of our Louisiana cities who are victimized by the poor conditions that they are born into. This is extremely prevalent in the New Orleans low-income communities, and I know this because I have witnessed it first hand.
I am a student at Xavier University of Louisiana, and I have taken visits to the child care centers and I have interacted with the children of the New Orleans communities and it hurts to see their state. They lack the necessities; like guidance, and mannerisms. But, there is a possible solution. Coming from St. Louis Missouri, where there countless centers for recreation and so forth, to New Orleans where there are almost none for the youth, the problems become obvious. The children are in a dire need of places where they can interact with one another under the guidance. This prevents them from straying their attention off to negative things. There needs to be either more recreation centers or more programs for the young and adolescent children of unfortunate communities, this will better the cause of curing the youth.
I know that you all have been aware of this, but I think that it needs to be reiterated. I know that you are fighting hard for a bigger budget for the schooling systems and thing to benefit the youth, but I’m going to need you to fight harder and demand more as soon as you can. Time is a factor. Children are being deprived of a future of fruitful opportunity and it’s not fair to them. Please do as much as you can as soon as you can. The children are our future, both yours and mine’s.

Sincerely,
Terrance Swift

Dear Local Representative,
Sorry to bother you, but I think that there is a cure needed for a dire crisis. It’s a cure for the youth New Orleans low-income communities. The children of New Orleans are suffering and they are behind from the children of other cities, and I know this because I have witnessed it first hand.
I am a student at Xavier University of Louisiana, and I have taken visits to the child care centers and I have interacted with the children of the New Orleans communities and it hurts to see their state. They lack the necessities; like guidance, and mannerisms. But, there is a possible solution. Coming from St. Louis Missouri, where there countless centers for recreation and so forth, to New Orleans where there are almost none for the youth, the problems become obvious. The children are in a dire need of places where they can interact with one another under the guidance. This prevents them from straying their attention off to negative things. There needs to be either more recreation centers or more programs for the young and adolescent children of unfortunate communities, this will better the cause of curing the youth.
I know that you all have been aware of this, but I think that it needs to be reiterated. I know that you are fighting hard for a bigger budget for the schooling systems and thing to benefit the youth, but I’m going to need you to fight harder and demand more as soon as you can. Time is a factor. Children are being deprived of a future of fruitful opportunity and it’s not fair to them. Please do as much as you can as soon as you can. The children are our future, both yours and mine’s.

Sincerely,
Terrance Swift

United States Senator of Louisiana
Dear Mrs. Mary L. Landrieu,
Sorry to bother you, but I think that there is a cure needed for a dire crisis. It’s a cure for the youth of our Louisiana cities who are victimized by the poor conditions that they are born into. This is extremely prevalent in the New Orleans low-income communities, and I know this because I have witnessed it first hand.
I am a student at Xavier University of Louisiana, and I have taken visits to the child care centers and I have interacted with the children of the New Orleans communities and it hurts to see their state. They lack the necessities; like guidance, and mannerisms. But, there is a possible solution. Coming from St. Louis Missouri, where there countless centers for recreation and so forth, to New Orleans where there are almost none for the youth, the problems become obvious. The children are in a dire need of places where they can interact with one another under the guidance. This prevents them from straying their attention off to negative things. There needs to be either more recreation centers or more programs for the young and adolescent children of unfortunate communities, this will better the cause of curing the youth.
I know that you all have been aware of this, but I think that it needs to be reiterated. I know that you are fighting hard for a bigger budget for the schooling systems and thing to benefit the youth, but I’m going to need you to fight harder and demand more as soon as you can. Time is a factor. Children are being deprived of a future of fruitful opportunity and it’s not fair to them. Please do as much as you can as soon as you can. The children are our future, both yours and mine’s.

Sincerely,
Terrance Swift

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 30th, 2005 at 7:00 am and is filed under Project Progress, Week 08: Letters. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.