Shine a Light: The Invisible Man

The images of young black men in trouble are ubiquitous. There are many complicated and entwined reasons for these images in the first place, but the end result is inescapable: In our society, young black men who are not in trouble become almost invisible.

For every young black male posing a definite threat to society there are hundreds who are not murderers, thugs, pimps or thieves.  And many are living extraordinary lives. Matthew Gray, 19, is one those fine young men.

Matthew is a graduate of Joseph Clark High School.  He played on the varsity basketball team, was a member of the first-place debate team and achieved the rank of second lieutenant in the ROTC. He also co-founded the Young Democrats of America chapter at his high school. 

Today he’s taking up a table at Fair Grinds coffee shop with his textbooks, notes and computer. Though he was an excellent student, he did not have all the resources he needed to enter college after graduation.

“Poverty makes it tough for you,” he says. “It closes a lot of windows. Say I get a job, but I don’t have reliable transportation: I’m not going to keep that job for long.”

He turned to Job Corps to learn a trade. In five months he’ll be a certified electrician. Then he says he’ll have the skills to support himself as he studies pre-law. His dream is to attend Howard University.

“He is one on the brightest young men I ever met in my life,” says John Richie, director of Murder Through The Eyes of a Child, a documentary that examines violence in New Orleans. “He keeps his own counsel and is the perfect observational voice of his environment.”


Richie knows this because Gray is one of seven teenagers from neighborhoods all across New Orleans who are contributing footage to the Murder Through the Eyes of a Child project. 

“I learned a lot doing this,” Gray says. “We learned skills about filming and editing. I went out into the slum areas, and it was just me viewing a day in my life.”
He continues to use his documentarian skills through his involvement with 2-Cent Entertainment, an organization that gives voice to disenfranchised youth.

“I know my environment is a big distraction to my becoming successful,” he says. “I have to avoid dangerous hazards and be careful about who I socialize with. I want to always be on task increasing my abilities. I know how important it is to have financial health, how important it is to continue pursuing education, studying and staying healthy academically.”

The challenges of poverty are staggering. And sadly many of our youth are not overcoming these challenges.  But as hard as it may be, especially in light of the senseless slaying of 2-year-old Jeremy Galmon, it is critically important to keep those fine young men who are succeeding visible in our hearts and minds.

Please feel free to share your stories.

Shine a Light with Pamela Marquis illuminates the stories of those people who need a little recognition for the many ways they make New Orleans the best place in the world to live.
 

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