episode
On the eastern edge of Chicago's Garfield Park, a large, castle-like structure looms above the economically burdened neighborhood. It is a fortress of sorts: a defender of fairness and equal opportunity, a protector of hopes and dreams, a stronghold of believers in the promise of just rewards for efforts given. It is Providence-St. Mel, a world-class school serving mostly African American students- instilling them with a greater pride in who they are, and ensuring them college acceptance and scholarships. The students work hard for it, as academic and disciplinary standards are very high. They are the standards set by founder Paul Adams, a former civil rights activist, who rescued the school from closing 40 years ago. Adams would not abandon the neighborhood nor its children and he continues to deliver on his promise that they will succeed. He believes young people lose critical time waiting for the slow and uneven progress of charter and public schools. Access not just to schools, but to the highest quality education, is the civil rights issue of our time. inCommon talks to African American students at Brown University, Northwestern and Lawrence University; visits Missionary Baptist churches; and explores mentoring programs for at-risk youth. Young lives are at stake, and the solution is up to us. In the words of Martin Luther King, "we are confronted with the fierce urgency of now."
