Social Emotional Intelligence

Just as the attacks of September 11th provoked multiple law enforcement agencies (SS, FBI, DEA, ATF, etc) to re-evaluate their tactics for effectively protecting our country, I believe the same needs to be done with our public school systems. LA County systems leaders can better coordinate public services to support our children through stressful times. 

Inner City Industry is seeking your support to advocate for social emotional learning in schools.  Secondary to reading and writing education places emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.  With nearly 49“%” million American’s living in poverty, we must better prepare future youth generations about themselves, their peers and the 21^st century as it awaits them.  As a tried and tested nation, we must begin to better assess the mental health needs of children and youth beginning with those who reside in historically low income communities. As we are firmly positioned in the “Knowledge Age” with ongoing technological advancements, our children will best excel academically in a student-centered education system.  

This paradigm shift comes at a time when our country is in political turmoil with no clear direction toward a United States of America. The conflicting views are complex and multifaceted as you have a mix of rich vs. poor, established vs. emerging and tradition vs. non-traditional ideas competing for superiority.  Individuals that accumulated their wealth from initially flawed systems seek to maintain the status quo and the often younger, unemployed yet inspirational new leaders represent the Occupy Movement. Increased to 99%, all citizens now acknowledge and endure the inequality of America’s unjust systems.

   The reality: African Americans are disproportionately represented in nearly every adverse statistical category and numerous barriers continue to weaken our legacy. Parallel the 80's crack cocaine epidemic to today's crystal meth epidemic and its severe effects on family structure and clearly, all citizens must unite for change to revive the American Dream.

The solution: Your support is imperative for Whole School-District Systemic Change to establish a Continuum of Healthcare and Education Systems to ensure all children and youth have access to comprehensive health coverage and social emotional learning while enrolled in school. Every culture begins with one child, which in turn contributes to the big picture of living a prosperous life with cultural understanding. Regardless of ethnicity, young, old, middle class or working poor, our time for action is now!

Since 1999, Inner City Industry (ICI) has continued its commitment to inspiring children and youth to reach their full human potential through social, emotional and professional development learning programs. ICI combines three inter-linked mandates with focus on education reform, economic empowerment and cultural understanding to reverse generational poverty as a bottom up strategy toward establishing a level playing field in which all American’s can fairly compete.

Reform of our nation’s education system is the essential component to  establishing economic opportunity that will empower communities by        simultaneously providing culturally competent services and jobs. My prayer is that you join this social change call to action and become a part of our movement to support youth development and community well-being. We must will to win! 

In Spirit, Bruce Wheatley

Tomorrow is too late..

A few months ago Californians headed to the polls to select our current Governor Jerry Brown. During the selection process debate, I spoke with and heard from a many people who were undecided about selecting either Meg Whitman who dumped $150million of her own money into her campaign to buy the Governor’s chair vs. the ailing former California Governor Jerry Brown.  As there was no clear standout, I heard a comment "we must chose the lesser of two evils".

Obviously Jerry Brown is now Governor of California facing the states most challenging budget deficit to date. In selecting the lesser of two evils, I point out an evil decision currently playing out.  Governor Brown has decided to eliminate the State Department of Mental Health and establish a State Department of Hospitals which is likely to be under the authority of the State Department of Corrections.

In eliminating the State Department of Mental Health, individuals and families facing and living in poverty lose a strong advocate for increasing support and funding in these vulnerable communities.  Our Jails are currently considered the States Mental Health facilities since Former President and then Governor Ronald Reagan deinstitutionalized Mental Health Facilities in California leaving many clients homeless or facing incarceration with currently over two-thirds of inmates in jeopardy of facing a mental illness.

Oh, and 33,000 inmates will be release back into the community beginning October 1st due to overcrowding. While there is a scramble to decide the authoritative agency to facilitate this transition with limited funding support it’s not been determined who will be assessing these individuals prior to release. An inmate’s mental state must be determined prior to release to ensure their willingness to comply with the law.

It’s not anticipated these inmates will return and seek mental health services and if they do it puts a strain on an already fragmented system. Not to mention their release at a time jobs are few and far between and the community has already suffered economically.

I point this out because were such a reactive society. Once the back door dealing is done we then will raise hell for a few minutes and quietly comply. While this decision is already made, you can support Mental Health by sending an email to:
dhcsmhmedi-caltransfer@dhcs.ca.gov indicating your displeasure with this new realignment and that mental health should operate and function as its own separate entity to ensure the voice of individuals and families who require these services are not suppressed and lost in the bureaucratic shuffle.

FYI - Governor Brown has also taken $840 million of Mental Health Service Act dollars further decreasing resources to individuals and families in need.  And please understand mental health services are not simply for poor Blacks and Mexicans. What crack cocaine did to the inner city during the 1980's, Crystal Meth is doing to White America today.

If you've read this far please send an email. Thank you!

Game Time!!

Well...It's Sunday evening and I'm wrapping up the day's work toward production of ICI's Community Forum being planned for next Saturday, March 19. I feel good.

It's an incredible feeling to say after nearly 12 years, we're just getting started however, we are.  I've mentioned my experience as a former athlete as I compare both journeys to be similar in strategic nature.  You train all summer and year long for the big game or season and this is no different.  I just had no idea it would take twelve long years of practice to feel comfortable enough to share what I have discovered.

There are several moving part to our strategy to reform the education system as I have discovered one size does not fit all.  One of the major challenges and there have been many, was educating educators about the importance of mental health and educating mental health about the importance of integration into the education system.  Both systems are currently under duress and the leadership can only focus on the issues at hand as oppose to innovation as a solution. And, this is all the while both systems face fiscal deficits.

There is something to be said about the squeaky wheel getting the oil. (I'm going to expand on this concept later as it relates to the big picture) I believe some signed off on agreements just to shut me up!  What they didn't realize is I DON'T QUIT until the job is done! Thats how champions get down and I certainly play to win.

I look forward to telling my story about how I reached this point of discovery which has ultimately transformed my life to champion for the disadvantaged.  As I reflect back over my life, I'm not surprise to be pursing the work that I am. This is a side bar but certainly important because I believe we're all seeking to identify with something or someone that has influenced our being. Without getting long winded, I'll just say....MOSES.

I'm not even sleepy!  While I have outlined my key note presentation which is titled "Too Far Behind - Reversing  the cycle of generational poverty in America, I'm most excited about the press conference which will bring insight and clarity to why social and emotional learning is critical in education.  Let me just break that down real quick....What crack cocaine did to the inner city during the 80's, crystal meth is doing to middle America right now. No one is exempt from social and emotional learning at this time in our country's history. It's through my journey and many conversation, I've coined the term...."Education has no Face"

OK, its now midnight.  I'm going to sign off for now...My goal is to blog every Sunday for the week. I'm sure to write more as my time free's up a bit.  Just wanted to share my thoughts for the week really to say....It's game time baby!!!!  Let's roll. Beazy...