Thematic Questions

What kinds of concerns do you see being raised repeatedly in the programs highlighted under this theme?

How do different shows in this group provide different perspectives on the same subject -- such as education or teen violence?

If you had to choose, what would you say are the three most important challenges examined by the programs in this group, and why did you choose those issues?

Websites

Harvard Family Research Project
https://globalfrp.org/Archive
This Harvard Project is a project targeting disadvantaged youth through educational research, its publication and dissemination.

Michigan State Housing Development Authority
http://www.michigan.gov/mshda/
Contains information on the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Contains a wealth of resources for home buyers, the homeless and those with special housing needs, renter assistants, nonprofits, local governments, and developers, among others. Covers everything about Michigan Housing and Development from grant resources to reports on city living patterns.

National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/index.html
A site sponsored by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and federal partner agencies. With a mission to "prevent violence committed by and against young people," the center contains resources on a variety of topics including abuse and neglect, mental illness, and crime and delinquency.

The City of Detroit's Planning and Development Department
https://detroitmi.gov/departments/planning-and-development-department
The department's mission is to "strengthen and revitalize the City of Detroit's neighborhoods and communities and to stabilize and transform our physical, social and economic environment." Among other subjects, this site contains information including available grant and redevelopment programs available to community groups.

Related Films

Eyes on the Prize.
VHS. 14 hours.
Multiple directors. Alexandria, VA: PBS Video, 1986.
An award-winning documentary series exploring major points in the Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1985. Mixes archival footage with contemporary interviews.

School: Making the Grade.
VHS. 30 minutes.
New York: Castle Works, 1998.
Part of the “In The Mix” Series targeting school educators and administrators, this episode showcases school programs which have reduced drop out rates and improved teacher-student communication.

Claiming Open Spaces.
VHS/DVD. 90 minutes.
Produced/Directed by Austin Allen. New York: National Black Programming Consortium, 1995.
A documentary focusing on how urban African Americans’ use of public space, namely parks, is sometimes in conflict with city planning. The cities and peoples of Columbus, Detroit, Montgomery, New Orleans and Oakland are featured.

Books

Brown, Cherie R. Leading Diverse Communities: A How-To Guide for Moving From Healing Into Action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005.
A practical guide to building effective leadership, developing inclusive environments, and forming alliances in grass-roots organizing. This work was developed in partnership with the National Coalition Building Institute (http://www.ncbi.org/home/index.cfm).

Cole, David. No Equal Justice: Race and Class in the American Criminal Justice System. New York: The New Press, 1999.
An exploration of race and class based inequalities in the U.S. criminal justice system. The author posits reform strategies for leveling the playing field including youth incentives and community building to secure safe communities.

Eyes on the Prize Civil Rights Reader: Documents, Speeches, and Firsthand Accounts from The Black Freedom Struggle, 1954-1990. New York: Penguin Books, 1991.
A companion volume to the PBS series Eyes on the Prize.

Garrett, Anne G. Keeping American Schools Safe: A Handbook for Parents, Students, Educators, Law Enforcement Personnel, and the Community. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., 2001.
A practical guide for those seeking to eliminate violence in schools. The author begins the work by documenting recent trends in school violence, moves to how one can identify potentially dangerous situations and recommends strategies for intervention.

Teaford, Jon C. The Rough Road to Renaissance: Urban Revitalization in America, 1940-1985.Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990.
The author examines urban revitalization efforts in twelve northeast and Midwest cities over a forty-five year period. He explores the influence of city politics, finance, and policy in the pursuit of urban renewal.

Additional Show Clips & Comprehension Questions