Hello Westfield, and Ward 3… a number of people have asked: why are you doing this? And, what are you getting out of it? To answer the 2nd, first. At 70, I do not have too many years left, so personal satisfaction, and sense of purpose thus self-worth. Not, too much else to be got, other than a bit of name recognition so that I can do more of my bucket list. Since age 13, I have been involved in helping to do good stuff.
OK, part 1. Why… My life was very different than for most. Examples: growing up Holyoke with at least 9 different ethnicities, where I learned to judge others as individuals. At age 7, (1950’s) now in Delaware, to have my life threatened for having a friend that was Black. As well, a teacher who resented that I would write…”we learn to write in the 3rd grade; you think you are better than everyone else!” I was punished and humiliated before the class for writing, as well having my class work rejected. And, she urged students to beat me up. At the same time the school required us to have polio shots, without asking for parental permission. I already had gotten one while in Holyoke. Panic city as not knowing if there would be a reaction. And, add to the trauma an abusive/alcoholic step father who killed a guy in an OUI. Once out of jail he was transferred to California. The good side was another diversity, this time: Chicano, Hawaiian, Chinese, and Korean Americans; and a 5th grade teacher that got me into reading and writing book reports. Down side, at age 11-12, step-father was the same until my mother had enough, and called the police. We were told we had NO RIGHTS, as we were chattel our only Right was to leave. We did, with what we could carry, leaving everything else behind. The upside was Holyoke. Having lost touch with earlier childhood friends, nothing much in common with my peers, I got into the once weekly buying a Funk and Wagnall encyclopedia and studying things of interest, and as I went along found more interests. The library was my sanctuary. It was the JFK era, and by co-incidence ran into a rally and debate for Ted Kennedy. At his headquarters I was invited to help. I did, and was kind of adopted and informally mentored by a bunch of very smart and successful people, as our Rep., was Speaker of the House; Senator, President of the Senate, and Lt. Gov., were all from Holyoke. I got into: shut up and listen, and learned a lot. As well, for a kid of poverty, etc., to have this positive attention, praise; brought to events, and meetings it was a life saver.
From there: Civil Rights, and was sponsored by the local Council of Churches to attend all New England youth leadership trainings for 3 years in a row; set up by the National Conference of Christians and Jews. More reality and motivational learning experiences. I also got into having pen pals in some 10-15 countries, and researching the current world affairs; participated the Great Debates, on national issues; worked on local community projects, as setting up Holyoke’s first Head Start; youth leisure and rec. resources, that included summer jobs. That became the Summer Youth Employment program due to state leadership in Holyoke. Doing good for no reason than doing good.
I learned the hard stuff of politics too: an unconnected kid from the wrong side of the tracks does not get a lot of benies, as jobs; they went to the insiders. But, I did learn public speaking, editorial writing, and social networking, and political speak, and reading Behavior from their language, body language, and tone, and what was said later with the invisible kid in the room. But, I also learned to use what I knew to help. And, most of all, no matter the attitudes, the only way to get things done was top down, and from the middle out; and find someone who could get things done to do them, as it was only through civic participation that you could make a difference, as I did. Your former Ward 3 City Councilor, Brian Hoose …[email protected].
