KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Addressing violence in the city is not an easy process. It can happen anywhere, at any time, and there’s no single solution. However, Blocks Club believes the motto, "it takes a village," is a good place to start.
“We do advocacy as far as economic development, as well as decreasing mass incarceration,” said Blocks Club Director Ed Genesis. “One of our biggest things is working on anti-gun violence as well.”
The organization was founded by Genesis and five other men in 2018. The name is an acronym for building, leadership, and organizing community for kids to succeed. They have an office located in the Kalamazoo Defenders office.
Since starting, their mission has been to educate, mentor and create opportunities where the youth can grow.
“One of the most important things is the hope. When you lack hope and you feel like the city doesn't see you or the people around, you don't see you, I'm not old enough to have a voice yet, or, especially in an underserved population, you really can feel erased,” Genesis explained to FOX 17.
The "erased’ feeling is something that Genesis knows about all too well. As someone who grew up without a father and doing jail time in the past, it’s important for him to let kids and teens know that they have options.
Blocks Club offers summer programs that teach children and teens "adulting" and economic skills. They’ve even hosted healing circles to address trauma in the Black community.
“We have a lot of teens that are experiencing trauma, don't know how to unpack the trauma. And then, unfortunately, as a man, you're told, get over it. We don't deal with it like that,” but Genesis says its important that they teach the youth how to understand trauma.
The goal is to reaffirm that these kids can be leaders.
“As a parent, it helped me right to find my voice,” said Ebony Hemphill, a parent that has been involved with the organization, as well as others such as Parents United.
Four years ago, Hemphill reached out to the organization for help after he son got into some trouble at school.
“My son who was 10, at the time, had an altercation at school that spilled over into the judicial system,” Hemphill added that navigating the system can be hard, but when she needed guidance the organization was there for her.
“Since then it has inspired us or impacted us to the point where we want to help others find their voice and navigate through the judicial system,” she said.
Hemphill also enrolled her son in the summer program and is proud of the relationships he has built and growth she has seen.
The next summer program will be in mid-June, those interested can email them at blocksclubkalamazoo@gmail.com
