By Bryan Schwartzman
During a meeting of the Varied Internship Program last Thursday night, the program's founder, James Blake, said he was going to launch a campaign to bring community centers to Cambria Heights, Laurelton, Springfield Gardens and Rosedale.
“If I can get 1,000 young people and their parents involved, that would be a start,” Blake told several dozen teens and parents at the VIP meeting at the Jamaica Arts Center. “That would get the elected officials to notice.”
Blake said it was the first time he had held a meeting at JCAL, and he marveled at the computer lab in the center.
“This is what we need in our communities,” he said.
VIP is a privately run non-profit program that pairs participating high school students with area merchants. The students work for several hours a day after school and also participate in educational activities together.
Blake is a Laurelton resident and tenured professor at Manhattan Borough Community College.
“We need to have a center for recreation, arts, crafts, and academics,” said Blake.
He said community centers are needed in order to give young people more of an alternative to falling prey to the dangers of criminal behavior or putting themselves at risk of AIDS. Blake said while there are church-run community centers and Beacon school programs, independent buildings are needed for community center.
“Everybody doesn't belong to the church,” said Blake.
He told the enthusiastic crowd that the centers would be aimed at adults as well.
“It would be a place where single mothers can get help and support,” he said.
Blake said New York state should invest in community centers instead of prison.
“We had a big voter turnout. There should be big things in our community,” he said.
Parents and teens cheered at the end of the speech but wondered what they could do to help.
“It sounds like a really good thing for young people. I will help if I can,” said Debbie Bryan.
Rositta Mckenzie, a Rosedale resident, said the centers are badly needed.
“We have no community centers at all.”
