Redefining the Labyrinth was a project I began while teaching at a local Memphis High School. With the current uproar about all that is wrong in the Memphis City Schools, I thought it would be interesting to post the work generated by four high school seniors, who are products of a system that everyone assumes is not capable of developing and producing productive students who can compete in this socioeconomic culture. I edited the book and contributed essays to give the book a shape and form, but it was the work of the students that allowed for the completion of this work. The artwork was completed by the student author DeVarius Fisher and the idea to make the name of each chapter an allusion to a song in Hip-Hop was a collaborative effort. I will post each student essay here on the blog. There is also a Question and Answer section in the book. If you would like to purchase a copy click here.
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Featured Artist: Michael R. Walker
Somethins Gotta Give
Poverty is thought to be the most prominent cause of crime in the black community. A high crime rate will drive businesses out of a neighborhood which eliminates the availability of goods, products, services and a source of jobs. With these elements out of the community, crime will likely become more personal. The crimes that are now being committed against individuals will cause the persons committing these crimes to be sentenced to longer terms in prison. In turn, the prison industrial complex will be expanding due to systemic and automatic incarceration of black Americans, and the poor decisions made by them.
