In a recent visit to Indianapolis during which he met with young students and spoke at the Steward Speaker Series, musician, actor and activist Common set aside time for a question-and-answer session with local media outlets. Read on to see what he had to say about youth violence and his message for single mothers.
Indianapolis Recorder: Indianapolis has troubles, just like many other cities, with youth violence and kids going down the wrong path. What can be done here?
Common: We’ve been working diligently in Chicago to help cure the violence and give young people an outlet to do something productive. Obviously we’re still in the process, because there are still young people being killed. I don’t think Indianapolis is so different from Chicago or a lot of inner cities in America.
I don’t have all the answers, but what I do believe to be a true antidote is giving young people love, giving young people opportunities, giving young people hope. Practically, we do that by making sure they have programs and things introducing them to opportunities they may be interested in, whether it’s something that has to do with music, something to do with the arts, whether it’s filmmaking, sports, academics. We show through these programs, ‘We care for you. We are here for you, and whatever ounce of a dream you have, whatever ounce of hope, we’re going to create that into a big river.’
Just setting up those programs is very important. And making sure we have, on another level, the right politicians in place who are going to allocate funds for programs like that and are going to move in support of our education systems and making sure funds are given there, who care about these inner-city youth who are going through it.
What’s your message for kids who may be going through a difficult time?
My message to the youth is to find something you’re passionate about, find something that drives you, something that’s positive, that’s productive. Just find a dream and start to pursue that. I give them that message, because that’s what helped me. I grew up on the south side of Chicago. I wasn’t far from bullets, and I wasn’t far from a good private education. I had the opportunity to be around both. Eventually, I was like, ‘I don’t want to be dodging bullets.’ … It just wasn’t productive for my life. It was then I felt like I was going to do something with my life. What I try to get across to youth is that you have something to do with your life. Your life is of value, and if you find whatever that may be, nothing can lessen you. Your actual job is not what determines who you are as a human being, but my thing is find something you really love and try to deliver in that. That just creates a happier soul.
I know your mom raised you as a single mother, and she did a great job. To the single mothers who are raising young Black males, what do you say to them?
First of all, I say thank you and commend the mothers who don’t have the benefit of having a father around to help raise their child. I think mothers in general are the strongest individuals we have on this earth. I get that firsthand, because my mother had her tough times, but she definitely provided a rock, and within that rock was love, discipline, hope and support. I think those are the things single mothers can give, and I think it’s important that you have good male figures in their lives. My uncle was somebody who took me to do things, and it was good to have that male figure. Eventually, my stepfather was there. But when a single mother is there, and it’s just her, I just say give all the love you can, give discipline the way you know you should, not letting the child get away with anything, and at the same time you support them and see what your child possesses and see if you can enhance that.
