Realism Is Loyalty Program
When JD Chapman found himself going down a path that led him from the juvenile courts, to jail, and to a ten year prison sentence, he never thought that years later he would be a facilitator in a program designed to help young men who are on the same path to prison that he was once on. In this interview with the GR Times, JD talks about the program that he is involved in, its funding, the demographic it serves and more.
GRT: What is Realism Is Loyalty?
Chapman: The Realism Is Loyalty program is an each one teach one intensive mentoring program where we take fifteen of the court's highest at - risk individuals that courts are working with currently and just try to build on them.
GRT: What age group does the program serve?
Chapman: The age group is from ages fourteen through nineteen.
GRT: When did the program start and when does it end?
Chapman: The program started on June 10, 2019 and will run through August 24, 2019.
GRT: What are the fundamentals of the program?
Chapman: The program consists of the basics of Realism Is Loyalty's program Real Talk. Real Talk is a platform for individuals to open up about some of the things that they are dealing with. We believe that if we have enough like - minded individuals in the same place at the same time, through processing and problem solving, we can come with some solutions for some of the things that these babies are going through. There is not a whole lot of difference between our young people, so our biggest thing is to promote the process of thinking, and not necessarily what to think and to work on and master thinking for themselves to the level where it causes corrective change in their lives. The saying 'if you know better, then you will do better' kind of reigns true with that concept.
GRT: What other programs do you offer?
Chapman: We have attached different programs to that, because we have some community partners who support the program. Lake Michigan Credit Union is providing financial literacy, Cross Roads Bible Church is running our Work Force Development, where participants are showing some soft skills in gaining and maintaining employment.
We partnered with the Red Project for a curriculum for health and wellness and sex education.
I reached back to the great Babe Cass because she was very influential in my personal journey with the juvenile court system and substance use disorders. She partnered with us to facilitate some substance abuse disorder programming in which we focused on the extra things that happen in just the lifestyle when you use these substances.
Some of our young people seem to think that drinking syrup and popping pills is cool when in all actuality, what they are using has some of the active ingredients in heroin. So in ten years will I see one of them nodding out on someone's porch.
Information is key with this demographic, because we are at a place with our babies now that the future is uncertain.
The only species in the United States of America that is not federally protected by a governmental agency is the African American male.
That being said, it is time for us to stop waiting for some else to come help our babies, we've got to help our babies, because when we help our babies, we help ourselves.
GRT: Who funds the program?
Chapman: This is a stipend - based program in which participants in the program are eligible to earn up to $100 weekly, based on attendance, engagement in programming and the participant's personal best at reaching weekly goals.
We serve a healthy meal everyday.
We are appreciative of the funding that we have received from The Wege Foundation, The City of Grand Rapids Safe Taskforce, along with contributions from Cross Roads Bible Church, Great Giant Market and Hall Street Party Store, so we try to be engaged with the community.
GRT: What is the goal of Realism is Loyalty?
Chapman: Realism is Loyalty is all about empowering, encouraging and strengthening individuals in spite of whatever they have been through or are currently going through. There is a way to work through situations.
My history from juvenile, to county jail, to ten years in prison — all of that plays a role in the approach that we take. Some of our approaches are unorthodox, but intensive engagement is what this is all about. Outside of our programming, we do two one to one mentoring sessions weekly, one informal contact weekly and we meet four days a week.
So with a schedule like that, we are able to touch these young people at least once a day. The groups are run in four - hour increments. Based on attention, the intensiveness and accountability attached to this program, it has to show its fruits at some point.
Realism is Loyalty is a pilot program with a lot of support throughout the city and I think that we are really moving in the right direction.
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