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CNN Sunday Morning
Unrest Spawns Job Program in Michigan
Aired July 27, 2003 - 11:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Now to middle America. They're trying to turn things around in Benton Harbor. The Michigan town was ripped apart by unrest last month after a motorcyclist crashed and died while being chased by police. Now, there is a program to get young people off the street and on the job. Details from CNN's Keith Oppenheim.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): At a children's museum, Amber King paints faces, while at an automotive supplier, Talissa Young tracks inventory, and Errol Matthews focuses on quality control.
ERROL MATTHEWS, QUALITY CONTROL WORKER: I really need the money and everything for school.
OPPENHEIM: Theirs are just some of the 250 summer jobs at almost 100 companies in Benton Harbor Youth Works, a program launched in response to the riots. Community leaders say many of the young people involved in the violence feel they have little hope for employment or a better life. Dontae Rushing says he didn't riot, but understands the frustration.
DONTAE RUSHING, 17-YEAR-OLD, BENTON HARBOR: It's important, because if they ain't working they can get in stuff and can end up starting the riots all over again.
OPPENHEIM: Dontae is one of several hundred Benton Harbor teens who, because of limited funding, didn't get jobs in Youth Works this summer.
OPPENHEIM (on-camera): Still, in the bigger picture, the riots that took place on these streets in June, devastating as they were, may have galvanized the community and state to address numerous problems, and youth employment is clearly a high priority.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want to see that continuing. We are hoping that this won't die.
OPPENHEIM (voice over): And so Youth Works represents Benton Harbor's hope and fear, a sense something good has started, and a worry that without continued commitment, the progress could end just like a summer job.
In Benton Harbor, Michigan, I'm Keith Oppenheim, reporting. (END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 27, 2003 - 11:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Now to middle America. They're trying to turn things around in Benton Harbor. The Michigan town was ripped apart by unrest last month after a motorcyclist crashed and died while being chased by police. Now, there is a program to get young people off the street and on the job. Details from CNN's Keith Oppenheim.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): At a children's museum, Amber King paints faces, while at an automotive supplier, Talissa Young tracks inventory, and Errol Matthews focuses on quality control.
ERROL MATTHEWS, QUALITY CONTROL WORKER: I really need the money and everything for school.
OPPENHEIM: Theirs are just some of the 250 summer jobs at almost 100 companies in Benton Harbor Youth Works, a program launched in response to the riots. Community leaders say many of the young people involved in the violence feel they have little hope for employment or a better life. Dontae Rushing says he didn't riot, but understands the frustration.
DONTAE RUSHING, 17-YEAR-OLD, BENTON HARBOR: It's important, because if they ain't working they can get in stuff and can end up starting the riots all over again.
OPPENHEIM: Dontae is one of several hundred Benton Harbor teens who, because of limited funding, didn't get jobs in Youth Works this summer.
OPPENHEIM (on-camera): Still, in the bigger picture, the riots that took place on these streets in June, devastating as they were, may have galvanized the community and state to address numerous problems, and youth employment is clearly a high priority.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want to see that continuing. We are hoping that this won't die.
OPPENHEIM (voice over): And so Youth Works represents Benton Harbor's hope and fear, a sense something good has started, and a worry that without continued commitment, the progress could end just like a summer job.
In Benton Harbor, Michigan, I'm Keith Oppenheim, reporting. (END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
