This is a true account of why and how Young People For works in the daily lives of fellows. My name is Corina McCarthy-Fadel and I am a 2008 Young People For fellow representing Oglethorpe University and a proud member of the Southern Region. My background is in community organizing; specifically in the youth and hip hop communities. I am a Hip Hop Organizer for Hip Hop Media Lab, and intern for Project South and an intern with the Frontlines Tour: a national hip hop organizing tour working to united people through music. Actually, right now I am writing to you from a café in Fresno, California while on tour.

Here is my story:

Today we reach the four week mark of the Frontlines Tour, which kicked off on July 10th in Brooklyn at a community Block Party. I jumped on the refurbished 32-passenger school bus when the tour hit Atlanta, the city I stay in now (although I am a native Bostonian). The Frontlines Tour consists of 8 people: 4 Poet/MCs, 1 DJ, 2 Interns and 1 Producer. The whole Frontlines concept is based on the grassroots organizing idea. We are going around the nation to various communities where we are linked up with a community organization that shows us the real issues of their community. Through those organizations we do youth workshops showing youth the positive power of Hip Hop and expression. At night we perform, and 75% of the proceeds raised go back to the host organization. The last 25% of the money raised goes straight into our 5 miles a gallon gas tank, and into our food fund. NONE OF US ON TOUR ARE GETTING PAID. I just had to be CRYSTAL clear about that factor.

The group on tour is the ReadNex Poetry Squad, a conscious Hip Hop Poetry group formed from a club that was started at Orange County Community College. They are for lack of a larger vocabulary on my part, and amazing group. Each individual adds to the group in a unique way: H2O, the DJ is calm and help keeps the group focused and chill through the more trying times, Cuttz, Poet/MC, is an amazing actor and teacher, Latin, Poet, is a hilarious comedian, and also has a passion for youth, Free, Poet, is an aspiring civil rights lawyer who believes in organizing communities, and Decora, Poet/MC, is a naturally dedicated and ambitious leader essential to the group, Graham is a genius producer, and Jamaal the other intern is an amazing do-it-yourself man, without him on the trip we would have been broken down way before we reached the west coast, and I add an outside organizing view, and refreshed energy since I got on a week later than the rest of them. We sleep, work and eat together; actually we are stuck together for about 23.5 hours a day. So it gets a little crazy at times, its challenging, but have gotten back what we put forth, and we have all grown from the experiences and the people we have met along the way.

We were in Los Angeles for 3 days, working hard on performances and at Venice Beach. We met a lot of cool people in LA, and heard some amazing poets spit their stuff. Our next stop was in Sacramento, at Wine and Words, a bi-weekly venue that celebrates the culture an darts in Sac-town over some delicious wine. It was an event that had been planned and promoted for months. While passing a fruit farm we noticed our tour bus had started puffing out white smoke. So we pulled over on highway 99, and saw that our transmission fluid had leaked out, which is an ongoing problem for us. Decora and Jamaal run 2 miles to the nearest exit to get some transmission fluid for the bus. On the way back Jamaal was able to get a ride back with a kind man who overheard our troubles at the store. We put in the 11 gallons of transmission fluid and started back on our way to Sacramento.

We started back on Highway 99 and found that our bus couldn’t push past 2nd gear, and going 30 miles an hour on a California highway is something I would not recommend anyone doing. We were able to get to Fresno, and pulled into the AutoZone on the corner of Lee and California St. Our car stopped completely right as we pulled up the parking lot ramp, so we had to get out and push. We got our workout, pushing the bus, yes I said BUS, around the parking lot. As this was going on I was racking my brain trying to remember the number for Eddie Rashad, the 2008 YP4 fellow I had met and connected with during the ’08 Fellowship summit earlier this year in January. I finally found his voicemail, pressed 8 for a callback, and after the third call Eddie picked up. I told him our situation, where we were and I was relieved when he said he would see me in 15 minutes. He was going to give 2 of us a ride to the nearest car rental place so we could make our way to the Sacramento show we were running late for.

Eddie rolls through with his friend Mike and they instantly lift our mood, we are talking and laughing, and working on fixing the mess at hand. Eddie and Mike take Free and Decora to the Budget where we rent a 7-passenger SUV for us to drive 3 hours to our show. They leave, and we hope that some miracle will stop time so we can make it to Sacramento on time. While we are waiting for them to come back, a mechanic comes by and tells us he will help us out, Cuttz and him spoke in Spanish, and we found out that the problem wasn’t the lack of transmission fluid, our problem was the transmission itself; it was completely done. The mechanic tells us we can go to his house and he will look at it. H2O, Jamaal, Latin, Cuttz and I push the tour bus, which only moves by momentum, while Graham drives.

When we get to the mechanics house we are greeted by his 9 children and other neighborhood kids who are ecstatic to see our tour bus, decked out with graffiti and hip hop icons such as Nas, Tupac, Biggie and more park on their street. We show them the bus, talk with them and start to pack our bags; depending on how much room the DJ equipment takes up, we will see how many people will make the trip to Sacramento. As I put my sneaker into the trash bag I am using to carry my things, Eddie, Mike, Free and Decora pull up. They jump out and we all work hard and fast to get all of the equipment, merchandise and personal begins into the new vehicle. As were packing in the car, Mike is cheering us on: “Come on y’all!! Hurry up you got a show to make!!!” So we finish up, figure out that 7 of us can fit, and collectively decide that Graham; king of the Couch Surfing world will stay behind in Fresno. We said all our “Goodbyes” and “Thank Yous” to Eddie and Mike and pulled off from the Mechanics house, tired, but ready for the show.

Eddie and his boy Mike really pulled through in our time of need. They drove us around the city, helped us rent a car, donated money, and bought us water. Me and Eddie were talking about the whole experience, and how everything happens for a reason. Our tour bus may have broke down, and we may all be broke now, but we were in a city where people helped us out. The connection I made with Eddie through YP4 was priceless, and served me, and the whole Frontlines Crew in a real-life situation. I wanted to write this story for people to see the opportunity, and networking connections made through Young People For. I also wanted to thank Young People For, because I keep learning first hand how valuable the fellowship really is. Thank you Eddie, Mike and Young People For, for the hand you held out to me, and the rest of the group.

As I finish the story up I want to let you know that we are still stuck in Fresno, after three powerful days in Sacramento. We have to return the rental in a few hours and as I am typing, Jamaal and Decora are on their way to the tow company so they can tow our bus. The first mechanic fell through and after throwing down our personal money, we still need to raise about $900 to get the transmission fixed at the new auto mechanic company we are going to use. We are in a bind because in 2 days, on August 13th we need to be in Salt Lake City, to drop off one person at the airport, and pick up another at noon. Its an 18 hour drive to Utah from Fresno, and right now we have no gas money. If you are able to donate money or help us out in any way, and if for some reason you have an extra transmission we could use, we would graciously appreciate it.

You can donate directly to our Pay Pal account:

www.myspace.com/frontlinestour scroll down past the tour image and click donate. This money will go directly to us, and will help us make it to Salt Lake City, and continue the tour.

For more information on the tour and the group visit us at:

www.frontlinestour.com

www.myspace.com/readnex

And if you want to connect with me personally, have any questions or ideas, please feel free to call me at 857-222-3554 or email me at lutejuntos@gmail.com

All support is appreciated and needed at this time.
Much Love and Respect to all,

Lute Juntos (Struggle Together)

Peace,

Corina McCarthy-Fadel
2008 Young People For Fellow