Jobs for teens–more are available than unemployment figures indicate

As a Minneapolis Community Action Program site manager of a youth work crew, Larry Pinkney was quoted in the article titled “Jobs for teens–more are available than unemployment figures indicate” by Charlotte Smith Anderson in Issue No. 15 of the Twin Cities Courier, August 15, 1985, Front Page

Excerpts from the article:

[…]

Mr. Larry Pinkney, MCAA site manager of a 13-member youth work crew involved in a project at Sabathani stated: “Youth need to earn something they can claim for themselves. They also need role models, encouragement, and stability in their lives, (in addition to employment). Therefore, in addition to working together, we have group rap sessions. I encourage them to excel in whatever area they’re good in, which includes academics. We also work on setting long -range goals.”

[…]

Pinkney said, “The youth are scheduled to work eight hours each day, but if he or she is enrolled in summer school, they work fewer hours. The employee is paid $3.35 per hour and is graded each week on his or her job performance. A special event is being planned for the last day of work the MCAA work crews.” The program ends this month.

However, Pinkney and Calhoun stated, “Because eligibility for the program is based on federal economic guidelines, there are several ramifications. The youth have to experience a lot of bureaucracy. This can be overwhelming and unnecessary. This also restricts the number of applicants that can be hired. We requested 312 youth, but only received 200. Even if the applicant’s parent(s) earn five cents over the guidelines, he or she is ineligible. Your alderperson is aware of this. We’d like to be able to start an employment bureau to serve this group of youngsters.”

[…]

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Larry Pinkney is a veteran of the Black Panther Party, the former Minister of Interior of the Republic of New Africa, a former political prisoner and the only American to have successfully self-authored his civil/political rights case to the United Nations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In connection with his political organizing activities, Pinkney was interviewed in 1988 on the nationally televised PBS News Hour, formerly known as The MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour, and more recently on the nationally syndicated Alex Jones Show. Pinkney is a former university instructor of political science and international relations, and his writings have been published in various places, including The Boston Globe, San Francisco BayView newspaper, Black Commentator, Intrepid Report, Global Research (Canada), LINKE ZEITUNG (Germany), 107 Cowgate (Ireland and Scotland), and Mayihlome News (Azania/South Africa). He is in the archives of Dr. Huey P. Newton (Stanford University, CA), cofounder of the Black Panther Party. For more about Larry Pinkney see the book, Saying No to Power: Autobiography of a 20th Century Activist and Thinker, by William Mandel [Introduction by Howard Zinn]. (Click here to read excerpts from the book.)