Bajracharya 1

Shristi Bajracharya
Professor Malvin
English 114B
May 15, 2016
The need for Joint Youth Centers
LA county is popular for its large number of community centers, voluntary organizations
and most of all, the diversity. The people living here have seen and lived through a lot in their
lives. Some have had great opportunities given to them while some have been deprived of good
facilities and opportunities. The class and race difference in LA has caused a lot of problems for
the citizens of this county. They might have had a lot of help from the communities in various
fields, but uniting the people of LA has been a neglected topic. The main victims of such issues
are the young ones who have to grow up in an environment that was already hostile since the
time of their birth. The issues caused by the racial tension has held minority groups from
growing and developing. We witness a lot of inequalities between the different classes and
ethnicities, yet, we have not seen a movement or a proposal aimed at eradicating the problems
faced by the victims of these inequalities. While many may argue that racial tension is not a
major issue in LA, it is of great importance that we establish an organization that helps children
from minority backgrounds by providing them with a space where they can interact with one
another and grow together, and by providing them with the mental, social and academic guidance
that they need to do so.
This organization is called The Home for United Hearts because it applies to all
children in general, regardless of what ethnicity or background they come from, regardless of
their sexuality or identity. This name does not consist any gender specifications or religious

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identities. It simply applies to children, who wish to unite with one another and build a
community, a second home with one another. It is to have branches in most, if not all cities in the
LA county. That way they all stay connected with one another and fulfil their purpose of uniting
children from all ends of the county. The idea is to build a community out of individual who
think they are all different from one another and to help them see each other as brothers and
sisters rather than polar opposites.
Children from minority groups are victims of inadequate academic facilities and constant
threat to their lives. Weve all heard countless stories of situations that ended up with bad results
due to racial tensions. Its not just Los Angeles that is a victim of such a social construction, but
the entire world in fact. We only notice the problems faced by the industries and the public places
due to racial differences. We fail to notice the deeper problems it gives birth to. Racial and
cultural difference has caused the communities to divide and function within their own groups
and this has caused a huge rift between the different communities which holds them from
developing and growing with one another. In Guide to Twilight Los Angeles, Anna Deavere
Smith mentions the gradual drifting of the different communities and this shows the rise of the
differences between all the communities (Smith 14). This is where is it all goes wrong; this is
where most people fail to notice the problem. The rift between communities causes lifelong
problems for the future generation who can instead solve these issues and change the world.
Unfortunately, they are not given the opportunity to bring forth such a change. This organization
called The Home for United Hearts will have community centers located in different parts of
LA and helping children from every neglected corner, bringing together children of all races and
ethnicities together and helping them grow as one.

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Los Angeles is not short on youth centers that are aimed towards helping underprivileged
youths. In fact, there are many centers that are directed towards serving this purpose. Heart of
Los Angeles, A Place called Home and many other organizations are doing great jobs at helping
children and providing them with all the facilities that they are deprived of. What makes The
Home for United Children different from the rest of these organizations is its main purpose to
unite youths of all races and ethnicities into one strong group who are motivated to work towards
a bright and successful future.
The building structure for the centers need not be very sophisticated. A must required
feature is a library where they can find books of all genres that will help the children develop as
strong individuals. I also think it will be a great idea to have books of cultural and historical
significance in order to educate the children about their ancestral history and share it with their
fellow brothers and sisters they meet in the center which will hopefully become a second home
for them. Other than academics, it is important to give the children a place to have fun and
interact with one another. I think it would be a good idea to have a small basketball court and a
playroom for the younger ones to enjoy. Since many children may not have access to such
facilities in certain areas, having a place like this in the center will be a sort of blessing to them.
Each center in the county should have a small stage of their own in an enclosed room
which can be their personal auditorium. It does not have to be big at all, a room bigger than the
rest with a raised platform where the students can perform their shows or anything they wish to.
The children should have access to a certain number of instruments that they might not have
access to because of financial reasons. Such an idea may encourage children to bring forth their
passion and expose their talents that they never had the chance to express.

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There should be certain rooms where children get the opportunity to talk about each
others lives and compare it with each others. It will be an interesting idea to hear about the
difference in our lives and discover the similarities as well. The more we learn about each other,
the closer we get and the better we function. This is one of the most important pillars of the
project, to bring together the children for different backgrounds and to help them grow as one, to
unite them and to guide them throughout life through unity.
We witness that most minority communities are located in the urban areas that are not
considered the safest and friendliest. First generation immigrants arrive and settle in these areas
that consist of people from their ethnicity. While most immigrants might have the time to focus
on their children and guide them through their schools path, most first generation immigrant
parents do not have the time to get involved in their childrens lives, therefore, the children resort
to the wrong crowds for guidance and end making the wrong decisions. In Always Running,
the author uses his experience with his own sons fall as an example of such an issue, I
neglected Ramiro and my daughter, AndreaI had a hard time trying to be the father figure they
desperately needed. (Rodriguez 17). He further explains how his son was trapped in the same
gang life that he tried with all his might to break out of. What breaks my heart is seeing children
with potential throw their lives away simply because they did not have anyone to tell them what
they were capable of. They get involved in gangs and other illegal activities and ruin whatever
chance they have at a future. Several measures have been proposed to help these children from
falling in to the wrong hands, but it is through consistent and thorough guidance that certain
disasters can be prevented.
Not only do the children from minority groups face academic challenges, most immigrant
youths, especially the ones coming from Asian households come from conservative backgrounds

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and are unable to discuss their social issues with their families if it concerns matters that are
against their family values. It is necessary for the ethnic enclaves in Los Angeles county to have
The Home for United Hearts in their localities for children living there to guide them from
their elementary school days up to the time they enter college. Some of the young school
students may face personal issues that they are not able of facing on their own and sometimes its
so happens that they need people from outside their families to resort to. The Home for United
Hearts will provide them with the kind of help they need in every field including this, with
experienced mentors and friends who have been in their shoes and who are willing to help them
get through all kinds of adversities. Not only will these centers provide academic guidance, but
also social and mental guidance as well.
Since race is a sensitive topic in Los Angeles and most people grow up with different
opinions about different races based on the stereotypes caused by the media and rumors. The LA
riots of 1992 is a big example of the kind of problem racial tension can cause. It is present in our
everyday life as well as schools. One example of racism is schools is bullying. One of the many
issues faced by the children of rough localities are the social issues. They are racially abused at
times, stereotyped, and mistreated on many occasions. These are issues that only the minority
groups can relate to. Especially for the first generation and second generation immigrants, it is
tough for them to watch the unfair treatment or the different way people treat them since they do
not look or sound like an average American. Out of all the minority groups, Asians are believed
to be the most targeted in schools for bullying, Asian Americans are perceived as foreign no
matter how many generations their families have been living in America; physical differences
make them stand outand there is the stereotype of being obsequious and meek. (Philadelphia
story). Racism is not innate; it is a socially constructed idea injected in our heads. The only way

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to prevent such a horrible disaster from spreading any further is by raising children in a
community where theyre introduced and given the opportunity to socialize with children from
ethnic backgrounds other than their own. This is a matter of great importance that needs to be
addressed and discussed. The Home for United Hearts will provide a space for youths to come
and express their experiences on such occasions and discuss ways and suggestions to voice out
their opinion on such matters. This community center will provide a platform for them where
they can feel safe from such obscurities and feel strong enough to fight such monstrosities in the
society.
Children of today are most likely to exhibit defiance and not cooperate with the adults
who are trying to help them. They do not feel connected to the volunteers at most youth
organizations and this might be due to the generation gap between them. Organizations like these
need the help of young leaders or even individuals who have been through the same things that
the kids in the center have been through or are going through. Seeing the kids from their
neighborhoods blossom into strong individuals gives them hope that the future might just have
similar plans for them. Such individuals have had the same experience that the children that
United Home is trying to help. Since many schools in the minority neighborhoods of Los
Angeles does not receive good amounts of funds and help as mentioned in many articles, State
funding per student can vary significantly, and states may choose to allocate different resources
to different schools. (Van Thompson). The children who go to such schools will be provided
with the guidance and facilities that they are deprived of in their schools. United Home will
provide them with all the sources and connections that these children deserve and need.
A community center that is more like a home to the children, a safe haven where they
grow together and learn about life with each other is essential for the different parts of Los

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Angeles. The Home for United Hearts will help our society in the present as well as for the
future. A center like this has the potential to wipe out the problems of racism and gradually bring
peace within diversity, all the while providing a safe space for the development and growth of
the children from different backgrounds as one united group.

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Works Cited
Deavere Anna, Smith. Guide to Twilight Los Angeles. Facing History and Ourselves National
Foundation Inc. 2001. PDF file.
Rodriguez, Luis J. "The Long Run: New Introduction to Always Running." Introduction. Always
Running. New York: Touchstone, 2005. 17. Print.
"Philadelphia Story: Voices of Asian American Bullying Victims." Philadelphia Story: Voices of
Asian American Bullying Victims - New America Media. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2016.
Thompson, Van. "What Are the Disadvantages Facing the Poor Community Public
Schools?" What Are the Disadvantages Facing the Poor Community Public
Schools? Demand Media, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2016.

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