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Last week, I visited Ferguson to meet a group of smiling students, excited at the opportunity to learn chess in a new afterschool program.
Since the civil unrest that ensued after the death of Michael Brown over a year ago, Ferguson has been in rebirth mode, repairing its community and rebuilding a sense of safety and trust among its government, businesses, schools and other institutions. One would anticipate seeing discontent, hopelessness and despair in the community. But, I saw the opposite: families and kids who want to succeed, schools that want to help kids achieve, and an appetite for some positive change.
Chess, albeit unusual, is an effective way to bring people together, instill hope and increase positive thinking.
When I was 12 years old, I moved from Jamaica to Brooklyn to live with my single mother. It was difficult enough trying to make the transition to a new country, especially into a neighborhood that regularly saw its share of drug dealers, prostitution and violence. So, when I began playing chess at 14, it was all I wanted to do. I played nonstop until I could win. I found my own identity in the game and it became the largest influence in my life. It kept me on the straight and narrow, allowing me to avoid many of the allures of the street that ensnared a number of my friends.
Chess changes lives for the better. I’ve seen it in my life and in the students I’ve taught and coached in inner city schools in Harlem, Brooklyn, Washington, D.C. and elsewhere. They discovered their potential and took the skills learned through chess – critical thinking, concentration, focus, problem-solving and tenacity – and went on to graduate from top universities and obtain great jobs. Now, kids in Ferguson will have this opportunity.
