Derrick “Tyrece” Williams, 43 holds his State of Illinois Driver’s License. “Getting my license was something I knew I had to do,” says Williams. “I wanted to do it. Some of my old buddies that have been out the joint don’t even have this. For me as soon as I got out, I started getting myself together. ” Williams was released from prison in 2009 after serving 20 years in jail for first degree murder.
“Going to jail made me a better man,” says Williams. “My whole philosophy was gangbanging. I went in young and dumb. When you’re in there, you’re in there by yourself. I’ve done some horrible things that I regret and some that I don’t; it comes with that kind of lifestyle.” Williams is a former Spanish Cobra gang member and this is one of the trademark tattoos of the gang.
“My P.O. (parole officer) tells me people are afraid of me because of my size,” says Williams. “Once they know I’ve been to prison that gives them a green light to mess with me. I’m not going to harm anybody. I’m just as scared of them as they are of me because I know how easy it is to go back. I’m staying focused on finding a job but it’s not easy because they’ve already labeled me.” Williams is checking in with an automated monitoring system, something he does weekly and monthly he receives home visits from his parole officer.
“I do things around the house just to make it easy for my partner,” says Williams. “I cook, clean, and do whatever I can to help out. When everyone is at work or school I’m making sure everything is okay at home but whenever I get news of places hiring, I make sure I’m there.” Williams shares a laugh with his partner and mother of his four kids, Josie. They are discussing memories of some old friends.
“When I get mad and frustrated I take it out on the weights”, says Williams. “Lifting weights keeps me grounded. I can come in here and relieve all my stress.” Williams goes to the gym at least five days a week. In the mornings he goes by himself and in the evenings he goes with his son Adrian to coach him on how to lift weights.
“I knew he went to jail for murder,” says Adrian, 22. “I didn’t know him. I was so used to not having a dad around it was normal. I didn’t welcome him at all. I didn’t like him. I felt like he was trying to steal my mom away from me. But he’s cool now. My older brothers were telling me to give him a chance, and when I did give him that chance I felt like he was a cool person.” Adrian was two years old when Williams went to jail.
Williams does housework to help out. He’s hanging up jeans in his son Adrian’s closet. He’s looking forward to landing a job where he can really use his hands. “I’m a very quick learner,” says Williams. “Sometimes when people find out that I did 20 years in prison they are surprised. They think after serving that kind of time you’ll be slow or crazy but that’s not me.”
While Williams’ daughter Kenisha is at work, he watches his grandson Kamron. Williams is changing Kamron’s diaper while singing a made up song to him. “I love my kids to death,” says Williams. “I love being a father.”
Sidewalk view of mural located on the side of San Jose Obrero men's shelter.
By Fatimah Salami and Amber Tweedie
After being turned away from several homeless shelters for not fitting their criteria, 20 year old Alex Sameulson sought out one more place where he hoped to temporarily call home, San Jose Obrero Mission.
San Jose Obrero is a Latino male homeless shelter in East Pilsen that finally gave Alex a place to lay his head and opportunities to rebuild his life.
“Everybody is equal here”, said Samuelson. “We’re all in the same boat. Just because you speak one language or both languages or just because you’re one color it doesn’t matter here. We’re all brothers here.”
San Jose Obrero began as an organization by Friar David Staszak in 1981 as a way to fight homelessness in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.
One of San Jose Obrero’s initial objectives was to offer male only emergency shelter housing, but nearly 30 years later, it now offers two interim housing programs. The organization offers housing for men and another for women and children in addition to the male only emergency shelter.
Eric Castillo, intake specialist for San Jose Obrero, said the focus has gone beyond providing shelter to the homeless but encourages each participant to get on a path that will allow him to remain independent and successful.
Eric Castillo is the intake specialist at the San Jose Obrero Mission. Castillo stands outside of the shelter on 19th and Loomis streets.
“We try to instill a better mind state for them so they can transition over to housing, having their own place, or maybe even starting a family”, said Castillo. “We try to instill those good habits. That’s how I feel we’re helping the community. In reality we’re helping the individual and not the community.”
The men’s interim shelter located in East Pilsen on 19th and Loomis streets, offers a 120-day program aimed at building the participant for self-sufficiency.
Career training classes and resume building workshops, are the types of classes offered to participants.
Sameulson has been a participant at this location for six months and has learned many new things at San Jose Obrero.
Alex Samuelson has been a participant at San Jose Obrero for 6 months. During a career training class he lists on the board his locations for where he's looked for jobs.
“San Jose has taught me self control,” said Samuelson. “They’ve taught me how to handle my own money. They taught me patience, especially patience. They’ve taught me so much that’ll help me live a proper adult life where I can be independent and not have to rely on other people.”
As intake specialist, Castillo sees many participants like Samuelson who have used poor judgment or have fallen on tough economic times.
Castillo evaluates participants to make sure they’re not abusing drugs or alcohol and their potential to be successful in the program.
“It’s nice seeing those people who actually leave our program and are making good of themselves”, said Castillo. “I’m very proud of those people because they follow the rules. They do what needs to be done to progress on to the next level in their lives. We’re a stepping stone for them. Not only are we changing their lives they’re changing our lives too through their experiences.”
Samuelson is originally from Kansas City, Mo., and moved to Chicago where he attended Job Corps for academic and work force training.
After making some bad decisions while working there, he was expelled from Job Corps and left in the streets. After researching homeless programs at a local Chicago library he walked into San Jose Obrero on May 6, 2010, and began his journey to rebuild his life.
“From what I’ve heard from other people here other shelters are more lax on the rules, but being lax on the rules encourages laziness”, said Samuelson. “San Jose isn’t necessarily strict but they’re trying to encourage you to get back on your feet. From what I heard, other places don’t have the career services and personal counseling like San Jose Obrero. San Jose doesn’t just treat you as a person. They treat you as someone they want to see succeed. They actually get to know you. They don’t just treat you as a name on a list.”
- Alex Morales-Aponte is the resource development project manager for The Resurrection Project in Pilsen. (Photo by: Rima Thompson)
Alex Morales-Aponte, the Resource Development Manager for The Resurrection Project spoke recently on
The Resurrection Project’s new developments.
The Resurrection Project began in 1990 with the goal of creating a better Pilsen in which residents could have access to safe and affordable housing, community empowerment, educational awareness, and tips to live better lives. Pilsen, a neighborhood in Chicago’s lower West Side began, as a settlement of Bohemian immigrants during the 1800′s, but has flourished and remained a pre-dominantly Mexican neighborhood.
“The majority makeup of Pilsen were Bohemians,”said Morales-Aponte. “They were from the Czech Republic, Greece, Turkey. That’s why they called it Pilsen. That’s why you also see so many different churches.”
The Resurrection Project has provided Pilsen residents with safer and comfortable living conditions with developments like La Casa Maravilla, a 73-unit affordable housing building for senior citizens. This development is just one of many housing development The Resurrection Project has erected. A future development includes La Casa, a student housing building for highschool university bound students and students already in college.
The Resurrection Project’s “Quality of Life Plan” focuses on:
- Economics
- Family safety
- Housing
- Education
- Community Image
When this plan is reassessed “environment” will also be included. The Resurrection Project has made some major contributions to the community and housing development in Pilsen, but as the organization continues to further their work they realize the need for a shift from housing to other aspects.
“Next we’re looking for holistic development,” said Morales-Aponte. “We’re now investing in people where there are opportunities to succeed.”
Such programs like Mujer Avanzando, is an example of The Resurrection Project’s shift in improving the lives of people. The program aims at empowering and providing leadership opportunities to single Latina mothers.
Their work is not just limited to Pilsen. The Resurrection Project also works with Melrose Park neighborhood where they have established a ”rent to own home” program and are working to extend this same program to The Back of the Yards neighborhood.
Fifty percent of The Resurrection Project’s revenue comes from the rent received from the housing and the other half comes from grants, fundraisers, and individuals.
The Resurrection Project continues to partner with other organizations to achieve its goals.
“We realize that if we’re partnering with organizations,” said Morales- Aponte. “We’re able to improve the community to the level that we want.”
