Clarence Ricky Bourne was a 20 year old, at-risk, low-income black man who chose to take the hard road up and away from the gangs on the streets and towards a life of work, self-respect, achievement and contribution to his community.
In the process he got involved with the U.S. Dept. Of Labor's "Youth-Build" program - a program designed to help young people like Clarence avoid the easy lure of the streets and to make something out of their lives instead.
To accomplish this goal the D.O.L. chooses worthy human-service organizations around the country and distributes financial grants to them which allow them to conduct the Youth-Build program in their local area.
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In Clarence's case it was the Venice Community Housing Corporation's Youth-Build program - a challenging one-year course of mentoring, educational assistance and skilled-labor classes, with plenty of on-the-job training, lots of early-morning wake-up calls, climbing on the city-bus to get to class or the job-site on time, ready to give it everything you've got, and no complaints.
Many young people who enroll in Youth Build programs don't make it to the end of the course. It's no piece of cake, and for those who complete it there is a sense of pride and accomplishment - and yes, self-respect - which stay with most of them throughout their lives.
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On Sunday, June 23, as Clarence walked away from his girlfriend's apartment and out onto the sidewalk a couple of blocks from the U.S.C. campus in downtown L.A., he was feeling all of those feelings - and with good reason. He was due to graduate the Venice Community Housing Youth-Build program in less than a week, and would be receiving the top class honors and awards in a number of categories. He had also been accepted to a prestigious electronics school and was due to start shortly.
Not only that, but he was one of the most well-liked and admired members of the 2013 Venice Youth-Build graduating class, and his mother and family were as proud as they could be of him . His life was full of promise and hope.
And then two young men walked up and shot him down dead in the street.
The identities of his assailants, and their motives, are still unknown. Probably the authorities will find them one day and justice will be served, but justice will not allow Clarence to live out his life, marry his sweetheart, have a family, have some kind of financial success and make a contribution to the World around him. That's gone for ever.
And yet, life goes on…the wheels keep turning.
On Friday evening, June 28, in a nice hotel in the Marina Del Rey, Venice Community Housing conducted graduation ceremonies for the 2013 Youth-Build students - all seated in their blue caps and gowns. One of the seats was empty though, save for a cap and gown folded neatly upon it. That was Clarence's seat.
There was a huge crowd in attendance, including Clarence's mother and family. He was given a fine tribute by the speakers, students and family who throughout the evening had glowing words to say about Clarence - words said to a silent and respectful crowd paying rapt attention.
A lot of tears flowed that night.
It would be easy to view this tragedy as having prevented Clarence's success in life, but that would be a mistake. The day that Clarence decided to create a more worthwhile and meaningful existence for himself was the day that he reached a whole new level of success. The year that he spent working towards his dream was a year of admirable accomplishment and achievement - one to which his mother paid tribute at the graduation ceremony when she told the crowd "I am SO proud of my son!".
And if this heartbreaking incident serves to underscore the importance of supporting programs that help at-risk youth become productive members of society - like Youth-Build, and organizations which administer them - like Venice Community Housing, then not only will Clarence have accomplished something valuable and inspirational with his life, but with his passing as well.
Two-clap ! !
(Here is a link to a short video of some of the words said about Clarence that night - by his instructors and his family. LINK - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fsFy9Kjfh8 )