How one local community service worker is working to bridge generational divides and improve mental health on the Far South Side.
By Lauren Pious
Joann Reid, 5, attends the Juneteenth Freedom Day block party hosted by City Motivators on the 8800 block of South Parnell Avenue in Chicago on June, 22, 2024. (Joel Angel Juarez/for City Bureau)
Raymond Thompson, a lifelong South Sider, has made it his life’s work to help improve the foundation of his community in order to uplift the youth of the present.
After receiving a master’s degree in social service administration from the University of Chicago, Thompson worked five years in community relations and engagement at Chicago Public Schools, including at Perspective Charter Schools. In his current role as the director of education and youth development at the Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation, his primary goal remains the same: to help people.
Thompson’s work zeroes in on revitalizing divested communities as well as fostering a collaborative relationship with local schools to implement a community-driven education plan, he told City Bureau.
He believes better mental health, particularly for Black communities on the Far South Side, will come from what he calls “rebuilding intergenerationally.” Having open, self-aware and mindful communication between generations may be the key to reimagining how community members empower, educate and uplift one another, Thompson said.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
What are some things adults in Auburn Gresham aren't getting right with the youth in their community?
In our culture — especially Black culture— with children, [elders are] very authoritarian. They feel disrespected with direct questioning. It doesn't permit critical thinking and open dialogue.
I’m of the mind [that we need] to do investigation work around the interests of young people outside of what is traditionally accepted. [We need to hear] what they gotta say about the world we live in and how it's impacting them, and what type of resources they need to connect to the natural gifts they were given.
We can all benefit from them. We don't value young people and their culture. In many ways, the community suffers when we don't allow more people to be involved in its reconstruction.
How has your career path influenced the way you look at mental health?
I bring a certain awareness of the connections between the importance of youth development and community building with youth involvement.
GAGDC being a [partner organization] for My CHI. My Future., we find out what their interests are, what type of resources they need for stabilization and what will make their goals more sustainable. I help my team to think of creative ways to focus on young people's gifts and talents through the process of exposure to their interests, so they can have a variety of choices that aren’t connected with going to college. [As a young boy], my walks around University of Chicago gave me a lot of exposure to being able to dream, reflect, practice mindfulness and watch people doing things much different from the life in my home. It has been something that I cherish.
All of our staff are trained on mental health awareness. We share this information during our yearly teacher retreats and parent retreats. We do mindfulness workshops with parents. It's very important for us to share with our community how mental health and the lack of support for mental health can impact true community building.
Have you noticed a connection between the lack of accessible technology and poor community engagement in Auburn Gresham?
The Baby Boomers have a wealth of knowledge. Starting with younger Millennials and Gen Zers, we need to start capturing those stories.
We are building a content creation and recording studio at the Healthy Lifestyle Hub to bring in young people in to make podcasts and digital content. Imagine if we can get young people to interview the elderly, having a conversation about how it used to be and how that brought us to how it is now. They have stories, but don’t wanna share them. They know they made a couple of wrong turns, but we wanna hear those stories. [Sharing one’s story helps to] shine your light, not to blind, but to give [others] permission to shine, too.
What have you come to understand about mental health overall?
There needs to be more awareness raised around mental health. Community culture, city culture and United States culture [all] impact mental health. It’s more about the importance of self-awareness, which is connected with mindfulness. When we’re living in the present moment, we allow the depression of the past and the anxiety of the future to work themselves out.
Support City Bureau’s Civic Reporting fellowship by becoming a recurring donor.