“Young, black and intelligent.”

“Young, black and intelligent.”

“Young, black and intelligent,” reverberated through the microphone during a poetry slam. It filled the cross streets many have described as crime riddled. South 288th Street and Military Road South was awoken last Saturday morning.

Bellowing those words was Jamarkus Springfield, English teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School. Young, black and intelligent, he stood in front of a crowd that was eager to hear his poem, eager to begin the peaceful march to Thomas Jefferson High School where a performance by Washington Diamonds Drill team was held followed by lunch, a panel discussion and viewing of “Hidden Figures.”

They were eager to “Save Our Streets.”

“I believe as we unite and have conversations, we will realize the biggest resources lie in your special talents and your skills and your past experiences that each of us possess,” Springfield told the crowd. “The theme of this event is SOS, which is a signal of extreme emergency and a signal of urgency. South 288th Street struggles with crime, homelessness, gangs, drugs, etcetera. It’s urgent and we are in a state of emergency.”

Springfield and the high school’s Black Student Union set out to connect a fragmented community Saturday through bringing them together to discuss individual struggles. While attendance wasn’t as high as he expected, Springfield said the conversations that occurred were.

The panel discussion was led by history teacher Steven Hall who spoke about privilege, micro-aggressions and sharing culturally relevant resources in front of students.

An example of the latter was the switch of a curriculum unit.

“I teach ninth-graders, and in the last few years, with our growing East African population immigrating into the area, we picked up a new unit teaching the history of Africa, which is something we never did before,” he said. “… Even though most of them are ELL students who don’t speak English initially, it’s prideful to learn about something that’s in their area or country that they know about, that they can share.”

Panelists then had the opportunity to share a time they struggled and how they overcame it.

James Callaway, a parent of a student at Jefferson, said learning how to become a black man and understanding how to build a family was an issue he struggled with at first. He said he often felt like it was him against the world, but then he realized it was really him against himself.

David Norcross, a pastor at One Hope Foursquare Church, Arielle Brown, a Jefferson teacher, Mary-Kaye Soderlind, also a teacher, Josh Coleman, a Jefferson graduate, and Whitney Large, a current Jefferson student also shared their individual struggles that kept them from being the best them they could be. The issues ranged from connecting to students to learning how to love oneself when growing up without a father.

Yuriko Carrillo, an audience member and employee at Daisy B Salon and Spa, said she found it hard to fit in during high school. Carillo is Mexican, and she said she didn’t fit in with her people because she didn’t look Mexican. As a result, she said she got involved with people who were affiliated with gangs and started down a negative path.

Having had enough, she enrolled in cosmetology school and was hired at the salon.

“She opened up a lot of resources for me,” Carrillo said, referring to the manager who hired her.

Also, she found her identity, and a place she fit in.

While each individual struggle is unique, Springfield and the Black Student Union is on a mission to address each one with solutions.

“The next thing I want to see is a meeting where people can put these resource ideas through motion,” Springfield said. “So, getting city officials there, going to City Council, listening to the things people said they need, the programs, the mentors.”

Quoting Norcross from the panel discussion, Springfield said choices lead to habits, which lead to character, and someone’s character determines their legacy.

“I feel like this was a good start for that,” he said about building the community. “We have this information to give back. You can’t just start something and not finish it.”

Bea Sawyer-Bennett, co-adviser of Jefferson’s Black Student Union, said she’s thankful for those who volunteered their food and time but feels there should have been representation by Federal Way school district administrators and City Council members.

City Councilwoman Susan Honda watched as the Washington Diamonds Drill team led the march to the school and finished with a performance but left before the panel discussion. Jesse Johnson, a candidate for City Council, was expected to be there, but his campaign manager filled in for him while he attended a training.

Otherwise, council members were either at the annual Federal Way Coalition Against Trafficking 5-kilometer walk/run or at Blue Poppy Day, a busy Saturday in the city.

“You represent us. We’re the ones that elected you, so hear what we have to say,” Sawyer-Bennett said. “You want to make a change in our community, so you’re here for everyone, then come out and join the conversation.”

The next event will be at Highline College, and Springfield and Sawyer-Bennett are hoping more students and community members will attend.

“We’re wanting to go more deeper now into holding officials accountable, having them come out,” she said about the next meeting. “If you are our city mayor, City Council, come out and hear what we have to say.”

The Mirror will publish more details of the next event as information becomes available.

Children and students attended Save Our Streets, which convened at the intersection of South 288th Street and Military Road South. RAECHEL DAWSON, the Mirror

A Thomas Jefferson High School student recites a poem about cultural representation before the march began. RAECHEL DAWSON, the Mirror

English teacher Jamarkus Springfield during the poetry slam. RAECHEL DAWSON, the Mirror

The Washington Diamonds Drill team led the march down South 288th Street. RAECHEL DAWSON, the Mirror

The Washington Diamonds Drill team led the march down South 288th Street. RAECHEL DAWSON, the Mirror

Save Our Streets held a panel discussion to talk about individual struggles and the resources needed to succeed. RAECHEL DAWSON, the Mirror Save Our Streets held a panel discussion to talk about individual struggles and the resources needed to succeed. RAECHEL DAWSON, the Mirror