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Show AWK tia Tertase Leon Cncent Con eee cen OO shyly and removedthe thumb. Willye walked over and gavehera big hug. Duringthe severaldaysI spent with White, I noticed manyolder children suckingtheir thumbs.I asked aboutit. “Some doit because they have be- havioral problems,”she said. “They have three personalities: anger, fear and pain. Thave to deprogram these children from violence and reprogram them forpeace.” White created the Robert Taylor Girls Athletic Program, whichis offered and therest of the world. What I try to YATT EARP do nowis let these kids knowthatthere are two worlds: the projects and the rest ofthe world. Only in America do you havethe opportunity to go from one world tothe other.” Transferring outofcollege in her freshman year, White moved to Chicago in 1960. While a racial quota kept her outofnursing school,she got ajob with the City of Chicago, where she has worked eversince for two different agencies. White was married for four years in her early 20s but never had children. The marriage ended in divorce. At 35, she received anathletic scholarship to go back to school and graduated from ChicagoState in 1976. to the children of the Robert Taylor Homesat no cost. Taylor, situated on 92 acres on Chicago's South Side,is the largest public-housing project in the U.S., with morethan 20,000 residents. The area is plagued by crime and reHer goal wastosee the world—which lated problems,with gangscontrolling manyofthe 27high-rise buildings. Girls she did, competing in 150 nations durunderthe ageof20 accountfor 32% of ing her 27-year career. After an injury the annualbirths in the surrounding ended her dream ofreaching hersixth Olympicsand finalneighborhoods. In“This is my ly winning gold in terviewsin 1995 with ministry. | am 1976, she starved coaching and work- DepartmentofPub- creating productive Citizens for the year ing with kids. In lic Health, found that, by age 11, 80% 2000. When you jump Willye White Foundation to honor Chi- witnessed someone Measured by inches. being assaulted. while 33% had seen a shooting or stab- | fost the gold medal annual dinner. The Taylor program, in sports by inches. financed by dona- ofthesechildrenhad bing and 25% had ea) tus i Competition, itis won the gold medal witnessed a murder. in life by White, now 57, identifies with these children.“I came from a dysfunctional environment,” she said. “I should be angry and bitter. [have not had obstacles in life. Ihave had mountains. But I tumed themintopositives.” White’sfatherleft when Willye was born, and her mother abandoned her three dayslater. She was raised by her grandparents. Her grandfather,an illiterate street cleaner, made her work in the cotton fields during the summers to teach her that she had choicesinlife: Unless she made somethingofherself, the cottonfields would be herfuture. Athletics became herflight to freedom. Sheparticipated in the Mississippi high school state championship at 12. By 16, she was onthe U.S. Olympic team. “I knew then that I was not going 1991, shesetup the o.female high school athletes with An historic Limited: Edition sculpture, authentically detailed and hand-painted, showcased within.a crystal-clear dome. , tions and grants, a mile.” grew outofan idea White developed for her foundationin 1994. The Departmentof Public Health payshersalary. Although the program wasdesigned for girls, many parentsinsisted that White taketheir boys as well, so they would havea safe place to play. She Prar SS cS CeCe PC re eee Kc TOTTI trace CSR TER an CCUM LC nS Peers te Serr ae tcc KGS EU UC PORN RRMA MRE NCRU ONCI KUT RCS KE CRCTLce PPO OCRT RT eGR TERI LSM TEC UPTONSCSCSD CE SO Tere fe cs ee TNT TRENT RC eCUC ATER SeCn Ce Rese OO TPO CE AC Sa PPI RRANS CTC een LUE LCE POCanr Cann UCTIMEcT nC ee ECE LEC in ROLE agreed, as longas the boys obeyed the samerulesasthe girls, which include no fighting, profanity or display of gang signs or colors. “If you can turn thegirls around, the girls will tum the boysaround,” White said, “And together, they can turn the parents around.” The kidsare not told that White is a famous Olympian.Sheis not interested in creating fans or world-classathletes. “I designed a program that would develop a positive mind,bodyandspirit,” she said. “I focus on behavior changes, which in turn develop self-esteem.” thatthere were two worlds: Mi PARADE MAGAZINE - SEPTEMBER14, 1997» PAGE 17 “L used togetintofights,” said Alcontinued a ean ee eee 1053 children on the South Side, con- ducted by Chicago’s ea shown Sahl pete n Fine Art Sculpture. IndividuallyHandNumbered and Hand-Painted. The Franklin Mint Please mail by October 15, 1997. Franklin Center, PA 19091-0001 Heritage Museum. Please enter my orderfor Wyatt Earp, presented by the We I need SEND NO MONEYNOW. will be billed $37.50* when my sculptureis ready to be sent. Limit: one sculptureper collector *Plus my sate sakes tax and 53.95for shipping ad bandine WYATT EARP eee Stile ‘usar toxrion 2 Individually numbered ty hand. or eee ACCEPTANCE ere ——— TALL GROEAS ARE SUBIEGTTO MRMRYMISS — = PRINT CLEARLY —————— — PLEASE ADDRESS wt cNaTaTe TELEPHONE # (__ = ) = np /8058-30001-001 The Collector's Choice in Helicon Sculpture. |
