Using Maps - in my Dreams

A few times last year I wrote about how often I have vivid dreams that replay conversations about tutor/mentor programs that I had, or wish I had had.

Last night I dreamed about how maps can be used in planning, to help fill high poverty areas with mentor-rich tutor, mentor and learning programs that reach k-12 kids during non-school hours.

I've been using maps for this purpose since 1993, as indicated by this 1994 Chicago SunTimes article. 

In last night's dream I was showing uses of data platforms which I had been trying to build until 2009 (I ran out of money with the financial sector meltdown, then when I split from the non-profit organizations that I had created and led since 1992). 

The Tutor/Mentor Program Locator (described in this Wiki page) is no longer active, but is available as an archive.  Last spring I met a company called RS21 via Twitter and watched a video where they described uses of the type of data platform I was trying to create.  I wrote about it in this article. The graphic below is part of the RS21 presentation. 

While the RS21 data platform has a lot of potential, it still does not have all the layers of information that was included on the Tutor/Mentor Program Locator.  And it's not yet widely used.  In this MappingforJustice article I describe our intended uses of data maps and show the layers of information that need to be available. 

In my dream I was showing people how they could zoom into a location on a map, such as the address of a school, then look at the indicators in the area around the school that show reasons for student success or lack of success.  Then I showed how they could add information to their map, such as assets (businesses, universities, hospitals, etc) within the map area, as well as existing youth tutor/mentor programs.  

Then, I showed them a concept map visualizing the range of talent and networks who need to be part of the planning process and described how network analysis tools could help them learn "who was there, and who was missing". 

Then, I woke up.

As you can see from my links in this article, this is not a new topic, nor a new dream.  It's something I've tried to influence others to build and use for nearly 30 years.

At the right is a map-story that was created in the mid 1990s that includes all of the elements we built into the Program Locator in 2008-9 and that I'm describing in this article.  The maps show the location where a 15-year old girl was killed in Chicago and demographics of the surrounding area.  They show tutor or mentor programs in the area and a list of assets who could be working together to help fill the area with a wide range of youth serving programs.

It's sad that so few people ever saw these maps and that no one really adopted this strategy in Chicago.  Maybe that's why I keep dreaming about making this happen. 

Or writing about it on this blog.  

In the concept map below I visualize a planning process that engages all sectors and uses maps to focus attention on specific areas. You can find it in this article.

At the right is a map, and at the left are steps that focus on building public involvement and support and influencing leaders in business, media, philanthropy, politics, faith groups, universities and other sectors to make a strategic, and long-term, commitment to helping all kids born of living in poverty today be starting jobs/careers by their mid 20s.  

I'm only able to keep sharing these ideas through this blog, my email newsletter and website and social media because a few people have made contributions to my "Fund T/MI" campaign.

I hope you'll join them in 2023. 

Thanks for reading and adding these ideas to your own dreams.  I'm on many social media sites, so please connect with me. 

"Why Not Me?" Geisha Williams at IWU Commencement

In my May 6th article I shared some Tweets from the previous week.  One was of the Sunday, May 2, Commencement ceremonies of Illinois Wesleyan University, where I earned a BA in History in 1968 and was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters degree in 2001. 

The keynote speaker was Geisha Williams, the only Latina CEO of a Fortune 200 company.  She's also the wife of one of my Acacia fraternity brothers!  View the video to see here speech, then ask yourself, "Why not me?"

To all graduates. "Why not you?" https://t.co/j46BO2JF4t

— Daniel Bassill (@tutormentorteam) May 3, 2021

When I posted this I did not have a link to her IWU address, so pointed to this blog article featuring Geisha Williams and the "Why not me" video message.  

Today this article and a photo of Geisha and her husband Jay Williams was posted.  It included a link to her address at the IWU commencement. 

This is a message that volunteer tutors and mentors, parents, coaches and educators need to be sharing with youth throughout the world.

"Why not me?"

"Yes, I can."

What Am I doing? Why Do I Keep Trying?

When we first launched the Cabrini Connections tutor/mentor program in November 1992, and the Tutor/Mentor Connection in January 1993, we had no money and no deep pocketed friends. We just had a 20-year history of connecting workplace volunteers and inner-city kids in organized non-school tutor/mentor programs, and a firm belief that this was a "good thing to do".

While leading a single program at the Montgomery Ward Headquarters in Chicago from 1975-1990 I built an understanding of how important it is to be able to connect and learn from others, and a realization that without someone maintaining a master database of programs, it was not only difficult to invite people to connect and learn from each other, but for city leaders to build a sustained, long-term master plan, that would make high quality, mentor-rich programs available in all high poverty areas of Chicago and its suburbs.

Not having a committed source of revenue makes it difficult to do this work. While I raised over $6 million from 1993 to 2011, I started from zero every year and constantly had to find new donors to replace those who stopped giving. I had to put nearly $100k of my own money into this effort, and never was paid as much as I had been earning in 1990 when I left my retail advertising job at Montgomery Wards. The financial meltdowns between 2000 and 2010 had a negative impact on my personal finances, as well as my ability to raise the money needed for the work I was doing.

Thus, over the years I've had to occasionally remind myself why I do this. Since I'm at a low period, both in terms of confidence, and revenue, that's what I'm doing now. The image below shows the progression of my thinking. I have gone through this over, and over, for more than 20 years.

The first panel says "connecting a youth and non-family adult in a supportive relationship is a good thing." If you don't agree with that then you don't need to read any further.

The second panel says that in big cities like Chicago, where poverty is measured by miles and the number of kids in poverty numbers over 200,000, organized non-school programs are needed to enable volunteers from many different backgrounds to connect, and stay connected, to kids for multiple years. Some of the programs themselves become anchors in the lives of kids, offering safe places and a community of supportive adults and learning activities beyond what a single mentor might offer. I've been building a list of organizations that provide various forms of tutoring and/or mentoring in Chicago, which you can find here.

If you agree that organized programs are needed, then the next progression is to think of ways to make high-quality, mentor-rich programs available in every high poverty neighborhood for kids as early as first grade and as old as age 16 to 26. While non-profit organizations compete with each other for limited resources, making it difficult for more than a few really great programs to operate in the city, businesses use sophisticated corporate office strategies to support the growth of retail stores reaching customers in multiple locations. I've been trying to apply that thinking to my leadership of the Tutor/Mentor Connection since 1993.

Below is a 1995 story about the work I've been doing, written by John McCarron of the Chicago Tribune

This is evidence that what I write today is something I've been trying to build support for over many long years. Below is a presentation I created in 1998, showing the strategy I was sharing with city business, political and philanthropic leaders then, and which I now share with leaders in cities across the country.

Master plan for saving Chicago youth - 1997 version from Daniel Bassill

This graphic is one of many that I've created to communicate ideas and strategy. If you look at the top of the pyramid, it shows we all want kids to "finish school, graduate, stay safe in non-school hours".



I believe that the work at the bottom of this pyramid, which I've been doing for over 20 years, is essential for making that happen. I still don't find others who incorporate this four-part strategy or this learning network strategy in their own efforts. That makes me believe what I do is still needed.

Every article on this blog, and each section of the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC web site are active parts of this strategy, and each is an example. However, so much information also represents a weakness. Too much information and too little time for busy people to try to understand it is a problem. Too few dollars, or talent, to create new web sites, or fix things that are broken, or out of date, like the Chicago Tutor/Mentor Program Locator, make it more difficult to demonstrate what I'm trying to do. This is something you need to take some time to read and understand.

Even though I'm at low point now, I still believe Chicago and other cities needs someone doing what I'm doing, but from a much stronger organizational base, such as a stand-alone Institute and think tank, or as a college-based Institute funded by one of those people who I seek continually donating $25 to $100 million to various universities.

In fact, I think there needs to be someone doing this work in every major city where poverty and inequality can be plotted on maps and where leaders can mobilize people and resources to fill map-areas with needed programs and services. I've a library of ideas that others could use and I'm hopeful I can become part of your planning teams if you want to take on this role. You don't need to start from scratch if you take some time to investigate and get to know what I've been doing.

I'm not certain how many more years I can sustain this work, but I'm confident that I need to keep trying. If you want to help, please introduce yourself or email me at tutormentgor2 at earthlink dot net.

Remember the Dream. 50 Years Later

This weekend marks the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. The important messages I've taken from this are "Just don't forget." and "There's a lot of work still to do."

I've written on this topic often in the past. Here are some articles I encourage you to revisit.

January 19, 2013 article - following my participation in a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. event at the University of Chicago.

October 11, 2012 article - General Powell saying "This isn't Charity."

Nov 11, 2011 article - "War on Poverty Continues"

July 4, 2011 article "Freedom is not Free"

Jun2, 2, 2005 article "Jesus or Martin Luther King, Jr. As CEO: Think about it."

Imagine if Dr. King, Jr. had had a projection screen at his events, on which he produced a map showing the high poverty areas of the US, with overlays showing racial demographics. What if he said, "This map shows all the places where people live in poverty, have less access to education and jobs, and have less chance for their children and grandchildren to share in the American Dream."

Then, imagine that he said "I'm going to check this map every 10 years from now for the next 50 years so I see a growth in learning opportunities, social justices programs, increased jobs opportunities, growing personal engagement from people who don't live in these areas, lending a hand to those who do."

With that he could have said, "Sharing this stage in 50 years will be young men and women of all colors who started life in one of these high poverty areas, but who now not only are well placed in jobs and careers, but are examples of leadership that is still working to fill this entire map with resources, talent, programs and opportunities that help future generations speed along this path to the American Dream.

He did not have those tools and I don't know if he ever thought this way. However, in 50 years we could see evidence of work done by many to create such a future.

General Powell - "This isn't charity."

I encourage you to view this video interview of General Colin Powell by Tom Brokaw which was part of the Education Nation Summit held in September 2012.

In this you'll hear General Powell say "This isn't charity. You're doing it in your own self-interest." and "We're not asking you for charity. We're asking you to invest in your own future."

Sounds like the message I've been sending to business leaders, volunteers and donors for the past 18 years.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Last night I attended an event at Northwestern University where Peter Edelman, author of "So Rich, So Poor: Why It’s So Hard to End Poverty in America" talked about his book. Meet Dr. Edelman and hear his views at this site. During the event I posted some of Edelman's comments on Twitter, under the hashtag #sorichsopoor.

In his final comments Edelman said "Our democracy is in danger." He concluded by paraphrasing a quote by Abraham Joshua Heschel,one of the leading Jewish theologians and Jewish philosophers of the 20th century, when he said "We are not all guilty, but we are all responsible."

Herchel also said "All it takes is one person… and another… and another… and another… to start a movement"

This has been what I've been writing about for years. Network building is the process of adding one person, and another and another....until at some point you have an army. The process of network building can be enhance by a greater flow of talent and dollars.

When General Powell said "This is not charity" I take it to mean that you don't just look for organizations with a 501-c-3 tax-exempt designation to support. You look for organizations that have a long-term track record and a vision of community building that focuses on building and sustaining constantly improving "birth to work" support systems in all the places where they are needed.

Follow the command of General Powell and the advise of Abraham Joshua Heschell and provide the talent, time and dollars needed to help me build the social problem solving platform I describe on this page.