As Chicago students prepare to return to school, A Boy and His Dream and Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. brought free school supplies, haircuts, food and other resources to families on Sunday at the Fred Hampton Mural.
A Boy and His Dream is a local nonprofit organization that supports underserved youth in Chicago communities and in Nigeria. Fred Hampton Jr. is a Chicago community organizer and activist. The Fred Hampton Mural at the corner of Madison Street and California Avenue honors his father, Fred Hampton Sr., a Black Panther Party leader and Chicago activist. He was killed in December 1969 during a police raid on his West Side apartment.
Sunny Akhigbe, founder of A Boy and His Dream, said the organization’s work is driven by his own experience growing up in extreme poverty in Africa and his desire to provide resources and opportunities for young people.
“Today, (the children) are going to learn that love is better than hate. They are going to know that collectively getting involved in helping youth succeed is fundamental to their success, both in society and in the community and at school. We just want the children to know that they’re loved and cared for, that they can succeed and that they can make it,” Akhigbe said.
The event was organized to provide West Side youth with resources as they prepare to return to school, particularly as some families face financial and emotional challenges. The partnership with Hampton brought together free school supplies, haircuts, food, music and other activities for families.
“People are happy right now and this is what we want to continue to see on the West Side of Chicago. No more violence, no more gunshots, no more sorrow, no more young people dying. We want to see more kids becoming law-abiding citizens and feeling that somebody cares about them,” Akhigbe said.
As director of event management of A Boy and His Dream, M’Laah Singh said the partnership with Hampton came together quickly after the organization struggled to find a venue. Singh said Hampton offered the mural as a location and brought community connections, while the organization provided media, resources and its international reach through its United Nations consultative status.
“We try to do a lot of community engagement events, whether that be the last one we did to combat teen takeovers. We got all the kids together and brought in physical trainers. Sunny is part of a really amazing physical training program in Chicago, so he was able to bring all of his trainers to a session and have all the kids do a workout,” Singh said.
Akhigbe expects to reach about 200 to 300 families and hopes the turnout would grow to as many as 300 people.
Hampton Jr. said the event reflects the organizers’ commitment to meeting the basic needs of West Side families, including providing school supplies to children who may otherwise go without. He also emphasized the importance of free haircuts, saying how young people look and feel when they return to school can affect their confidence.
“On the corner of Madison and California, people come by and share their stories. Even just a few minutes ago, someone who had been around here in 1969 stopped by. The wall is a conversation piece and an inspirational piece. In China, people know where to go to see the Great Wall. In Chicago, we say the wall you go to is at the corner of Madison and California,” Hampton Jr. said.
Hampton Jr. said “taking back” the youth and community means intentionally reaching people with passion and love, including going door-to-door and creating positive opportunities for young people. He said his father would have wanted communities to serve their residents by listening to their needs and addressing both basic necessities and smaller needs, such as free haircuts.
Akhigbe said collective involvement from parents and community members is essential to helping young people succeed, both in school and in their communities. He emphasized teaching children to respect themselves and others while reminding them that they are loved, supported and capable of succeeding.
“Collectively getting involved in helping youth succeed is fundamental to their success, both in society, in the community and at school. We just want the children to know that they’re loved and cared for, that they can succeed and that they can make it,” Akhigbe said.