Participants:
Series Code: IAADD
Program Code: IAADD000015A
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00:27 Welcome to Issues and Answers.
00:29 Did you know that right now 00:31 we're dealing with a silent crisis in America? 00:34 Did you know that one in five American kids is poor 00:37 according to a CNN report? 00:39 The National Center for Children in Poverty tells us 00:42 that more than 16 million children in the United States, 00:45 that's 22% of all children, live in families with incomes 00:49 below the federal poverty level. 00:52 Poverty also can contribute to poor health, 00:54 and mental health. 00:55 Child poverty rates are highest among Black, Latino, 00:59 and American-Indian children. 01:01 This is astounding. 01:03 But here to talk with us today is Dennis Turner. 01:07 Dennis Turner is up from Sugar Ditch Mississippi, 01:12 and we're going to talk a little bit more about 01:13 what that's involved. 01:15 He's to talk to us about not giving up, 01:18 never giving up, can I give up? 01:20 Welcome to the program, Dennis. Thanks for having me. 01:24 Well, it's just amazing when I think about your story, 01:27 and I can barely wait till we can get into it now. 01:29 So what do you think about those statistics 01:31 that I mentioned earlier? 01:32 Alarming. 01:33 Alarming? Alarming. 01:35 As a former teacher I can attest that those are facts. 01:40 Those are facts? Yes. 01:42 I've experienced watching children 01:45 in poverty in the university, as a teacher, 01:48 and just seeing the effects that poverty have 01:52 on kids is alarming. 01:55 You know, I was looking back here on the internet, 01:57 and it looks like there's been 50 years of the war on poverty. 02:01 It started with Lyndon B. Johnson, 02:03 and then going back to what you were saying 02:06 about the high school, okay, and kids, and education. 02:10 Did you know that every, according to the internet, 02:12 1.2 million students drop out of high school 02:15 in the United States alone, 02:17 and that every 26 seconds over 7000 drop out a day. 02:24 That's mind boggling, isn't it? Yes it is, yes it is. 02:28 You know, my experience as a teacher, 02:31 the kids are dropping out 02:33 for some reason that are not being discussed. 02:36 One of them is the effect that poverty have on children. 02:40 It kills their self esteem, it makes them, 02:46 I'll give you an example, when I was young, 02:49 I was a kid that grew up in poverty, 02:51 sometimes I was so concerned about the hole 02:54 that was in my pants, that I cannot focus at school. 02:58 And so when you can't focus at school, you fall behind. 03:01 And when you get behind, then there's a whole another 03:04 slew of problems that come with that. 03:06 Then you're picked on, or you're talked about 03:08 because you're not making a grade, or you're not smart. 03:12 And so it's just, it's a snowball effect, 03:15 and it all stands with poverty. 03:17 Now, Dennis, I googled Sugar Ditch Heal, okay. 03:22 And I saw that some years ago, there was a 60 minutes program. 03:26 That's correct. 03:27 Are you aware of that? Oh, yes I am. 03:30 Sugar Ditch made national news in 1985. 03:34 Not only was that 60 minutes program, 03:36 it was time magazine, 03:38 slew of reports about that area. 03:42 It was exposed as the poorest place in America. 03:46 The poorest place in America, that's where you grew up? 03:49 And that's where I was born, yes. 03:51 Were you around when they did that program, 03:53 or it was any of your relatives? 03:55 We were, we were still around. 03:57 We didn't live on Sugar Ditch at that time 04:00 it made national news, 04:02 but my mom is in some of footages. 04:05 Oh, really? Yes. 04:06 So exactly, what was Sugar Ditch? 04:08 What was that? Oh, wow. 04:09 It was a, basically, it was a sewer ditch. 04:14 A sewer ditch? 04:15 A sewer ditch that ran along, 04:18 and had a row of shack houses next to it. 04:22 Those shack house did not have any indoor plumbing, 04:25 or running water inside of them. 04:28 And people used to use the ditch 04:30 as a place to discard their wastes. 04:34 That's shocking. Yes. 04:35 And you grew up with that? Yes. 04:37 So were people, it almost sounds like, 04:40 no offense, it sounds kind of third world. 04:43 Now you're saying, I won't say third world, 04:45 but really just poor. 04:46 Well, Reverend Jesse Jackson put it, he quoted 04:49 and said that it was America's Ethiopia. 04:54 That was his definition. I mean, look at you now though. 04:57 Okay, so now we really want to hear, 05:00 what did you, what happened? 05:03 In the whole topic of not giving up, 05:06 how did you get from there to where you are right now? 05:08 Oakwood University graduate, play write, 05:11 you have plays that are how, you're a professional singer, 05:14 you've written a book, 05:16 how did you get from abject poverty, 05:20 living next to a sugar ditch to today? 05:25 Two words, God's grace. 05:27 God's grace. God's grace. 05:29 You know, my story started before Sugar Ditch. 05:33 My story started with my mom. 05:35 My mom, I'm the youngest of twelve, 05:36 and my mother was, she was a diabetic. 05:40 When she became pregnant with me. 05:43 After having eleven children, 05:44 the physician told her that she would not go fraternal, 05:48 and that I will be a miscarriage. 05:50 But she prayed over me in her womb. 05:53 And she said that after I was born, 05:56 the story was given to me later, 05:57 she said, after I was born the doctor told her 06:00 this was probably her healthiest baby she's ever had. 06:03 Really? Yes. 06:05 And so the challenge started before I came here. 06:09 But once again, God's grace. We lived on Sugar Ditch. 06:14 When I left the hospital, that's where we went, 06:16 and that's what we called home at that time. 06:18 You could have died though, 06:19 what that kind of an environment. 06:21 Yes, yes the death rate for young, 06:26 young babies at that time was really high. 06:30 It was a place that was full of infections 06:33 and all kinds of diseases, but God's grace. 06:37 God's grace. So what happened? 06:39 You grew up, obviously, what was that like? 06:41 Well, yes, it was very challenging 06:45 because my dad was 69 when I was born. 06:48 Sixty-nine? Sixty-nine years of age. 06:50 And when we moved from Sugar Ditch. 06:52 We was able to get off Sugar Ditch 06:54 into a low income house, and some shortly there after, 06:59 maybe 4-5 months later. 07:01 Was that a government special program that was, 07:03 kind of, targeted to that area? 07:05 Were you able to get out? It was, it was, it was. 07:06 Thank God for that. My dad died three years later. 07:11 Oh, I'm sorry. 07:13 So the challenge wasn't really ongoing, 07:15 but it refers us back to the title. 07:18 Giving up was not an option. 07:20 I had a praying mother, 07:22 and she prayed over her children, 07:24 and she did the best she could. 07:26 And as the youngest, you know, 07:28 I'd sit and I watch that, and as I grew up I learned 07:33 from her faith in God to have faith, 07:36 and I learned from her to trust God on my own. 07:41 And so with God's help, he brought me from, 07:48 you know, low education, 'cause the school we were, 07:52 the school we attended in that county, 07:55 not only was it the lowest, the poorest county, 07:58 I'm sorry, in America. 08:00 It was-- 08:02 I'm still wrapping my mind around that, 08:03 the poorest county in all of the entire United States. 08:08 So what was the education like for black children? 08:11 It was the same, it was the same. 08:13 It was the poorest education system 08:15 in the United States. 08:16 So how did you get through high school, 08:19 and then even get to college if your education was so poor. 08:23 Well, that's a long story, 08:26 but I can tell you that my mom took sick when I was about 14. 08:33 We had to move to the city of Memphis 08:35 for her to have health care. 08:37 Okay. 08:38 It allowed me to enroll in a Memphis city school. 08:42 I was extremely behind. 08:44 I was going to ask you, what was that like for you 08:46 as a student, coming in? 08:48 Very challenging, very challenging? 08:49 What kinds of things did you go through? 08:51 Oh, man. 08:54 You know, being poor, you live in poor areas, 08:59 and you have to deal 09:00 with the elements of the poor areas. 09:02 So you fight gangs, 09:04 you had to fight drug dealers to get to school. 09:07 That was once you came to Memphis? 09:09 Once I came to Memphis, yes. 09:10 So you went from the lowest county 09:13 as far as poverty in the United States 09:16 straight into a dangerous area? 09:18 That's correct, that's correct. Wow. 09:21 But at that time the community school 09:23 was shutdown, and they were bussing us 09:25 to a suburban area in Memphis. 09:28 Oh, my goodness. So that's cool. 09:32 All right, so you went from poverty to gang violence 09:35 to then bussing up 09:37 the segregated schools at that time. 09:39 It wasn't a segregated school, 09:41 it was a suburban school which had some diversity, 09:48 but it was about 70% white, Caucasian, 09:51 or, and just the level of the education was high. 09:56 So I'm extremely behind, and I'm playing catch up. 10:01 But it was God's grace, 10:03 he gave me two set of great guidance counselors. 10:07 Oh, really? Yes. 10:08 They worked with me, and they helped me, 10:11 they put me on a plan to help me graduate. 10:14 So you went to Memphis when you were in high school? 10:16 Yes. So you came from. 10:21 The poorest place in America 10:22 which was in Tunica, Mississippi. 10:24 The poorest educational system to Memphis 10:28 to being bussed to a suburban area in Memphis. 10:31 Outside of your neighborhood. Outside of my neighborhood. 10:33 Having to come back home, 10:34 and then fight with the drug dealers, and the. 10:36 Lord Jesus. That's correct, that's correct. 10:38 What did you say? God's grace. 10:40 God's Grace, god's grace. 10:43 But God gave you favor in the eyes, 10:44 of some on, but the you say guidance counselors, 10:47 but how was it with the teachers? 10:49 How did the teachers treat you? How did you catch up, Dennis? 10:53 You know, to be honest with you, 10:54 it wasn't anything that happened overnight. 10:57 It was a long process. 11:01 But just, extra work, extra time, 11:08 extra leniency, you know, 11:10 as far as getting assignments in, 11:11 because you have to understand, 11:13 there was a whole different world going on at home. 11:17 Really? And in my neighborhood. 11:18 Yes, yes. 11:20 Unfortunately, there's a lot dynamics 11:22 that I had to deal with other than my environment, 11:25 and it included my own home. 11:27 Unfortunately, I had a brother that was older 11:29 than I, he got involved with drugs. 11:32 He got engulfed with the community, 11:34 and he became addicted. 11:37 And so his woes came into our home. 11:40 And so with the guidance counsel, 11:42 when I spoke of this to them, they had, you know, 11:48 compassion, and they were very, very, very helpful. 11:52 And they saw something in me that, 11:57 you know, I think, they've never seen before 11:59 with someone from this area. 12:01 And that was the determination to make it. 12:05 You know, I've seen a lot, I've seen my brother go down. 12:10 I've seen him almost die. 12:12 I've see my mom become very ill, 12:15 and feeble where she couldn't, 12:17 she couldn't even take care of us any longer. 12:19 So at the age of fifteen, 12:21 I was pretty much taking care of myself. 12:24 So wait a minute, your mom moved to Memphis, 12:26 but your father had already passed away, is that right? 12:28 That's correct. So how were you guys making it? 12:31 Government assistance. Thank God for that. 12:33 Yes. 12:34 So all twelve of you moved to Memphis, with your mom. 12:37 Well, the oldest three or four was, 12:39 they were grown at that point. 12:41 They were grown by then, okay. 12:42 They were grown, so the younger ones, 12:45 we moved with my mom, the sister next me 12:48 was away at college, she was the first one to go. 12:51 And so, you know, she used to give me 12:54 these stories about college, you know, 12:56 and I used to get excited about it. 12:59 And, you know, I looked at the community, 13:02 and I look where we were, and I always felt, 13:05 and thought to myself, there's something greater, 13:07 there's something better than this. 13:10 You know, and that I was going to not be denied that. 13:15 You were not going to be denied? 13:16 Not going to be denied. I like that attitude. 13:19 So did you play sports? I did, I play sports. 13:25 Well, I didn't play that much in high school 13:27 because of everything else that was going on. 13:31 You had to go home. 13:32 I had go home, I had to catch up. 13:33 So the bus would drop you off, 13:35 and you had to go home catch up. 13:36 Yes, yes. 13:37 I had to go home, and just, you know, 13:39 catch up academic wise, and then home needed me. 13:43 When I was 16, you know, my older sisters, 13:46 they had to care for my mother, 13:48 she really couldn't do much for herself, 13:50 you know, her sickness just really took over her, 13:53 and so I had to help. 13:55 So I had to get a job, I had to help feed the family. 14:01 Yes. 14:03 I got a job, I had to try to maintain my schooling. 14:07 What kind of job did you get? 14:08 Could you find it, you know. 14:10 At the age of 16, you know, you're bagging groceries 14:13 at Kroger, or somewhere, some supermarket, 14:15 or you are a pizza boy at Barro's, you know. 14:20 But those are the kind of jobs that I had. 14:23 You know, anything I could try to do 14:25 to help my family, I would. 14:28 That was, I felt responsible, I don't know why. 14:33 I was the youngest, but at the same time, 14:36 you know, that was something I've always felt. 14:39 And so I did the best that I could to help, 14:41 and to try to maintain school at the same time. 14:44 Wow. It wasn't easy. 14:46 So you said there were extra hours 14:48 that you had to spend, extra assignments. 14:51 Yes, teachers were very, 14:53 once I think my guidance counsel had conversations 14:56 with my teachers, made them aware of my situation, 15:00 and so they were very helpful. 15:02 You know, anything they could do to help, 15:04 they would, you know, what if it was extra time, 15:07 or what if it was an assignment that, 15:12 you know, I needed assistance with, 15:13 they would help me at school, 15:15 'cause they understood the fact when I went home 15:18 school work took a backseat to all the dynamics 15:21 that was going on in my home. 15:23 And so, you know, they really had compassion 15:28 and worked with me. 15:30 So you graduated? By God's grace. 15:32 You graduated high school, and then you went to college? 15:36 Yes. What was college like for you? 15:38 Oh, man, it was a whole new world. 15:42 It was a whole new world. 15:44 I went to Oakwood College, Oakwood University. 15:47 And how did that get paid for? 15:48 Oh, man, God's grace, God's grace. 15:50 That's private school. 15:53 Thank Gods for loans, Thank Gods for grants. 15:57 One particular semester I just couldn't clear, 16:00 and, you know, the coach at that time, 16:03 'cause I was playing basketball for the school, 16:06 and he wanted to help. 16:08 Wait a minute, you never played sports before, 16:09 and now you're playing 16:11 for a college on a special team? 16:13 Yes. Wow. 16:17 Well, you know, I could have played in high school. 16:19 It just was too much, between work, school, 16:24 I couldn't maintain it all, 16:26 so that got left out from high school. 16:29 But in college I got a chance to do that. 16:32 And one particular semester, I remember, 16:34 I could not clear, did not have the funds to, 16:39 and the coach called someone in the office 16:42 while I was sitting here. 16:43 He called them cliff, and he told them my situation, 16:47 and, you know, he said, how much? 16:50 That was the question, and he gave him the number, 16:54 he said, the check is in the mail. 16:58 I nearly just folded with tears, you know, 17:03 that someone would do this, someone that I didn't know, 17:06 that didn't know me personally would do this for me. 17:09 And that's when I took, it gave me a new perspective, 17:14 and more energy to not be denied, 17:17 and to always remember that giving up was not an option. 17:22 And so when he hung up the phone, he said, 17:25 did you know who I was speaking with? 17:27 I said no. He said that was Clifton Davis. 17:30 Wow, wow. I was speechless. 17:35 The Clifton Davis, the actor. The actor, the preacher. 17:39 The preacher, and a lot of different, 17:42 see him on television, different places. 17:44 He wrote a cheque? Did you all know each other? 17:45 No, I did not. 17:47 Sight unseen. Sight unseen. 17:49 God's favor. God's favor. 17:50 Wow. 17:51 So then you finished college, 17:53 and of course now you're married, 17:55 you've been an educator, how did you get into all these 17:59 other cool things that you're doing? 18:01 I look to refer to myself as a late bloomer. 18:06 There's things, and gifts, and talents that I, 18:09 that I possess, God given talents 18:13 that I never really explored until after college. 18:18 College was, I was one track mind, 18:21 more focused, just finish, whatever you do finish, 18:25 because, you know, it was really hard, 18:28 my first couple of years, you know, I still had a mom, 18:31 she was really, really ill at point. 18:34 She was really knocking on death door, 18:36 and I wanted so badly to finish, 18:39 so she can see and be proud of her son, 18:42 as well as to give back, and help her. 18:45 And so of course, you know, I graduated, 18:50 and two months later she passed away. 18:52 Oh, sorry. 18:54 But, you know, there was something she gave me, 18:57 that I live by today, and that is faith. 19:02 You know, her faith, 19:04 watching her every morning worshipping God 19:09 when she wakes up, 19:11 from a kid all the way until she got too ill to do it. 19:14 And watching her life, it instilled in me faith, 19:19 and gave me something to start with 19:22 that I with the Master got more relationship, 19:26 and created my own faith. 19:28 And now I think that same prayer 19:30 that she prayed over me in her womb 19:31 still resonates with me today. 19:33 And I want to make a difference, 19:35 because it's not how you start, it's how you finish. 19:40 No matter how, what situation you were born with, 19:44 or whatever your, you know, economic status is, 19:50 or what if you have your parents, or not, 19:53 you're here for a purpose, 19:55 God has brought you here for a purpose. 19:59 And the thing is, we're not to quit, 20:01 no matter what is thrown our way. 20:03 Giving up is just not an option. 20:06 We have to learn whatever God is trying to teach us 20:09 in the process, and take that and use it to make it. 20:15 Whatever God has for us, whatever our purpose is, 20:17 it is our job to find it, and to live in it, 20:21 and I believe that. 20:22 So, Dennis, someone watching the program 20:24 listening to your story would want to know do you travel, 20:29 do you give motivational talks 20:30 and then most importantly what can you share right now 20:35 for maybe the mother or the uncle 20:38 or the father or just a loved one that's working 20:41 with particularly troubled young person. 20:44 What could you share with them to make a difference 20:48 and what's a good way to organize a group of people 20:52 to be mentors to others? 20:55 Well, I would say to mothers that are struggling 21:00 or to those that have children never-- 21:05 first of all do not give up. 21:07 That's first of all. Never give up. 21:10 Giving up is not an option and the secondly 21:13 or I should say A, 1A, 21:19 always pray for your children. 21:21 Always lift them up and put them before God. 21:23 That's very, very important. 21:25 But kids are, they have different reasons 21:29 for doing different things. 21:31 You know, I've come in contact with kids 21:33 from poverty areas all the way to kids 21:36 that come from well to do areas. 21:37 Have you coached kids before? Oh, yes. 21:40 I've coached kids in different sports. 21:42 Well, not different sports but different ages 21:45 in the same sport of basketball 21:47 and my experience has been with, you know, kids 21:51 from the lower end of the poverty line 21:54 to the high end of the or high, you know. 21:58 Right, high echelon. Yeah, echelon. 22:00 And they all have the same problem. 22:04 They all have the same issues self-esteem. 22:07 They all have the same issue of, you know, 22:10 being affected by self-confidence 22:14 because someone not endorsing them 22:16 or someone not believing in them. 22:18 You know, that's important for children. 22:21 They have to feel that they are loved and somebody cares 22:24 and that somebody supports them. 22:27 You know, money has nothing to do with that. 22:30 We have to instill in all our children 22:33 and I will tell them that even if you don't get it from home 22:37 God will send someone what if it's a teacher, 22:41 a coach to give you want you need that inspiration, 22:44 that endorsement to keep going. 22:47 The goal is to find your purpose in life. 22:50 God has created you for a purpose 22:52 and the goal is to find it and to live in that purpose. 22:56 And that's what I would definitely tell 22:57 young people today. 22:59 And if you question what the purpose is 23:03 I tell them all the time it comes easy 23:06 and they look at me surprised I say, 23:08 well, I will tell you this, what is it that 23:10 comes very easy to you, you know. 23:13 I have kids that they could sit down 23:15 and do things on a computer 23:17 that I know some people went to school for couldn't do. 23:20 Yeah. I said that came easy for you. 23:24 That's a talent, that's a gift you might want to explore that. 23:27 God may have something for you in that area. 23:30 There are talented kids that, you know, 23:33 when I was coaching some kids couldn't dribble and walk 23:37 and there were some kids seamless though they came out 23:40 the wombs driving in the ball. 23:42 That was a gift. 23:43 You know, maybe there are some purpose in that explore it, 23:47 you know, and I try to tell them to stick 23:49 to what you know until it evolves. 23:53 Stick with what you know until it evolves. 23:55 Until you see something else 23:57 that you can develop and get into. 23:59 Exactly. Wow. 24:00 Yes. 24:02 You know, I do speaking engagements all around. 24:04 Well, if its churches, banquettes, schools, 24:08 you know, I do it all because I love dealing 24:13 with people, young, old, I love instilling 24:18 in them some sort of inspiration 24:22 and I always try to use my testimony 24:24 because God gave me this testimony 24:27 and I'm gonna tell it and I'm gonna let people know 24:30 that God is the author and the finisher of my faith 24:32 and He is the reason why I'm still here. 24:35 He is the reason why I've overcome 24:37 a lot of things in my life. 24:40 And so, you know, I try to, you know, 24:45 instill inspiration wherever I go. 24:47 And so, you know, I'm open, of course, 24:51 they can always contact me. 24:52 You have a website? Oh, yes. 24:54 I have a website. What's your website? 24:56 It is theboyfromtheditch.com. 24:58 Theboyfromtheditch.com. Theboyfromtheditch.com. 25:02 Wow. Okay. 25:04 And that's very-- you have like some besides 25:06 being able to engage, we are gonna able 25:08 to have you come and visit but do you have some 25:10 suggestions, you know, resources for parents 25:12 and for young people even to be able to come to. 25:16 They can search out and get that information. 25:19 Well, I don't know where to start. 25:22 You know, of course, I've written a book, 25:24 of course, they can always read that but I've done even more. 25:28 I've taken first quarter, the third of my book 25:33 and composed it into a stage play. 25:36 Trying to be intuitive and creative 25:40 and reaching young and old in inspiration. 25:44 You know, we love the word, we all loved it. 25:48 Hear the word and, you know, 25:51 we love sing in music it's beautiful 25:54 but, you know, we are dealing with children, 25:57 it's a new generation. 25:58 They are high-tech, they are savvy 26:00 and their attention span is short. 26:03 And so we want to be creative and intentional 26:05 in getting their intent, getting their attention, 26:09 you know, and to instill inspiration in them. 26:12 You know, a lot of kids there they, you know, 26:16 being around kids I'm told a lie 26:18 they are just not interested in the same. 26:22 And I just wanted to be a creative 26:24 by taking my story, transposing it 26:26 to a stage play and presenting it. 26:30 And so that maybe another way, 26:33 maybe for kids to be able to learn either 26:36 by coming to see the play or even participating 26:39 in role playing activities you think. 26:43 Definitely. 26:45 Well, what I would like to do is, you know, 26:48 when kids come and see the play I will like to keep in touch. 26:51 We try to have some information out 26:53 where we can stay connected what if they become an follower 26:56 of my Facebook page or Twitter or Instagram 27:00 to where we can interact. 27:02 Mentorship is very important with you these days. 27:06 Once again I cannot express enough 27:08 how young people need to feel that someone care. 27:12 You said endorsed, I like the way that is. 27:14 You know, it's like, wow. 27:16 You know, people wear different logos 27:17 and things that represent a company. 27:19 When you say endorse that word makes me 27:21 think about of being having their support 27:24 from their parents and from those that really love them. 27:27 It's important. It's important. 27:30 You know, the kids confidence can dictate 27:33 how high they go. 27:36 You know, their confidence level 27:37 and just feeling endorsed and feeling supported 27:42 it gives them confidence to accomplish anything. 27:45 You know, that we can mentor a child 27:48 and that can be the next child that cure cancer. 27:50 Say that, that's awesome. 27:52 We can mentor a child and no matter 27:53 where they come from could be 27:54 the next child cure AIDS, you know. 27:57 It just-- we have to pull together. 28:00 Dennis, I want to thank you so much for coming 28:02 to the program today, really, appreciated 28:05 your words of encouragement. 28:07 For those of you at home, wow, thank you so much. 28:09 Wasn't this an incredible story? 28:11 It was for me to listen to. Never give up, can't give up. 28:15 Let's just keep going with that part 28:16 for the rest of the day. 28:18 Have a great day. |
Revised 2016-03-30