Like a Brother and An Uncle; Antonio

Background

I got four other brothers and my mom. They stay in North Minneapolis. We all probably stay around the same area too. Me and my brothers are good right now, we in a good relationships. I mean, every time we want to get together and have a family function, we do it. Ain’t no issues. I also have a lot of cousins, so you know, a lot of nieces and nephews. Family is always first though. We pretty close, we don’t do no drama fights and all that stuff. We handle it like family and we keep it moving.

I actually grew up around here, it was cool. It wasn’t always about all the violence and stuff. It was just kind of like old school, where everybody was kickin’ it, happy and you playing games. I went to the Boys and Girls Club, it was on 37th and Chicago. That was a good couple blocks away from me. I got four other brothers, a couple of them went to the Boys and Girls Club, and a couple of other ones didn’t. The other ones just did they own things. Not everyone likes this environment, but I just liked it most. Going to the Boys and Girl’s Club there, they always call me “Lunch Boy.” When they are giving out lunches to the kids, I would usually go around asking, “you goin’ to eat that apple? or  “you goin’ to eat that applesauce?”

Influences

I’d say probably Don Patterson, my mom, and Mark would be the top three who are the most important in helping me develop who I am today. My mom sent me to the Boys and Girls Club because I wasn’t doing nothin’ around the neighborhoods. It made me learn off my elders. People that are way older than me, they are really important in my life. They helped me grew up. I wasn’t in a good neighborhood, and there were stuff always goin’ around. I worked since I was thirteen. They just told me to have a good work ethic and basically put family first. That’s why I’m always so positive. Now the kids are learning off of me, it's like giving back. 

That helped me get involved here with the Boys and Girls Club. During that time, Mark, the director was there. He still there from thirty some years ago. Don, he was one of the guys that really helped me growing up. He worked at a church in our old neighborhood. He was just teaching me how to be calm, collective, how to respect people, and to get respect back. Don basically taught me how to be a man, you know? My pops wasn't really there, and I had to have somebody, so I wouldn’t go home and turn to the streets.

Experience

Don retired, so you know, as soon as he retired was when I first hopped into the security business. I worked security at a church in North Minneapolis. I kind of did a mentor thing over there too. I started there like seven, eight years ago. There's not that many positive influences over there, so I had to be one. I didn't really have a choice.

Photo Source: Stephanie, director at B&GClub
Antonio in the center

I think the teenagers are who I get along with the most out of all kids.  I mean, they’re easy though, and I got some hookup with teenagers outside this park to play some basketball just incase they got some issues goin’ on. It’s a little bit better because they listen to me. I mean, I know kids is a little hard-headed these days, but it’s all, Imma look them in the eye, Imma keep it straight with them. I’m not going to lie to them. Imma keep it movin’. But, from like five to like eight, nine, I still got a lot of learning to do in that field. I’d rather deal with 40 to 50 kids whose age ranges over ten year olds. We’d have less fights, less issues and all that. 
I’m still learnin’ about the younger kids. It’s a work in progress. I like playing new stuff with them. When I throw the soccer ball out, that’s new to some kids. Then you know, the non-basketball kids come in the gym and play, so I just like trying new stuff. A couple years ago we had a tight group. Me and Tristan. After about eight o’clock, everybody tone down and we used to have rap battles. Going against each other, that was real fun. It really just ended the day off good. Just doing it everyday to see people gettin’ better everyday and grow in whatever they do; checkers, pool, video games, basketball.

Determination of Motivation

When I was small, I wanted to be a firefighter. But you know, (laughs) that kinda wore down over the years. So then, I went to work in the jails for a little while, but I really didn’t wanna be working with inmates. I’d rather be out here working with the kids instead of my security job, where I’m watching over the adults. I just like being out there, you know, people watchin’ and sight seein’, stuff like that. (sighs) I know most of these kids here ain’t in a great situation that they want to be in. I’m like an actor. No matter what’s going on in my life, when I’m coming here, my job is to make the kids smile, make them happy, and make them want to be here. I make them feel comfortable, make them feel like I’m the older brother, the uncle who they can talk to, who they can confess their issues to. I like protecting people. I protect the kids and the people over there.  It’s like, I go home to the wifey and I’m watchin wrestlin or watchin’ Love and Hip-Hop, and I’m always thinkin’ bout more ways to make the kids happy. They always got 50, 65% of my mind. I just can’t stop thinkin’ about them. If there’s nothin’ I could do new, I’m just going to come here and I’m gonna get everything set up. I’m gonna try to get ahead. Everybody will just have fun. So, what motivates me? I don’t know, but when I get up in the morning, I’m just happy. I drop my wife off at work, have my little chill time, and once 2 o’clock comes by, it’s time to work. I’m just motivated everyday I wake up. You gotta be motivated for somethin’, right?   

Photo Source: BidPal

Aspirations

It’s not realistic [working at the Boys and Girls Club] but I mean I can make it as realistic as possible, that’s our job. I’m not here to be arguing with folks. We are here strictly for the kids and to make sure their environment is positive. I can really see myself in the office but I could see myself doin’ like a Mark type of job. Bein’ a director at a site, or be a canoe renter in like Hawaii or somethin’. A Cruise, like someone that is on a cruise, or those buses like in LA with the sight seein’ stuff. Just something you could just chill out with. I think I’m doing pretty good now.
I wanted to be a parole officer like years ago, but I'm not about to go to school for no six years and do that. I mean people say I probably should have continued going to college and stuff. I'd look into that, but I don't really regret not going. I think I'm pretty good now. Working with the facility and working with the kids is basically the same thing to me. You gotta be aware of everything that's going on. You know, when people get that juice in their system, they start actin' different. You could be looking' around and everything could be cool, then you could look around and there would be a fight. So, it's just all about bein' aware.

Lessons

As hard as it is, just trying to keep everybody thinkin’ positive. I know just words aren’t positive, they’re just words. I just want everybody to think positive. Just like I tell the kids now, think about your mistakes. You know, they’ll think about it and that’s all I want them think about me, man. I’m always learning, I’m always teachin’.

Photo source; Caitie. Interviewer, Grant on the left
 Antonio [gym director at the Boys and Girls Club] on the right 

_____________________

1.The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities is a place, environment, a club that enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
2. "Lunch boy" was Antonio's nickname because he always asked for their lunches during lunch
3. Don Patterson, who he [Antonio] looks up to, Don previously worked as a security at Antonio's church
4. Mark [another person Antonio looks up to], the director of Boys and Girls Club ever since he went there as he was growing up
5. Love and Hip Hop is an American music media franchise that consists of several reality television series broadcast on VH1

6. Photo of Antonio in the center, and two boys, taken at the Boys and Girls Club, Southside Village. Photo sent from director of Boys and Girls club, Stephanie.
7. Photo of Grant and Antonio taken at the Boys and Girls Club (B&GClub), Southside Village. Nov. 29, 2016. Photo source from Caitie.