Brian Trat
Sec A01
Blog #8

In response to "I am a man with a heart"

        Andrew Thi's life as a Cambodian-American isn't unique amongst refugees from Southeast Asia. Asian immigrants from these nations often come from extreme levels of poverty, war, and genocide. In the United States, these refugees live in low-income areas with a lot of crime. Andrew's experience with organized crime is reflective of his upbringing. His life also talks tremendously to the psychology of the young criminal. In many instances, boredom and a sense of excitement and belonging are the motivating factors behind involvement in crime. Where you live also plays a part in directing where your time and energy goes towards. Thi cites his high school's wrestling team and a STEM summer camp as positive and enriching times in his adolescence. If more programs allow low-income youths to be active and provide a sense of community then the amount of juvenile delinquents would decrease. And the amount of people at risk of deportation would likely fall.

        I can relate to Andrew Thi because my family were also refugees from Southeast Asia. I grew up in a "ghetto" neighborhood with my peers becoming gang affiliated as early as elementary school. I am one out of two that went on to university. It's difficult to advance up to socioeconomic ladder with an unstable foundation. 

Question: What are some ways to engage youth in low-income areas?