Empowerment Powerhouse

It started with Mr. Crittenden at Freeport High School, NY. “He was the first African American librarian I had ever met, and that was a big deal. His presence meant that librarianship was an option for someone like me,” recalls Syntychia Kendrick-Samuel, now head of young adult services at Uniondale Public Library, just a few miles from her old high school.

He wasn’t the only educator who put this teen advocate’s destiny in motion. The mantra of grad school professor Karen Smith, who worked with urban youth, was “By any means necessary.” That could mean, say, a hero sandwich for a good test score. “It’s an approach I include in my professional philosophy to this day,” says Kendrick-Samuel.

Then there was the Rev. Alfonso Wyatt. “I attended a gang violence prevention seminar where he was the keynote speaker,” says Kendrick-Samuel. “I learned that gangs recruit new members from sixth to eighth grade[rs]. That had a tremendous impact.” Perhaps, she concluded, joining the Bloods or the Latin Kings wouldn’t be so alluring if middle schoolers had the skills to rebuild a computer, dance with the Alvin Ailey Company, or create art with Coretta Scott King Award winner Javaka Steptoe.

All of those programs wound up being part of Kendrick-Samuel’s six-week Uniondale Empowerment Academy. The teens quickly bond, encouraging one another not to miss a session. The dean of the local middle school was shocked to see one student participating, since she had up until then only seen him in her office. “One year we gave Kindles to the graduates…by any means necessary, right?” says Kendrick-Samuel.

“I call myself a professional hustler!” says Kendrick-Samuel. “If I see a teen or parent around town, I encourage them to register.” Having the best program in the world doesn’t mean a thing if attendance is low. Aside from hustling to attract attendees, she’s also wrangled numerous grants since the academy began in 2010.

“Just as I saw myself in Mr. Crittenden, I hope patrons see themselves reflected in my professional example, especially teens of color.”