Quadir Chouteau

I’m from South Sacramento. In 2017, my neighborhood was one of the murder capitals of California. Problem solving was second nature for kids from my area because you could be in a life-threatening situation. Losing friends, siblings, and relatives in the midst of street activity changed my outlook on life. While some people at my high school were focused on their GPAs, I was preoccupied with RIP t-shirts and funerals. Amidst atrocities, I excelled in school. Along the way, I advocated for a classroom that would allow us to heal.

It was difficult to focus on school when I was worried about loved ones. I knew I was not alone. Luther Burbank High School is located in the middle of active gang neighborhoods. Seeing violence, hearing police sirens, smelling marijuana while walking down the street, and carrying caskets are phenomena that shouldn’t be part of our everyday lives. So, if death surrounds us, how do we deal with our trauma?

The answer is an elective class called Project HEAL, sponsored by the UC Davis SAYS program. Project HEAL stands for Health, Education, Activism, and Leadership. It changed my academic trajectory. In this course we discussed street violence and how to make “school my hustle.” Moreover, the community-based educators who taught the class were from the same areas as we were. They connected the curriculum to our reality. The ability to lead a group of young men in the same predicament as me to a program they have never heard of before was unheard of by freshman. As my first year in high school progressed, I saw my friends’ lives change. With SAYS, we took trips within and beyond Sacramento and it opened our eyes to a world we were not accustomed to. I was able to see new cities across California and throughout the country, and make connections with other youth. It was life-changing.

As a result, I found an oasis inside my high school that allowed me to soar. In my Project HEAL classroom, I could focus on my wellness and process my grief while still engaging in my international baccalaureate courses. My grades increased and I started to see my future—a future where I can further my skills as a problem solver in college.

We have a powerful potential

in our youth.

—Mary McLeod Bethune, “Last Will & Testament”