Making It in the 'Hood
Theme for this Week: It's Mutual
Glen Kehrein
Saturday, December 29, 2001
 1 of 1
Q. How can blacks and whites help each other personally and economically?
A. Let me tell you about Maury Kapsner, a Minnesota manufacturer who approached us with the idea of creating jobs and developing a business in the inner city. His business expertise and willingness to invest resources should mean success, but with no "street" experience, Maury felt he'd fail in the ghetto.
He was right; the cultural chasm between white suburbia and ethnic central city dashes many human efforts, especially business ventures. Maury sent a young white employee, Steve, to Chicago to seek help. Steve teamed with two black men, Showen and Bobby, to develop a business in the inner city.
Showen and Bobby had no business experience, though they'd worked in semi-skilled manufacturing jobs. But they brought a zeal for hard work and an expertise in "inner-city human relations." As Showen put it, "We know the 'hood." Steve saw their potential, despite their current unemployed status.
Showen/Bobby and Steve/Maury teamed to begin a pallet recycling business, even though the country was in a deep recession. One year later, the company had more than $200,000 in gross sales, secured a Fortune 500 company as a key customer, and turned a modest profit.
Neither the two black men nor the two white men could have succeeded alone. Each brought distinct skills to their formidable task. Because of the power of interdependence, they succeeded. Their future is bright.
Glen Kehrein is the executive director of Circle Urban Ministries in Chicago.
Adapted from: Breaking Down Walls (Moody, 1993) with permission.
For your convenience, Breaking Down Walls is available in the ChristianityToday.com bookstore.
Copyright © 2001 by the author or Christianity Today, Inc./Men of Integrity magazine.
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Dear Father: Help us, without ignoring our differences, to achieve equality by realizing that we each offer something the other person needs.
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