I now present a portrait one of the youth I have met along the way. I have changed some details to protect his privacy, but the essence of his story remains. (Two caveats- I talked with this youth for awhile and believe most of what he told me to be true, but a lot can get lost in the miscommunication that happens because of cultural differences. This is kind of a one-dimensional portrait, and this is because we were having a discussion specific to the problems youth in Jamaica face.)

Odain is 29 years old. He is of slight build but is sinewy with muscle. His eyes are a dark brown and bright and they don’t miss a thing. He has a deep, shiny scar on his arm, probably from a knife wound. He comes from an inner-city community. He did not finish high school and most of his family lives abroad, including his father. “My father never wanted me,” he told me. He does not know where his mother is. He has been in jail several times, one time for a year, the others for less. Odain said jail was okay, he even made some friends there. Why was he in jail? He robbed people. He also used to be a “badman” or a “gunman”. He would guard a garrison community for a don- he called this activity ‘bleaching’ (not to be confused with the bleaching that refers to lightening one’s skin). He was provided with a 9mm and an M16 so he could observe comings and goings in the community. If anyone not supposed to be there appeared, he would shoot at them. “But I never hurt anyone,” he told me. He used to smoke weed and drink, way too much, but he has since quit. Sometimes, however, when the stress piles too high on his head, he goes up in a tree and smokes a spliff. But most days, he is just trying to make it, trying to deal with the frustrations. So what are his frustrations? Right now, he is trying to get a job. His resume is well-done and professional and he has some experience working in heavy labour. He has graduated from one of the programs that Youth Opportunities Unlimited runs, which gave him experience in digital arts. He has also written an impeccable cover letter, which he hopes will land him an interview. During our conversation, Odain was charming and funny. He never broke eye contact and seemed to want me to understand that life is frustrating. Odain has a five-year-old child and a babymother. He wants to support them more than anything. He wants a job more than anything. Amongst the youth we work with, this seems to be representative of the main concern. They just want to work.