by Teena James saw a startling amount of young people affected by poverty and violent crime in the Echo Heights and Stop Six communities while she was a student at Dunbar High School with her firstborn kid.
According to James, violent crime is beginning with our young children and is now beginning to involve our young teenage guys and girls as well.
When she saved a 17-year-old from possible legal danger, she felt she had to take action. If he had accrued a criminal record, it would have prevented him from attending college.
She would see students who were lacking in basic essentials like food, clothing, and occasionally housing.
James stated, “I just started reaching out to help any child at that point.”
Because of her commitment to helping the neighborhood, James has been known as Mother James and Miss Stop Six since 2009.
I like reading the news once more.
Find new, unbiased reporting about events taking place in your neighborhood.
She started the nonprofit organization Safe in the Six in 2014 with the goal of creating a network of support for Echo Heights and Stop Six. In addition to offering safe spaces to support children’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being, the nonprofit links local youth and families to resources and programs that will help them thrive in school and the workplace.
Welcome to 52 Faces
52 Community Facesis a weekly series on local unsung heroes from Fort Worth Report. Central Market, H-E-B, and JPS Health Network are its sponsors.
These underappreciated heroes will come together for a luncheon at the conclusion of the year, where the Report will select one honoree to represent Tarrant County at the Jefferson Awards in Washington, D.C.
52 Faces of Community, the Fort Worth Report’s weekly series highlighting hidden heroes in Tarrant County, recognized James for her community involvement and devotion.
According to Safe in the Six marketing director Jayson Dixon, she had a significant influence on the schools. She visits those schools to convey to the children that they can overcome any circumstance they find themselves in.
Dixon joined the team after being moved by James’ perseverance in launching the nonprofit.
I’ve witnessed her persevere in overcoming all obstacles to complete the task. Dixon stated when she was unable to get assistance. We had to make our own assistance.
James has bought clothing and school supplies, found housing for local teenagers, and even walked kids to and from school to make sure they are safe.
For children whose parents have work or scheduling difficulties, she and the nonprofit’s members hope to act as fillers and guardians who go to field trips, graduations, and promotions.
According to James, even going to these kinds of events can have an impact on a child’s life.
They’re not by themselves. She mentioned that they have someone who is assisting them.
To assist in housing adolescents and residents who have been victims of domestic abuse, Safe in the Six collaborates with SafeHaven of Tarrant County and One Safe Place. James has occasionally opened her own residence.
“Our goal is to provide a secure environment for them,” Dixon stated. We can contact the families, arrange remediation, identify the issue, and resolve it.
James is also consulted by several locals who are having difficulties with social skills or mental health.
She just seems like a fighter to me. She is passionate about her work. She adores that neighborhood.
According to her, many children are detaching. Some of them develop mental health problems, and they tend to keep to themselves.
James takes the initiative to give families positive possibilities while also connecting them to nearby medical facilities like John Peter Smith Hospital.
This includes the charity’s yearly red rose distribution.
Safe in the Six throws a red carpet celebration every year on the first day of school at Dunbar High, where they welcome teenage girls with red roses to promote self-esteem and confidence.
According to James, our objective is to begin boosting their self-esteem and ensuring that these young women are aware of and confident in who they are.
She makes certain that high school boys get the attention and direction they require as well.
The group organizes the Dads of Dunbar event once a month, inviting speakers to educate young boys about business, the value of finishing high school, and their options for attending trade schools or college.
One of the nonprofits’ strategies for ending the cycle of poverty and criminality that has plagued Echo Heights and Stop Six is to offer training and events.
Dixon stated that James creates space and time for everyone.
He remarked, “I just see her as a fighter.” She is passionate about her work. She adores that neighborhood.
The Fort Worth Report’s environment correspondent is Nicole Lopez. You may reach her at fortworthreport.org/nicole.lopez.
Decisions on news at the Fort Worth Report are decided without consulting our board members or sponsors. Find out more about our policy on editorial independence here.
Are you sick of yelling? Help us focus on the facts.
Opinions are plentiful, but facts are more difficult to get. At the Fort Worth Report, we provide truth-based local reporting so you can make wise choices for your community and yourself.
Related
The Journalism Trust Initiative has accredited Fort Worth Report for upholding ethical journalism standards.
Republish this narrative
Noncommercial organizations are exempt from republishing fees. It is forbidden for businesses to operate without a license. For further information, get in touch with us.
Republish this article
The Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License governs this work.
- Look for the “Republish This Story” button underneath each story. To republish online, simply click the button, copy the html code and paste into your Content Management System (CMS). Do not copy stories straight from the front-end of our web-site.
-
You are required to follow the guidelines and use the republication tool when you share our content. The republication tool generates the appropriate html code.
-
You are required to add this language at the top of every republished story, including a link to the story.
This story was originally published by the Fort Worth Report. You may read
the original version here
.
- You can t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style.
- You can t sell or syndicate our stories.
- Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization.
-
If you use our stories in any other medium for example, newsletters or other email campaigns you must make it clear that the stories are from the Fort Worth Report. In all emails, link directly to the story at fortworthreport.org and not to your website.
-
If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using
@FortWorthReport
on Facebook and
@FortWorthReport
on Twitter.
-
You have to credit Fort Worth Report. Please use Author Name, Fort Worth Report in the byline. If you re not able to add the byline, please include a line at the top of the story that reads: This story was originally published by Fort Worth Report and include our website,
fortworthreport.org
. - You can t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style.
- Our stories may appear on pages with ads, but not ads specifically sold against our stories.
- You can t sell or syndicate our stories.
- You can only publish select stories individually not as a collection.
- Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization.
-
If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using
@FortWorthReport
on Facebook and
@FortWorthReport
on Twitter.
