A cry for intervention: Perspective from an inner-city youth

Business Consultant Kevin Simmonds has penned his first book titled A Cry For Intervention – Perspective From An Inner city Youth and in it, he gets real about his life growing up in Wareika Hills, Kingston.

Simmonds, who is a devoted Christian, said the book is a description of what life is like growing up in the inner city.

“It explores the details of the day-to-day struggles that inner-city residents are faced with. Specifically, it seeks to highlight why young males behave the way they do and how we can learn to understand them, so we can help them,” he shared with Family and Religion.

Each chapter of the book, he said, explores the themes that are so often misused and misunderstood, while seeking to give clarity and context to some of the issues arising from the culture of the inner city.

Commenting on his inspiration in writing the book, Simmonds said he knows several other youths who are currently having similar experiences to or worse than the ones he encountered.

“So, I wanted to use my story to give hope to others who feel as if the circumstances in which they were born have control over them and will inevitably determine their future. Also, I wanted to show how we can unlearn some of the things taught to us by culture, and learn new better habits, consistent with a positive mindset and a successful life,” said Simmonds, adding that he wanted, too, to show why it is important to develop a relationship with God and allow the Holy Spirit to direct and instruct towards our God given purpose.

The journey

Simmonds shared that the impact he wants the book to have on readers is for them to be exposed to the different cries of the inner-city communities and for them to take the journey, so they can see how bad habits are formed, perpetuated and develop into culture.

“I wanted to expose the subtle-but-real stronghold of generational habits, and the power it holds in limiting us to mediocrity and unfulfilled potential. I want readers to either see how they can break the cycle of generational habits, and mindsets shaped by wrong indoctrination and culture ... . I also want the readers to ask themselves how they can intervene,” are the impassioned words coming from him.

A past student of Camperdown High School, Simmonds is the holder of a master’s degree in business administration in economics and finance. Filled with a passion for helping people to change their lives, he lives to give of his resources, time and effort to initiatives geared at helping others to sculpt their own success.

“As a result, I am in the process of starting a foundation to assist students who are unable to afford school-related expenses, and also to provide mentorship. I also have a passion to help others develop the best relationship possible with God, and so I started a Bible study group that I lead on Sunday afternoons,” he said.

Still on his book, he stressed that all are crying out for some type of intervention, but his focus is on the inner-city communities.

“When I learned about the Gospel (thanks to Dr Timothy Keller for this), it revolutionised my life, it put everything in my life in the right order, including making the Holy Spirit the centre of everything I do,” he shared.

If there is one thing Simmonds want to see arising from his book, which is available on Amazon and can be bought via his social media pages, is a response to the cry for intervention at the right time, and with the right actions.

“We can save some of our youths, convert destructive mindsets into productive members of society, in the process, reducing illiteracy, reducing unemployment and reducing the rate of crime,” he said.

familyandreligion@gleanerjm.com