Dom is an African American man in his late twenties who finishes up on the final touches of a poster he is working on. He is preparing to attend a protest this morning but first he has to get his brother Kev up and ready for school. Dom is not only Kev’s brother, but he’s taken on the responsibility of being his father as well. Dom shares with us his history of bad decisions that started by following his two older brothers who were the only example he had in the inner-city streets of Chicago. On the poster he has a picture of Kev at fifteen next to him at fifteen. He reflects on the reality that at fifteen he was carrying a gun and doing all the wrong things, but that change is possible. After the tragic murder of his two brothers, he immediately decides that in order to save Kev’s life he has to be a better example. At a young age he builds a plan with his mother to get them out of Chicago and into a place where Kev can be safe. They will not bury another child. He found himself as a teenager taking on the role of being a father/ big brother to his little brother. This is a story of triumph in a search for understanding. Dom desperately wants to make a better way for Kev hoping that if he can change, that others who drown themselves in the stereotypes of the black man can change as well. That Kev might have a chance to be judged on his merit, his worth, and the great person that he is…the fight continues.
To Save a Life
(Dom, an African American man in his mid to late twenties grooves out to whatever music he is listening too as he works feverishly on painting a poster. He bobs his head mumbles lyrics under his breath as he continues to put the finishing touches on the poster. He steps back and looks at it, reading) “My brother and my Black Life Matters.” (He nods in agreement, yelling off while looking at his watch) “Come on Kev. I don’t hear you moving around up there. You need to get in the shower, and make sure you wash your face and brush your teeth. Ain’t no girl gonna want no musty stank breath boyfriend.” (He laughs for a moment then speaks to the audience.) Kev isn't my son. Even though everyone in our life says that we could be twins though I am much older than he is. But you can't deny the family resemblance. (Big smile) Kev is actually my little brother. (He looks up to where Kev’s room is, beat) I wasn't supposed to be here you know. I wasn't supposed to be in this house at this moment in time doing what I'm doing, I wasn't supposed to be yelling up to my little brother to make sure that he's brushing his teeth and doing his homework and getting his shit together. I didn’t want no kids, at least not until I was old, like thirty or something. (Laughs) Hell I’m telling him what the girls like and I ain’t got not girl…ain’t got no time for that. (Beat) Just him, just Kev. This isn't the life I was supposed to be living but, when you're faced with situations that tell you to sink or swim, live or die you have to make a split-second decision. For me, rather for us, I decided to swim, and I decided to live. Because I knew if I didn’t, we’d both be dead. Like real talk, dead.