‘People Trusted Me, and Look at Me Now’

PERCY BROWN Jr., 18, a student at Marshall Fundamental High School in Pasadena, is a community youth leader and volunteer in Altadena’s parks. At an Altadena Town Council meeting where he announced his high school graduation and college plans. Percy handed out certificates of gratitude to community members. “As a foster child, without parents, you guys have been my parents,” he said. After studying drama and sign language at Glendale College beginning in the fall, Percy plans to attend the police academy. He spoke with KAREN Y. LeBEAU.

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My father, believe it or not, died at the age of 18. His brother shot him. This was in Pasadena. And my mother, I believe, was pretty much on drugs at that time.

I don’t know much about my background because when I was 7, my journey into foster homes began. Before I came to Altadena, I was in so many foster homes. I have six siblings, two girls and four boys. They’re younger than me. One brother is in San Diego; we talk on the phone. One sister lives with our grandmother in Pasadena. I walk down to see her on holidays. I have another sister in a foster home in San Fernando Valley.

Me and my twin brother [Perry], we were split up many times, but now we’re together. He’s the outgoing [one] . . . I’m not as popular as he is. I have a little brother now and I do my best to help him. He’s 6. My foster mother took him from the hospital when he was born. His name is Tony.

I wish that I had an older brother or a father. I had a lot of anger inside of me. I was the type of young person who was so confused. Because of the way I had to live, I fenced myself up. I was taken into hospitals, and I had to take medicine. I was not only hyper, I was angry. I had therapy. I had medication. But you can only have so much therapy and medication and it may work. I’ve told myself that the only medicine and doctor can be me.

Volunteering was my first step. Otherwise, I’d be doing something dirty or low down. Something told me that; I call it an inner voice. Everyone has an inner voice. Mine gives me ideas. It says, “Well Percy, maybe you want to do this” or “Percy, maybe you need to go there.” And I say, “how did you get in? You got me in a great direction. You got me far. I hope you can keep me going to college. Whoever you are, thank you.” It was God who sent me an inner voice.

When I first moved into Altadena, I wanted something to do, because I didn’t want to be flipping, flopping on the streets and stuff. My foster mother would drop us off at the park so we could have a whole day to play. Sometimes we didn’t like it, but we went anyway. And I was pretty much bored just going to the park. Sometimes the park would be deserted and it would be just us. Sometimes the park would have a lot of people in it. One day, I said, “You know, since I spend so much time coming to a park, why not do something for the park? And give me something to do?” And that’s when I started volunteering.

In my first job [the recreation supervisor] taught me how to answer phones, how to talk to people, how to do community relations and also how to do paperwork. Yes, janitor work as well, and some days I would help him do the office, clean the floors. [My job was] making sure the bathrooms were clean, making sure the chairs and tables were set up for activities. I was also watching the kids who were in day camp.

One year passed. And I said, “You know what, I’m going to see if I can go for another year.” After weeks and months kept going on, I started expanding my knowledge about parks. In 1993, I was recognized for an award for outstanding volunteering. I got an award and a plaque. My name was written on it and I felt really good about it. I felt really good about myself. So, I kept going.

I thank my foster parents. One thing my foster parents did was instead of running me out of their house [as the others did], they ran the problems out the house. [My foster mother] stuck it out. I’m very surprised that I’m getting a high school diploma and I’m graduating this year. From time to time, I say to myself, “it’s amazing. I actually made it. I actually made it.”

The only way to make yourself better is [to know that] there are going to be times when you have to go by yourself, keep going by yourself and leave your friends or associates behind. There are days when you’re going to feel rejected. There are days when the door is going to shut in your face. But you keep going. Because inside your head you see that path that you can make for yourself. You see a nice path.

I was really touched when people just gave me a chance. It is very hard to trust a kid or a teenager. I understand a lot of adults don’t like to trust a kid, but these people have trusted me, and look at me now.