IAmA Jahmal Cole, the guy from the front page who just wanted to help shovel snow for some seniors in Chicago. AMA

Props to you for being your neighborhood's hero in their time of need, but who's your favorite superhero?

Gambit from X-Man

Keep up the amazing work you do for your community. You are a role model to a lot of people even if you dont know it. Stay strong and never give up on your passions and dreams. You deserve the respect of everyone and so much more.

Thank you!

How did the seniors in need know to email you?

Local News.

What’s your favorite type of shovel?

I like the metal shovels. Most durable.

How's your back?

Doing better than some. Worse than others. I’m good, man. Thanks for asking. 😎

How do I get some of your gear, sweatshirt? To help support you and your mission?

Thanks for asking. Merch

What inspired you to start your organization and help others? I really admire what you’ve done

Volunteering at Cook County Jail. None of the students had ever traveled outside of their neighborhood. To me, that was tragic. I knew immediately that I had to do something about it.

Why aint the city shoveling snow?
(Im from Denmark - The state does that for the elderly and disabled - and on public roads ofcouse).... I thought it was the same in the States? No?

Yeah the City shovels, but can become overwhelmed by Mother Nature when storms hit fast. I just wanted to help the seniors out because often time they are the last to get the support they need.

Cody Chesnutt

Who's your favorite musician?

Cody Chesnutt

What’s your favourite colour?

Chicago Blue

As someone who just moved to Chicago last year, what really blew me away is how segregated the city is. What do you think I can do to help people in lower-income communities? I live on the north-side and feel like I'm surrounded by people just like me.

Join our movement and volunteer - all communities are unique with their own challenges and need to be explored Formyblock.org

What’s been the biggest barrier to helping your community and how did you tackle it?

All the negativity. When I run along 80th Street from State Street to Cottage Grove, there are eight or nine block clubs along with old block club signs that say "no littering, no loud music, no ball playing in the street, no car repairs." They're all warnings, but no block club sign ever stopped people from doing those things. I thought, why can't these signs say yes? "Yes, we welcome you. Yes, we want you to be here. Yes, we reach out to new people. We value safety, we value respect."

How many people came to help after you posted about this on Twitter?

P.S:Keep up the good work,sir.The world needs more people like you

About 100

What advice would you have for someone trying to positively engage their community like you’ve done?

Ask yourself what’s something simple you can do that’ll have a positive impact on your block or your neighborhood. RFK spoke about creating ripples of hope. And those ripples coming together to create a wave of change. You don’t need a masters degree to shovel your neighbors yard.

With all the violence in Chicago, what programs reach out to young men in your area to help them see a brighter path?

Through conversation with the young men in detention, it became clear that most had never traveled beyond their own block or neighborhood. Consequently, their worldviews- what was possible for them and their peers- were geographically bound and constricted by their neighborhoods. For youth who did not travel beyond their neighborhood boundaries, their wellbeing, sense of self and efficacy, and educational and economic outcomes depended almost entirely on the neighborhood’s infrastructure, socioeconomic, and resource characteristics. This reality poses significant limitations for some teenagers that live on Chicagos west and south side and conversely opportunities for others. If our youth are to have a fair chance at having fulfilling and independent lives, that inequality must be corrected. Chicago is not a level playing field.

Should get your crew in on learning small engine repair and a little bit of light metal fabrication, then you guys could salvage a couple second-hand snow-blowers and even get more done. (A lot of people throw out ones that are reasonably repairable.) And when it gets heavy enough where people need shoveling done, a snow blower can be well worth it.

Also how do you keep it up? My back patio, drive, sidewalk, and perhaps the sidewalk of one or two neighbors (don't say too much, but still watch out for each other), and I'm pretty much done for the day. Back can't take much more than that.

These are all great ideas!

Cubs or Sox?

Cubs Fan. Didn’t need to have cable tv to watch the Cubs.

Just donated! I'm so glad you did this AMA! "...We are the change we seek..." How long did it take to go from "I want to shovel snow for my neighbors" to what your organization provides for your community now? If I missed the AMA, that's ok, I just wanted to contribute! Cheers!

Thank you! I just take it day by day

How do I start something like this in my community?

Start.

Maybe you already answered this but how many people ended up coming out to help you?

65 yesterday!

We got three volunteers from Reddit today! Thanks Reddit!