9/21/2015

Fromganglifetogradschool'Iwould'veneverseenmyselfinthisposition'

Fromganglifetogradschool'Iwould'veneverseen
myselfinthisposition'
MAY14,201111:05PMCHRISTINEWON
CHRISTINE.WON@JOURNALTIMES.COM

RACINEAt8,heknewhewantedtobea
drugdealerwhenhegrewup.
Whenhewas13,hismothergothimrealdrugs
tosellsohewouldn'tbekilledforsellinglicked
offLemonheadscrushedtolooklikecrack.
Backthen,hedidn'tthinkhe'dlivepast16,but
onSaturday,atage31,hegraduatedfrom
college.
AntonHousehas,attimes,wantedtohidehispastfromhispeersatschool.Now,hewants
totellhisstoryofgangmemberturnedcollegegraduatetoshowothersthey,too,can
change.
TheformerdrugdealergraduatedfromtheUniversityofWisconsinParksidewithabachelor
ofartsdegreeinhistory.Thissummer,he'llbesavingupforgraduateschoolandchecking
booksoffhisreadinglist,including"TheBlackHistoryoftheWhiteHouse."Thenhe'llbe
boundforWashington,D.C.
Growingup
ARacinenative,Housegrewupon11thStreet,throwingtheGangsterDisciples'pitchfork
signandshufflingfromonerelative'shousetoanother,aswastypicalforachildwitha
drugaddictedparent.
Asaboy,hesawthedealersgoinginandoutofadrughouseacrossthestreetfromhis
grandmother's,flauntingbiggoldchains,leatheroutfitsandadidastracksuits.
"Seeingthis,everykidwanted(thatlifestyle),"Housesaid."Weidentifiedwhatrepresented
wealth."
Hewas13whenhecameupwiththeideatoselllickedoffLemonheadsfor$20each.After
that,hismomgothimsomerealdrugs,knowingwhataddictswoulddotohimwhenhegot
caughtsellingfakes.Tohim,thatwasherwayoflovinghim:"Ifyou'regoingtodoit,doit.
Don'tplaybecausepeoplewillkillyou."
Hehadkeptabiggunsincehewas13,woreabulletproofvestaroundthe'hoodand
droppedoutofCaseHighSchoolat16.Hewasturnedofffromschool,Housesaid,
becauseallheheardaboutbeingblackwasthathisancestorswereslaves.
Hisfirstencounterwith"juvie"wasat15,aftergettingcaughtwithasawedoffshotgun.A
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Fromganglifetogradschool'Iwould'veneverseenmyselfinthisposition'

yearlater,hewasbackonthestreets,wherenothinghadchanged.
Hebecamesonumbtothelifestyle,hesaid,thathedidn'tcareifhesolddrugstopregnant
women,robbedpeopleorshotthem.
"Iwassonegativethatiftherewassomeonepositivearoundme,I'dtrytoinfluencethem,
getthemdrunk,getthemhigh,Here,takemypistol,'"Housesaid."I'dtrytocorruptthem
becauseIwassomiserablemyself."
Turningaround
Housewenttoprisonforthefirsttimein1998,atage18,forpossessionofcocaine.
Bythetimehegotout,aftertwoyears,hehadan18montholdsontosupport.Buthehad
noluckfindingjobswithafelonyonhisrecord.
"IhadnomoneyIhadnothing.ButnowIhadason,"Housesaid."Afterthat,Iwasback
sellingcrack."
Hegotcaughtsellingdrugsagainin2001,andthistimewenttoprisonforfiveyears.
Itwasinprisonthathecameacross"TheDestructionofBlackCivilization,"recommended
byamanwhowasservingalifesentence.
Afterthathereadeverydaybooksonblackhistory,philosophyandmore,inhissearchfor
hisidentity,drivenbyadesiretochangeandanaturalpenchantforlearning.
Househadreceivedhishighschoolequivalencydiplomawhileinprison,andfound
motivationandaccountabilityintheCommunityReentryProgramoncehegotout.
HeenteredParksidein2007asafulltimestudentafterbeingrejectedfromjobswithno
workexperienceandtwofeloniesonhisrecord.
Goingforward
Whilestudyingcamenaturally,Housesaiditwashardertogetusedtotheuniversity
culture.
Hegotworriedwhenaletterarrivedsayinghewasonthedean'slist:"Ithoughtitwas
somethingbad."
Butheovercametheinitialchallenges,andlaterbecamethepresidentoftheBlackStudent
Union.
Housedefiedthehighrecidivismrateforprisonersthroughhisinquisitiveandhardworking
nature,saidParksideAssociateProvostDennisRome,formerchairoftheuniversity's
CriminalJusticeDepartment.
"Iwasstruckbyhiswillingnesstolearn,"Romesaid."Forhimtohavethatinsightandsay,
Hey,Iwanttochangemylife,'it'sunusual."
HousehasbeenacceptedintoHowardUniversityinWashingtonforitstwoyearmaster's
programinAfricandiasporastudies.
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Fromganglifetogradschool'Iwould'veneverseenmyselfinthisposition'

Therearemanythingshewantstolearnabout,includingthecreationofgangs,theBlack
PantherPartymovement,theriseofcrackininnercitiesandtheassassinationofblack
politicalfigures.
Hisgoalistobecomeaprofessor,towritebooksaboutpositiveculturalidentity,helping
educateblackyouthstovaluethemselvesandriseabovetherealityofnothaving.
Thenewgraduatesaid:"Asakid,Iwould'veneverseenmyselfinthisposition."

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