DARLINGTON COUNTY, SC (WBTW) – For 42 years the Darlington County Cultural Realism Complex has been making an impact on lives of youth in the community.
Saturday a round table was held to discuss the challenges that many young people are facing today.
“I care, you can and every time I speak to youth I tell them that. Sometimes they look at me like nobody has ever said it,” stated City of Florence Attorney Kerstin McDuffie.
The purpose of the round table meeting is to empower the youth for a better tomorrow.
“This has been my major concern. It is today, it will certainly be tomorrow. It’s a wonderful feeling,” said Founder of the Darlington County Cultural Realism Complex Wilhelmina Johnson.
McDuffie remembers the feeling clearly while growing up in foster care and being a part of the Cultural Realism Complex.
“I had an attitude. But my biggest attitude was seeing me be better than I was. I always encourage the youth that it’s alright to have an attitude but have an attitude to see yourself better.”
“You are the total package. We want to instill that in our children and let them know, don’t let no one put them down,” said Johnson.
The motto of the CRC is bridging the gap between school and home with educational, historical, and cultural activities within the community.
“Don’t blame the children. It’s the environment in which they live. The environment in which we have given them,” added Johnson.
“It gives me motivation, as I’m talking to other people and tell them I came from this place and just refresh myself that this is where you came from and you were able to do great things,” explained McDuffie.
The Darlington County Cultural Realism Complex next project is to start up an after school program for kids 4 to 15 years old across Darlington County.
