'My name is Melvin Giles'

Good morning.  My name is Melvin Giles. I’m so happy I know some of you.  My favorite color is purple.  Yes, and I love blowing Peace Bubbles. 

I was born in Chicago.  As my daddy would say, “I was born in Chicago by way of Mississippi.”   Because he was from the Mississippi Alabama area.   Maybe 3 or 4 years after I was born, I had some older brothers, and my father was kind of smart enough to say we needed to get out of Chicago.   Prior to that time my father had four brothers and a sister.   As I said, we were from down South.  Back in the 40s and 50s there was this thing called this migration of African American black people coming from the South moving up north. 

Saint Louis, he lived there for a while, but he ended up in Chicago. For some reason he got it in his head to invite my grandmother, his mother, to go to Chicago. She tried it for maybe six months, maybe a year, but she did not like Chicago at all.  So, she went back down South where there was a whole, whole big family of Giles down there.  Their name was Smoot.  I think the Vikings used to have one of my cousins playing for them named Fred Smoot. 

We left Chicago.  We moved to Iowa.  Nice little, tiny town called Mason City about 5 hours from Des Moines.  I'm saying Des Moines because there's this book here, and hopefully, sometime, you might get to see it.  Our moderator for the day, Mr. Larry Long is featured in this book. I did a little homework last night just to go back on and forgot he was from Iowa, too. 

Mason City is a very small town it's about two hours from here. By the time my father moved to Masin City he was a minister, so he had a church.  We always traveled back to Mississippi to visit my grandmother and my great grandmother.  I had an aunt who lived to be about 108 years old. My grandmother was in her 90s and my great, great grandmother also was close to 100. 

During that time period we would travel from Iowa down South.  I used to always wonder how come we didn't stop too often.  I know a few times, I would be complaining, saying, “I want to stop.  I need some food.”  I am being the youngest had to sit in the middle.  My brothers, one time,  hit me in my stomach and just said, “Be quiet.”

It was a little while longer that I learned it was because we were black, we could not stop.  We used to carry pots with us.  We would pull over to use it, if we had to go to the bathroom.  At that time, I thought it was just kind of a nice fun way to speed up the trip.  It took me a little while to learn that we could not stop at certain gas stations at that time.  They didn't have rest stops at that time.  They had roadsides.  Yet, even at the roadsides we had to be really careful.

I soon started realizing, that it was around the time before Dr. King got killed.  I was still under the age of 10.  I started being very fearful of my brothers every time we would go down South. I was scared that they would look at a white person, particularly a white female and get lynched.  They would get hung. It never happened, but we had some relatives who did get hurt, who got beat up.

I'm happy to say that today in 21st century it is a lot different.  It's a whole lot different.   So, my father though he was a preacher, he still needed to make money, so he ended up moving to Saint Paul to work.  At first at a meat packing place and then he ended up working for the railroad.  Every Sunday we would travel two hours back to Mason City, where he could do his preaching at his church.   He was a pastor there.

When he started working at the railroad, if you were a family member, you could get free passes to ride.   My mother and myself would ride the trains quite a bit back to Saint Louis, where she was from, to Chicago.  My mother died before I was 12 years old. After she passed away, I would take the train every Christmas to visit her sister, my aunt.  Father is still working on the railroad, so I could just hop on that train.  I had the thought it was really cool being able to go to Chicago visiting my relatives for the day. 

I went to Saint Paul Central.  I love the old Saint Paul Central.  It was a beautiful building.  Prior to me going to Central, there was a lot of what they would call racial incidents.  In Mason City I really thought I wanted to be a police officer, however after moving to Minnesota I did not want to be a police officer.  At that time, again it has changed, there was not too many role models of black police officers.  I'm very happy that the former Chief Finney became a role model and he kind of opened the doors for many other officers of all colors.  He opened the doors for women to become police officers and Captains.  Minneapolis even got a woman Chief of Police.  It took me a long time to really start feeling comfortable around cops and that's one reason I blow Peace Bubbles.  I like bubbles instead of bullets.

I have a brother who wears dreadlocks.  We would get stopped a lot by cops. We get guns put in our face.  When I was younger, I felt of my brothers gonna be killed for just being black.  Later on, I was working for this place over in Frogtown.  At University and Dale Street. they used to have a police station.  I knew I needed to try to make friends with the police. I was really fortunate that they had a commander who was a very friendly guy.  We got to talk a lot.  That commander helped us do our first Peace Celebration.  He thought we were gonna plant one Peace Pole, but over a period of maybe 5, 6. Or 7 years we planted over 50 Peace Poles. 

We were trying to help create spaces of peace for human beings to get together.  I know there's this thing about cause and effect.  I consider myself a peacemaker. Mahatma Gandhi said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." I see you as rainbow children. 

At Saint Paul Central they had the Upward Bound Program, where for two years we traveled down South to visit black colleges.  When I graduated from high school, had a couple of different choices. I decided to go to Atlanta Georgia to college.  At that time, they were calling it Chocolate City.  I then went to school in South Dakota. I had never seen so many white people in my life.  Only a few people of color.  I could not believe how unjustly Native American’s were treated and it was their land. 

I would go to people's homes, and they would have this MTV on. I would have to kind of smile,  because it was white folks loving black and Latino music.  What's going on.  I also noticed they didn't have too many other TV type shows to watch besides Mayberry, Andy Griffith, and Leave It to Beaver.  What  I came to believe in my heart was that instead of people really hating people they just didn't know any better.  We needed to build relationships.

I used to think some people was just born mean.  I really believed in due time when those older people die life would be better.  All of a sudden I start getting  this grey hair. I don't feel like no elder.  Life goes so fast and sometime things don't change and sometimes they do.

I want to tell you two quick stories.  Minnesota had a wrestler, who became Governor.  This Governor gave the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) permission to march on at the Capitol.  For me the KKK is down South, yet he gave them permission to come to Minnesota,  Saint Paul to march.  I was a Peacemaker in Saint Paul.  We had a group called the Peaceful Love Warriors.  We work with the Saint Paul cops and with gang members.   The gang members wanted to ‘Can the Klan’, too.  We decided we was going to have a peace celebration at the same time the Klan was at the Capitol.  It was held at the Saint Paul Central High School on the football field. 

I think it was probably the only time that you've seen Saint Paul cops and some of these gang members working together to patrol the parking area.  We did this ceremony with about 8 real big Peace Poles.  We had people from all different cultures.  During the ceremony some police officers were smudged (purified) with sage.   That was one of those moments that told me the path I was walking with other people was the right road to walk against hatred.

Sometimes we need be energized by anger but yet be kind and motivated by love. Only love can transform things for the better. 

(Question)  Can you explain to the students the Peace Pole?  Where it came from and why it's important? 

After World War II a man from Japan came up with these words, “May peace prevail on earth.”, which is written on each peace pole.   It’s a universal prayer. He believed that if each person could get two or three people to say it and so on, that eventually we will have peace on earth.   He formed an organization around this vision.   These Peace Poles come in different languages.   So, each pole reads, “May peace prevail on earth”, or “May peace be in our homes and community”.

This one here has it in Russian.  That was one of those countries that we used to be at war with.  This one is in Spanish and then, of course, Japanese and Chinese. This one here has animal footprints on it.  There’s over  300,000 Peace Poles in the whole world right now.   There's one at 911 Ground Zero site.  There’s one in Iraq.  It’s really great to have these in places where there's been bad things happening.

I get so excited, because Minnesota is the Capitol of Peace Poles.  You can almost go to any city in the State of Minnesota, USA and you find a Peace Pole.  If you plant a seed, it will grow.

(Question) Mr. Giles what is the work you're doing in the community right now?

It’s wintertime right now, so I'm just trying to stay warm. (Laughter)  I still do community organizing around food and health, community gardening.  Some of  these students here have come over to help.  Putting their hands in the soil and pulling weeds. 

(Question)  When you say you believe in peace,  what does the word peace mean to you?

Well, that's pretty hard question.  It mainly means the changes for the good we see every day.  What's in front of me right now.  When I'm looking at all of you.   People of different colors, young men and young women just being themselves and getting along.  Look at your smile.  That's peace.  Peace is helping out others when things are not going well.  The solution is always right there before us. If people had a good paying job, they wouldn't be out on the street breaking windows.  

(Question) My name is Connor and my question is where did the idea of peace bubbles come from?

Hello Connor.  Around 20 years ago, maybe a little longer, I started blowing bubbles.  Then one day while blowing bubbles, I realized that it was having a certain effect on people.   Particularly when I started blowing bubbles at this meeting that was getting pretty intense.  It was about racial discrimination and people didn't know how to talk to each other.  So, I just stood up and started walking around blowing bubbles.  All of a sudden people just kind of relaxed.  Ever since I’ve been blowing bubbles.  I really love giving peace bubbles away.  Thanks for the question.

(Question)  My name is Joe.  Have you traveled down South recently? 

Yes, I have been down South recently.  Most of the places are a lot different now.  You see people who look like me working.  You don't see signs which read, “White’s Only.”   I think the South is much warmer place to live now.  I love that, but there’s still a whole bunch of work left to do.  Thank you for your question.

(Question)  Good morning Mr. Giles.  My name is AJ and my question for you is, “So were you ever angry or upset about the limitations of African Americans back in your past and if so could you explain?”

A good question.  I would say when I was about your age or a little younger I probably wasn't too aware.  When I went into Junior High,  I was very angry about the way people are mistreated because of their sexual orientation or because of their gender or for whatever reason.

I still feel very disappointed that my grandparents and my great-great grandparents, who farmed the land, never received benefits from their work. 

My father was in the Korean War. One day I happened to look at,  you know like your school yearbook, of my father’s military yearbook.  I looked for my father’s photo and kept looking and looking but couldn’t find him. I find his photo at last at the very end of the book. That's where all the black sailors’ photos were located, in the very back. In turn, the white soldiers received good benefits, such as good loans for housing,  whereas my father was unable to get any.  

I’m  very upset about my eldest brother, who was in the Vietnam War. When he came back, he did not get all the good help he could have received. 

One way I channel that energy is just by talking to other people who might have similar type of issues.  I'm happy that things are changing now and all people, who serve are receiving equal benefit. 

(Question) Mr. Giles I'm Jack and I was wondering when you were facing discrimination how did you handle it? 

I prayed a lot and I still do pray.  It took me a long time.  One of my brothers gave me this book called ‘As A Man Thinketh’ by James Allen. It’s basically saying that we are what we think.  It took me a long time to take it in. So, after a while getting stopped by the cops because I was black, I started calling on my better angels.  As they was coming to my car, I would imagine those angels sending beautiful light out to them.  I would imagine them surrounding my car with a lot of light.  It happened three times and I haven't been stopped since. 

After they checked my license, they would come back and say, “Thanks Mr. Giles. Have a great day.”  After giving me my license back with no explanation. One time they should have given me a ticket, because I had a crack side mirror and a back light out, but I didn't get a ticket. I truly believe it's because of our invisible forces and I recommend that everyone somehow try to just call on their higher power.  We all have these special helpers around us.  We are more than what we see. 

(Question) Hello Mr. Giles.  My name is Sam and my question is, “What was your relationship like with policeman or just the police in general?” 

Thanks Sam.  Good question. I was very fearful of the police when I first started driving.  I would feel my hands tighten up just tighten up.  Sometimes I acted like I lived in South Africa.  When I left my house and realized I didn't have my license, I would get terrified.  I would drive home to make sure I had my license, because I didn't want no excuse if I did get stopped. 

I could say from zero to five I now have a terrific relationship with the cops.  When I see them, I just like blowing bubbles.  I'm sure some of them look at me kind of crazy, particularly the newer ones

I look at your fellow students here hoping at least four or five or six of you will become law enforcement officers.  I have a little nephew, who's a cop now.  I have one who's a fireman.  My image of cops has changed and they have changed, as well. 

I hope that when you go home tonight,  just like probably last night when you start listening to the news again about Ferguson or about Cleveland, not to make any judgment at all but just to listen.  Just to listen and think about it. We need cops to help protect and serve,  but we don't need cops to act out of fear.  Thanks Sam.

(Question) My name is Dev and my question is, “Who created the celebration to protest the Ku Klux Klan and how did you become a part of it? 

The celebration was a collaboration with a group called ‘Peaceful Love Warriors’, which was a group of volunteers, or people who mainly just believed in peace. It formed because some senseless act of violence happened in our community. People wanted to mainly point fingers at the cops or at gang members, but the ‘Peaceful Love Warriors’ said, “We need to point fingers at our own self.  We are all responsible for what happened.”  So, when the KKK came into town we were able to talk to the police officers, talk to gang members, and we kind of all decided to work together to counter hatred with joy.  We talked to some musicians, and we just had a real good time.   Thank you. 

(Question) My name is Lou and my question is, “What did you major in when you were in college?”

Thanks for the question.   When I went to college in Georgia, I majored in Community Development and Economics.  I ended up in South Dakota majoring in Law Enforcement & Corrections.  They didn't have a Community Development piece at the school I was going into.  Thanks for the question.

(Question)  Hi Mr. Giles.  My name is Ed and my question is, “Yesterday you mentioned that you liked animals.  Why was it important for them to be on your Peace Pole?

Thanks for your question. My life partner was an animal rescuer. She taught me a whole lot about animals.  During Hurricane Katrina we were able to do this national and international campaign.  We took a caravan of about 15 cars down to Louisiana and Mississippi to help the animals stranded in that hurricane. Every time we stopped, we would plant a Peace Pole.  Since that time, I’ve connected with the animals.  We all need to connect to them. I learned from my partner.  Thank you Mr. Charles.

(Question) Mr. Giles my name is Sharon and the question I'm going to ask you is, “Why did you decide to stay mainly in Saint Pau?”

You heard Miss Bridget, your teacher, talk about President Reagon.  When President Reagon got reelected the second time, I decided I needed to come back to Saint Paul.  I wasn't living here at that time.  My father was getting ill, but it was mainly I needed to have the support of my family to survive if I was going to be living under Ronald Reagan.   Ronald Reagan was not too good for urban communities.  He was a good president in his own way, but for the urban communities he was not too healthy.

(Question) Mr. Giles my name is Audrey and I was wondering, “When you first came to Saint Paul how did you feel about the community?”

I was a little kid when I first came to Saint Paul. I was the youngest and I thought it was cool. Saint Paul was square but my family was cool, so I thought it was cool.  Nowadays I think Saint Paul is fantastic.  You know, Saint Paul is way ahead of the game. It's a good role model for all other communities in the nation Thank you Audrey.  

(Question) My name is Elisa.  My question for you is, “How is the community in Saint Paul different than other communities where you have lived?”

Nelson Mandela and Dr. King and some other folks used the term ‘beloved community’.  That describes St. Paul for me.  We are a big city but yet we're really small.  We have districts, while other communities such as Atlanta it's really spread out all over.  In Chicago you go from the South Side to the West Side, and it might take you a whole hour just to get from one place to another.  In Saint Paul you can get to the West Side to Frogtown in like 10 minutes 15 minutes.  I really like that our transportation is good. Possibly you’ve heard that everyone is about four or five degrees of separation from each other.  It means that somebody knows somebody who knows somebody.  We are all connected.  That’s why I really love about Saint Paul.  Thank you.

(Question)  Mr. Giles I'm Tom. I was wondering, “How has your view changed on the importance of the community since you were a kid?”

 It hasn't changed that much really.  I would say probably the biggest difference has been the neighborhood of Rondo. We have just begun to start either reconciling or doing some healing over how the freeway kind of destroyed our neighborhood.  So, with the light rail, the green line, it was the opportunity to say, “Let’s do it in a better way.”  And when it started going in the bad way, the neighborhood I live in had to sue to make sure that they put stops in the neighborhood, instead of just zooming by.  Thank you Tom.

(Question) Mr. Giles my name is Micah and I was wondering, “If you could, can you describe how your engagement in the St. Paul community molded you into a better person?

Good question. I want to say I don't know if I can answer that one, because I'm hoping that I'm still being molded, but for sure the people I'm around are fantastic.  I know for sure growing up that if I was doing something not too cool, or if I was doing something destructive, one of the neighbors would come out and make sure I stopped doing it.  

My mother died when I was young, but yet I had almost every woman on the block was kind of like my mother.  You know, if they was older than 20 years old they were my mother, be it community or extended family.  They were my angels.  Thank you Micah.

Question)  Hello Mr. Giles my name is Wolfgang and my question for you is, “How do you think youth are different today?” 

Wow Wolfgang.   That’s  a tough question.  I think that probably the biggest difference I can think of on the top of my head is technology.  Computers, you know.  I really liked playing checkers when I was young.  I like going outside playing kickball.  I used to love slingshots, but I see young people more kind of like walking with their heads down and doing this all day long or even in class. Not that it's bad or anything, but just different you know.  When you was a child someone told you that you are very special and that you are really great.  There's a child within myself and I guess Peace Bubbles help it to happen. 

(Question) Mr. Giles my name is Ku and my question for you is, “What do you think your greatest contributions are to the community?”

I think that I’m still a work in progress.  Right now, I'll just say I like to think that just being present and being a really cheerful person.  I try to participate in any senseless act of kindness or get involved with meaningful acts.  I hope that the Peace Poles and community gardening.  Having gardens around is making a difference.  I think the biggest difference we all can make is just being who we are and kind of like letting our inner light shine.  I try to live the four agreements of being truthful with my word; not taking things personal;  not making no assumptions and just doing the best I can.

I know especially when I look at the news of Ferguson I have to really work hard not to take things personally.  When I hear about the verdict, I have to really not make assumptions and that's really, really hard and so I think if I can do that. I can help by being a model or just be a reflection for somebody else.

I met a man one day who his name was Melvin and he kind of looked like Santa Claus.  He was so cheerful talking about trying to change the world and for me it was like I want to be like that.  I wanted to be able to go out and fight for justice. Work for good things, but I have to do it cheerfully.  That’s what I want to leave as my contribution.  I want to give thanks.  

(Question) Thank you Mr. Giles for coming here.  I really appreciate it and you've touched on a lot of these things, but right now we are really focusing on community and how we can get involved.  The community and I know you've been involved with a lot of different organizations. I think at this age we don't necessarily understand how that kind of process works.  How to do something that starts grassroots and becomes kind of bigger.   So if you can maybe give us just a little bit of, “How do people organize themselves to create what they envision?”

I think you kind of start with a small group of organizers or planners. First have to decide what you would like to do, put it on paper, outline it and start asking for help.  Sometimes it really helps to know what your special gift is.  Some people like to work with computers, some like to type, some like to research and look up information,  some folks are really good artists, so you can make great flyers or great posters, some folks are really shy and don't really want to talk and simply want to work in the background, and then there's some folks like me, who just love running my mouth like talking a lot.  (Laughter)  So it's kind of like finding out what your gifts are. That's one of those things about organizing for change, for goodness.  You don't have to try to take care of a whole big thing.  All you got to do is just one little, small thing and it is kind of like one of those snowballs. Once it gets going it just grows and grows and grows.  So, part of the organizing is starting small.  You know, I like to say keep it simple sisters and brothers.  See where it goes.   Surround yourself with people who can help you and you can help them.  Thank you.

After Melvin Giles shared his life story with Larry and the students, they collectively wrote him a song from the words he spoke. The song entitled ‘Peace Bubbles In The Air’ was performed in his honor at an Elders’ Wisdom, Children’s Song Celebration held at the Open World Learning Community in St. Paul in 2014. 

Elders’ Wisdom, Children’s Song is program created by Larry Long.  For more information: www.larrylong.org