Opinion by Ernesto Portillo Jr.: Urban League's poet hopes kids will seek to walk in his footsteps - AZ Daily Star

The loud rumbling of traffic passing the Urban League Academy onSouth Park Avenue couldn't drown out George Rushing's voice. In acadence part preacher and part football coach, Rushing's poetryspilled out across the school's crowded courtyard.

'Man ... don't ask me for nothing that you ain't willing to give/Cause you see the pain you caused me, made me not want to live/Youleft us here to suffer & through a life full of trials/Me and Mamawalk barefoot through rocks and broken glass ... For what felt likemiles.'

Rushing's poem reflects his fractured feelings about his father,who wasn't around as Rushing grew up in Liberty City, a toughneighborhood in Miami, Fla.

The students listening to Rushing's rhythmic voice could hear thesame, hard steps they're taking today.

Rushing, 33, is the education director for the Tucson UrbanLeague. The educator-poet-role model tells students they too canovercome life's obstacles and there are people willing to help them.

'Our success works if we believe that we're the sum ofeverybody,' said Rushing, who works with many students from stressed-out homes and neighborhoods.

My colleague, transportation reporter Tim Ellis, and I went tothe charter school earlier this week to participate in the academy'sThird Annual African-American Read-In. The poetry of LangstonHughes, Maya Angelou and Tupac Shakur was read. Some students readtheir own poetry - composed on the spot.

Rushing read his unpublished creations, which he uses to teach orcounsel students.

The words are healing and inspiring. They express anger and hope.They express the students' reality, which was once his.

'I've been where they've been,' said Rushing, a big man with asoft, measured voice.

He was a troubled kid. His mother worked two or three jobs whilegoing to school.

In high school, his football coach began to set him straight. Hereceived a football scholarship to the University of Florida, but aninjury forced him to leave big-time college sports.

Rushing returned to Miami and enrolled in a small, black college.There, he met Annie Ruth Brown, a teacher who turned him on toreading, language and poetry.

He wrote his first poem, 'A Mile In My Shoes,' in her class.

Rushing graduated and joined the military to pay for his graduatestudies. He came to Tucson in 2002 and enrolled at the University ofArizona, where he earned a master's degree in education. Currentlyhe is a doctoral candidate.

Before joining the Urban League last year, Rushing worked for theTucson Unified School District in its African-American studiesdepartment.

Rushing's commitment and passion for education is genuine and isnot lost on students, said Kelly Langford, TUSD's Student Servicesdirector.

'He sees those kids have a capacity to be productive,' saidLangford, who worked with Rushing at TUSD.

In addition to teaching, Rushing preaches at a small South Tucsoncongregation, the Way Church International at East 37th Street andSouth Sixth Avenue.

Whether in church or the classroom, Rushing's message remains thesame.

'The kids just want to be loved,' he said.

'So maybe you'd see how/How bad it feels when raining days neverseem to end/How bad it hurts when a broken heart can't seem to mend/What it's like to birthed into a life sin ... and have no earthlydirection/No spiritual covering to provide protection ...'

* Ernesto Portillo Jr.'s column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays andSaturdays. Reach him at 573-4242 or at eportillo@azstarnet.com. Heappears on 'Arizona Illustrated,' KUAT-TV Channel 6, at 6:30 p.m.and midnight Fridays.