MILWAUKEE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT The Reminiscences of Javon Finch
ART START Columbia University 2018
PREFACE The following oral history is the result of a recorded interview with Javon Finch conducted by David Castillo on May 9, 2018. This interview is part of the Milwaukee Oral History Project. The reader is asked to bear in mind that they are reading a verbatim transcript of the spoken word, rather than written prose.
Finch – Session #1 – 3
ATC Interviewee: Javon Finch Interviewer: David Castillo
Session #1 Location: Milwaukee, WI Date: May 9, 2018
Q: Today's date is May 9, 2018. This is David Emmanuelle Castillo, planning system for the Department of Black and Latino Male Achievement. I am interviewing student Javon Finch, who attends Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts. So, we’re going to get started, Javon. Just remember about what I told you about the bars on the thing. So, I’m going to ask you some questions. Why Spider-Man?
Javon: [00:00:30] Because he’s my favorite hero.
Q: Why is that? When did that start?
Javon: [00:00:35] Since I first saw the movie.
Q: Which movie was this?
Javon: [00:00:40] I don’t remember.
Q: You don’t remember? But what—tell me a little bit more. Like, what gets you into SpiderMan?
Finch – Session #1 – 4
Javon: [00:00:48] Because of the costume, the toys, everything.
Q: Everything? Okay, so I want you to tell me a little bit about your Art Start concept. I know it was Spider-Man-related, but what’s the connection there to, like, what you want to do when you get older?
Javon: [00:01:11] I don’t have an answer to that
Q: You don’t have an answer to that?
Javon: [00:01:14] No.
Q: Okay. So, we’re going to roll it back a bit. Tell me a little bit about yourself. So, like, Javon Finch; who are you? Where are you from?
Javon: [00:01:25] I’m intelligent. I’m smart. I’m from Indiana.
Q: Anything else? Tell me about Indiana. I didn’t know that, so that’s good to know. When did you move to Milwaukee?
Javon: [00:01:41] I don’t remember.
Finch – Session #1 – 5 Q: You don’t remember? How long—do you know at least how long you’ve been here?
Javon: [00:01:49] No.
Q: [00:01:50] No? Okay. Anything you recall about Indiana?
Javon: [00:01:54] No.
Q: Any little thing?
Javon: [00:01:55] No.
Q: Okay. What’s your take on Milwaukee, then, since this is the city you currently live in?
Javon: [00:02:03] I said it’s kind of okay.
Q: Okay. What do you mean by that?
Javon: [00:02:09] Like, it’s just okay, but the rest is not that good.
Q: Speak a little more on that.
Javon: [00:02:17] Like, the half—other percent is not really good, because of the STD.
Finch – Session #1 – 6
Q: Okay. Oh, so you’re familiar with that [unclear] use?
Javon: [00:02:25] Yes.
Q: What’s your take on that? What do you think can be done in the city to help solve that issue? And even if it’s an idea you have, please feel free to share that. We can always learn from the youth.
Javon: [00:02:40] To not do negative stuff.
Q: Okay. How would you get that message out there?
Javon: [00:02:45] By telling people.
Q: Telling people? Okay. So, tell me a little bit about you. What are the things you like to do?
Javon: [00:02:57] I like to draw. I like to play games.
Q: What types of things do you like to draw?
Javon: [00:03:06] Anything.
Finch – Session #1 – 7 Q: Anything? Okay. Give me a quick sec. Do you have any siblings?
Javon: [00:03:27] Yes.
Q: How many?
Javon: [00:03:29] Two.
Q: Are you the middle child?
Javon: [00:03:32] I’m the oldest.
Q: You’re the oldest? How does that feel, being the oldest child?
Javon: [00:03:36] Okay.
Q: Can you speak a little more on that?
Javon: [00:03:43] It’s okay, but the rest is not, because I always get blamed for—
Q: So, you kind of—you have more responsibility, I guess.
Javon: [00:03:55] Yes.
Finch – Session #1 – 8
Q: Okay. What is it that bugs you about that?
Javon: [00:04:01] [unclear]—
Q: I’m assuming it bugs you, just by the facial expression you made right when you said that.
Javon: [00:04:07] When I get trouble. When I—[pauses]
Q: You’re good. Take your time with it.
Javon: [00:04:31] Yeah, when I consistently get accused, too.
Q: What is it—so, what is it that bugs you about that? Is it that, like, you’re just consistently being accused?
Javon: [00:04:42] Yes.
Q: You’re being accused for things you didn’t do?
Javon: Yes.
Finch – Session #1 – 9 Q: How do you think that, like, connects back to your siblings? Or, like, what do you want your siblings to know in regard to that, or what you wish they could—they would know?
Javon: [00:05:05] Nothing.
Q: Nothing? Okay. So, you go to Roosevelt. Tell me a little bit more about that. How long have you been coming here?
Javon: [00:05:16] This is my first year.
Q: This is your first year? What school were you at before you came here?
Javon: [00:05:21] Milwaukee Academy of Science.
Q: MAS? The one right there off of Wells [phonetic]?
Javon: Yes.
Q: The—
Javon: No.
Q: —supernovas?
Finch – Session #1 – 10
Javon: Yeah.
Q: Did you know Mr. Lovay [phonetic]?
Javon: Yes.
Q: Was he your teacher? Yeah? Did you like him? Tell me a little bit about MAS, and if you want to talk about Mr. Lovay, too, feel free to. But [unclear] MAS.
Javon: [00:05:43] You look like him.
Q: [laughs] I look like Mr. Lovay?
Javon: [00:05:48] Wait, how do you know him?
Q: How do I know him? He and I did the same teaching program. We did Teach for America, and through that teaching program he and I met each other. So, we were in the same corps [phonetic] year. We were part of the same group of teachers; came in the same year, 2014. We did our twoyear commitment; we both remained in the classroom. He’s still in the classroom; he still teaches there. I ended up leaving the classroom to go work for the department I currently work for. So— but MAS—you went there from what year to what year?
Finch – Session #1 – 11 Javon: [00:06:21] Two thousand fourteen.
Q: Two thousand fourteen to just last year?
Javon: [00:06:38] It was 2014 through 2016.
Q: Tell me a little bit about the school. What did you like about it?
Javon: [00:06:52] I didn’t.
Q: You didn’t? What didn’t you like?
Javon: [00:06:56] There were too many people picking on each other.
Q: Okay. You said—so you said you liked Mr. Lovay. What was it about his class that you liked?
Javon: [00:07:09] I forgot what he taught.
Q: I’m guessing he was a math teacher. Could be wrong.
Javon: [00:07:15] No.
Q: No? History? English?
Finch – Session #1 – 12
Javon: [00:07:24] I don’t [unclear].
Q: So, you left MAS. Was there another school you went to after MAS, or did you come to Roosevelt?
Javon: [00:07:33] I came to Roosevelt.
Q: Okay, you came to Roosevelt.
Javon: Yes.
Q: What do you like about Roosevelt?
Javon: [00:07:40] That I’m learning.
Q: You’re learning?
Javon: Yes.
Q: What else? What is it that you’re learning in your classes?
Javon: [00:07:51] Math, science, social studies, arts, and dance.
Finch – Session #1 – 13
Q: And dance? Which one of those is your favorite, like your favorite-favorite classes?
Javon: [00:08:02] Math.
Q: Talk to me more about math. What is it that you—that intrigues you about math?
Javon: [00:08:13] When I do fractions.
Q: What else?
Javon: [00:08:20] That’s it.
Q: What else do you like about Roosevelt since being here?
Javon: [00:08:29] Because I’m in this art program.
Q: Tell me about the art program.
Javon: Hmm?
Q: Tell me about the art program. You—look at you. You’re smiling. I know you like the art—
Finch – Session #1 – 14 Javon: [00:08:38] I’m not lying.
Q: What?
Javon: [00:08:41] I’m telling the truth.
Q: No, I know. I said you’re smiling. I didn’t say you’re lying. I know you like the art program. Tell me about that, man.
Javon: [00:08:48] When I’m dressing up of who I like [unclear], taking photos, now doing the interview.
Q: What is it that that’s so meaningful to you or that means a lot to you?
Javon: [00:09:01] That it looks like that I’m Spider-Man.
Q: [laughs] It looks like you’re Spider-Man?
Javon: Yes.
Q: Anything else?
Javon: No.
Finch – Session #1 – 15
Q: So, are you involved in any of the plays at the school?
Javon: No.
Q: What are you doing with the [unclear] of the arts aspects of the school?
Javon: [00:09:18] These arts?
Q: Yeah, the school. Roosevelt.
Javon: [00:09:21] All we do is draw and paint. Sometimes we make stuff.
Q: I’m going to ask you this question, so I’m going to kind of deviate. Right now, I was kind of getting really specific. I’m going to ask you really, really—like, they were—no, they weren’t specific, but somewhat. Really broad, what’s something that you wish people knew about you? Yeah, what’s something that you wish people knew about you?
Javon: [00:09:58] I’m just a normal guy.
Q: Why do you say that? So, you feel that people don’t think you’re a normal guy?
Javon: [00:10:06] No, I do.
Finch – Session #1 – 16
Q: You do?
Javon: Yes.
Q: So, what makes you say that?
Javon: [00:10:16] I don’t know.
Q: You might want to speak a little louder. You say you don’t know?
Javon: [00:10:24] I do know.
Q: You do know?
Javon: Yes.
Q: Take your time with it. I can tell you’ve got—like, you’re processing what you’re going to need to say.
Javon: [00:10:35] I’m just a guy that—I don’t talk to a lot of people that much and got the anger issues. That’s it.
Finch – Session #1 – 17 Q: So, your anger issues. I hope you know I’ve kind of—I’ve got some bad anger issues, too. I don’t know if you noticed that, because I know at the Art Start photo shoot I got a little attitude-y at one point. Talk to me about the anger issues. Like, what causes you to get angry? How do you kind of deal with that?
Javon: [00:11:26] I don’t really deal with it at all. I just want to get up and start fighting people. And what causes me to say it is when people call me a B, talk about my mama, or hitting my brother.
Q: You have a brother that comes here?
Javon: Yes.
Q: Is he older than you? Younger?
Javon: He’s younger.
Q: So, what I’m hearing—just kind of you talking about this at MAS, right?
Javon: Yes.
Q: I mean, you didn’t say it directly this way, but what I’m hearing, and what you’re saying right now—I take it you’re not fond of bullying.
Finch – Session #1 – 18
Javon: [00:12:02] I’m not.
Q: Does bullying have something to do with why you really like superheroes; in particular, Spider-Man?
Javon: No.
Q: What in particular—because I want you to know I don’t get that vibe from you at all, that you’ve got—that you get mad and you want to fight people. But what in particular about bullying kind of sets you off? Would it be bullying done to you or bullying done to others?
Javon: [00:12:42] Bullying to me.
Q: And what’s—what in particular will set you off? I mean, you say the B word, saying things about your mom, your brother. Anything else?
Javon: No.
Q: Do you think the schools you’ve been to, including Roosevelt, need to do a better job in addressing bullying?
Javon: Yes.
Finch – Session #1 – 19
Q: How can they go about doing that? How do you think your voice can help in solving that problem?
Javon: [00:13:16] Even when I would try to tell them, they’re still not going to listen, so I don’t know.
Q: I want you to think big-picture here. Like, what can the school do to address that issue?
Javon: I don’t know.
Q: I’m going to give you some think time on that. I feel like you’ve got a really good answer. You’ve got a really creative mind.
Javon: [00:14:15] Just expel the kids.
Q: Expel the kids?
Javon: Yes.
Q: This is going to sound a little like a—like I’m kind of going to flip around on you. Do you think there’s ever been a time where you may have bullied somebody?
Finch – Session #1 – 20 Javon: [00:14:33] Yes. I used to do it on my brother.
Q: None of your, like, peers that go to school with you or at previous schools you were at?
Javon: Yes.
Q: Yes, you used to do bullying to them?
Javon: [00:14:48] No, I don’t do it to—not anymore.
Q: What made you stop?
Javon: [00:14:55] Because it’s wrong to bully people.
Q: What was it that helped you get to that realization, though? Because, I mean, you used to— you’re admitting right now you used to bully people, your brother, and other peers, but there was something that made you stop. What was that?
Javon: [00:15:14] My mom.
Q: Tell me a little more about that, what she shared with you, what she told you.
Javon: [00:15:34] She told me a whole bunch of stuff.
Finch – Session #1 – 21
Q: What’s something that, like, really stuck with you?
Javon: [00:15:41] Like, in a good way or a bad way?
Q: It’s up to you how you want to answer that. You could answer both. You could answer just one of them.
Javon: [00:15:48] I’ll answer just one of them. In a good way, I would say just telling me not to mess with my brother.
Q: So, you said right now—right?—that people aren’t going to listen, right?
Javon: Right.
Q: But it seems like you listen—
Javon: [00:16:44] Not that much.
Q: Why do you say that?
Javon: [00:16:48] That’s when I’d be lying [phonetic], but otherwise I do listen.
Finch – Session #1 – 22 Q: Give you a little bit of wait time. I feel like you’ve got something you’re going to add. No? So, we’ll move on from that. What do you want to do when you get older?
Javon: [00:17:31] Play sports.
Q: What sport in particular?
Javon: [00:17:34] Football.
Q: Tell me a little more.
Javon: [00:17:39] I just like football.
Q: You just like football?
Javon: Yes.
Q: Who’s your favorite football player?
Javon: [00:17:45] Nobody.
Q: You just like the sport?
Finch – Session #1 – 23 Javon: Yes.
Q: So, you want to go into sports. You want to be a football player in particular. Is there any position you’re thinking of?
Javon: [00:18:03] Running back.
Q: Nice. What high school are you planning on going to after you’re done with Roosevelt? What grade are you in right now?
Javon: [00:18:11] Sixth.
Q: You’re sixth? Okay, so you’ve got three more years. What high school are you thinking of going to?
Javon: [00:18:17] I don’t know.
Q: Are there any schools that you’ve looked—you’ve thought of in particular that have a good sports program?
Javon: No.
Finch – Session #1 – 24 Q: So, you want to do football. We talked about football. Tell me just something—anything you would like to share about, you know, whether it be yourself, the school, your dreams, like, about the world. Or—I’ll ask you this question. What’s something that, like, you wish every teacher that met you knew about you?
Javon: [00:19:46] Nothing. I just wish they [phonetic] could stop getting in trouble.
Q: Can you talk a little more about that? So—and when I say, “Talk a little bit more about that,” is it, like—do you feel that you’re—that they target you, or do you feel like maybe you do something wrong and it gets blown out of proportion?
Javon: [00:20:09] Both.
Q: So, it’s a little bit of both?
Javon: Yes.
Q: What in particular do you feel your teachers can do better, though?
Javon: [00:20:18] Not blame on [phonetic] kids.
Q: Do you see that happen a lot?
Finch – Session #1 – 25 Javon: Yes.
Q: Why do you think that happens?
Javon: [00:20:28] Some people don’t do anything wrong. They just accuse.
Q: Can you give me an example of when that happened, whether it would have been you or another student?
Javon: [00:20:38] That would be me.
Q: Give me an example where you feel like you were accused for something you know you did not do.
Javon: [00:20:51] I don’t even remember. [pauses] No, I don’t remember.
Q: So, I guess we’ll kind of conclude this. Is there anything that I forgot to ask, or is there anything else you want to add?
Javon: No.
Q: No? You’re good?
Finch – Session #1 – 26 Javon: Yes.
Q: All right, then. Thank you, Javon.
Javon: You’re welcome.
[END OF INTERVIEW]