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Original Hero Story

Abdul Hafiz / America Votes Ballot

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Abdul with John Edwards and Patricia Lockhart

If you want to promote your cause for safety, where should you go for help? Fourteen-year-old Staten Island hero Abdul Hafiz and his teacher, Patricia Lockhart, went straight to the source: leaders in government. After the tragic loss of his sixteen-month-old baby brother, Ibrahim, due to an unsafe fire escape exit, Abdul began a campaign to place safety gates on fire escape windows throughout New York City. His teacher, Patricia, has helped him every step of the way.

Approaching government leaders turned out to be an extremely effective way for Abdul and Patricia to make their voices heard. For instance, New York City’s Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, has offered to help out by sponsoring a window safety PSA. In addition, John Edwards’s office has corresponded with Patricia about safety concerns, especially in underprivileged areas.

In bringing his cause to City Hall and beyond, Abdul has also learned that despite their differing political views, many government leaders share common experiences and concerns with the constituencies they serve. Abdul, Patricia, and John Edwards, for example, all have lost family members, and all came from or work in disadvantaged communities. And Mayor Bloomberg has long encouraged volunteerism as one of the ways citizens can unite diverse communities and make government more responsive to the needs of all the people.

But success has only come with extraordinary dedication and effort for both Patricia and Abdul. On her own time, Patricia has driven Abdul to countless City Hall meetings, helped him gather signed petitions, and prepped him for his testimony before neighborhood councils, then city councils, and all the way up to state and national-level government offices. Due to Abdul’s campaign, the New York State Senate and Assembly are considering adopting a bill that would mandate safety gates on fire escapes in units where young children reside. Indeed, Abdul and Patricia’s campaign has won the support––and touched the hearts––of well-known leaders on both sides of the political aisle.

Of course, the coverage both Patricia and Abdul received as a result of the Volvo for life Awards has helped both of them. As a finalist in the 3rd annual program, Abdul’s cause received a great boost from Volvo’s charitable contribution and coverage in the media. And, as a Volvo for life Awards nominee herself, Patricia has also found that doors to government and access to media coverage have opened more readily.

But perhaps most importantly, both Abdul and Patricia have learned that volunteering to improve safety and the quality of life in their community inspires others to join in and help. As Patricia notes, “Abdul has begun to put into action what we discuss in class, and that is that the essence of volunteerism and active citizenship actually are at the very core of American democracy.”

As Abdul’s campaign gains momentum, he believes that his cause for safety has helped him cope with the loss of his infant brother, Ibriham. By working for safety, Abdul feels that he can help prevent tragic accidents like the one his family experienced. But he also feels that he has learned something invaluable about the true American spirit as well: volunteering to improve one’s community is the true meaning of citizenship. He states, “I’m a teenager. My parents are immigrants, and we don’t live in the city’s best neighborhood. But in this country, we can all make a make difference, no matter where you come from, or how rich or poor, or young or old you are.”

How You Can Help Abdul Hafiz
To learn more about Abdul and his cause, and how you can make a difference, please visit: www.ps57gates.com (click on html folder), and www.eibspond.com