Gang life goes nowhere

Page 9

For 27-year-old Rocky Dumais, a youth intervention worker with the Ben Calf Robe society, turning a new leaf in his life has been the best thing he's ever done. Dumais, who shares his experiences of gang involvement, believes that he has an important message for youth.

While doing his speeches at conferences, Dumais takes the audience back in time and vividly describes his childhood, his brother's death, loneliness, suicide attempts, time in prison, his daughter's birth and his new lifestyle.

"I got out of the street life because I got tired of it. The gang situation just faded away. It just grew old-there was no interest in it," said Dumais. "I no longer want to rely on a gang to get me to where I want to go. Today I try to do things myself," he said.

The hardest part Dumais had to face since being clean and sober are the acquaintances and friends he's had to give up.

"Since I've quit that lifestyle I've let a lot of acquaintances and friends go. We just kind of went our own way. They are not changing their lives. . . . I know how gangs operate. They are never as close as everyone thinks," said Dumais. "I now watch people on the street and think that I used to live like that. Now I see that it was not a pretty scene," he said.

Dumais finds that family members and friends treat him with respect.

"I get a lot of respect from my family. Some of them still drink a lot, but when they are under the influence they do not come around me. When they need support and help they still call me and I do what I can," said Dumais.

What is the best thing that happened for Dumais since he changed his dysfunctional lifestyle?

"There are a lot of things that are going great for me. The job I have at Ben Calf Robe is one of them," said Dumais. "I believe that the summer of '95 was the best summer of my life. It was memorable because it was the first summer in a long time that I had fun without using alcohol or drugs. Before changing my life around I'd never been out of Alberta. It is great to see that there is so much to see out there. I love travelling-it is great," he said.

Along with his job, Dumais dances in powwows and does a bit of acting.

"I'm into my third year as a traditional dancer. That alone is something that is so fulfilling, because it's so spiritual to me. When I dance I know that my grandmother is proud of me," said Dumais. "Acting was something that I always dreamed about when I was younger. Although I was quite shy I still dreamed of performing on stage," he said.

The words of wisdom that Dumais shares with his audiences:

"Understand who you are as a person. Believe that you can succeed if you put your mind and your heart into whatever you are doing. You know the longest journey that you are going to make in your life is from the heart to the mind and then working them together," said Dumais. "Stay away from anything negative."