APCC Youth Counselor Fernando Carrasco Receives 2007 Ricky Byrdsong Award!

On Wednesday, October 3, 2007, at a luncheon held by the Illinois Fatherhood Initiative, Fernando Carrasco was the recipient of the 2007 Ricky Byrdsong Award. This award is given to a man who is a good father to his own children, makes a difference in the lives of today’s youth and has a demonstrated spiritual dimension to his life.

The award is named after Ricky Byrdsong, an African American College Coach, who spent his life helping youth before he was tragically murdered by a young man filled with hate.

While there were three other finalists, Fernando was named this year’s winner. Former recipients include such men as Mike Singletary and other public figures of note. What follows is the nominating letter based on which Fernando was chosen:

I would like to nominate an Albany Park Community Center employee Fernando Carrasco for the Ricky Byrdsong Award. He is currently on the staff of the Counseling Department where he works with troubled youth at the Albany Park Community Center, a community based organization that serves low-income, multi-ethnic families on the north side of Chicago.  Albany Park is the third most diverse zip code in the United States and serves as a port of entry to immigrant families seeking the American Dream.  Fernando is a dedicated father and passionate about helping youth in the community.  He is an associate pastor in his own faith community at First Baptist Church in Maywood, IL.   

Fernando grew up as one of five children in Monterrey, Mexico.  After graduating from Universidad Mexicana del Noreste, Fernando became very active in the Urban Ministry in Mexico. He developed youth programs and worked with ministers to address the problems of urban life for impoverished families. Fernando and his family often helped villagers in need by taking them into their home when they did not have a place to stay.

Fernando felt inspired by this work and applied for a student visa in the US.  Seven years later he entered Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Illinois and graduated with a Master of Divinity in 1994. 

In 1997 Fernando began working full-time as a counselor in Albany Park.  He counsels over 800 at risk youth for the past decade, on issues such as depression, behavior problems, and family violence.  He also volunteers in many community programs in Albany Park and his home community of Chatham. Fernando started a chapter of LUCA (Latino United Coalition for American Citizens) to help immigrant families protect their civil rights serving in this capacity for over three years. For six years he volunteered in Latino Prevention to educate immigrant families against drug abuse.  Additionally, Fernando has been involved in Latino Pastors for the past decade serving as president from 2003 to 2005.

Fernando and his wife Kathy, who is African American, have a child Fernanda, age 12. Feeling that their family was not complete, they adopted Nicholas 6 years old and Camilla age 9 through the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Jeremiah, age 2 ½ is the latest addition to the family. He is in the process of being adopted by the Carrascos.

Fernando prides himself with being the best father he can be while also helping English and Spanish speaking youth of the community to have a bright future.  He is able to balance his work with youth and his family.  Fernando states that he is so lucky to be a father of four wonderful children.  He attributes much of his support and his successes to his wife Kathy, with whom their spiritual and community bonds keep them growing closer to each other.  Faith members of his community tell his children how blessed they are to have such a loving father.

While Fernando has never had his name headlined in the newspaper and while he does not have numerous athletic or political awards to his credit, this quiet, humble man regards his trophies to be the lives of troubled youth, he has impacted.  Most of this impact has gone unnoticed and sometimes unheralded in the privacy of his clinical offices in Chicago Public Schools. 

Like Mr. Byrdsong, Fernando carries a deeply humble sense of pride in the fact that he has been blessed with the opportunity and support to help children and his community.  Fernando continues to live the appreciative spirit of never counting any child as a win or a loss, but in seeing that making a difference in their lives does.  It is in that spirit, that I recommend to you Fernando Carrasco, a man who will probably never make big headlines, but a man who has written himself in a positive way in many young people’s hearts and into the lives of this community. 

I hope you will seriously consider Fernando Carrasco for the Ricky Byrdsong Award.

Sincerely,

Kathy Maher, LCSW

Director of Counseling

Albany Park Community Center

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