Hassan Brown

With help from Building Futures, their hard work is now paying off

Shortly before Hassan Brown's mother died a few years ago, she asked him to make her a promise. Promise me, she said, you'll take care of your sister. Hassan lives with his sister, who is confined to a wheelchair, and his elderly father in South Providence.

Although Hassan has always seen himself as a hard worker, the various jobs he held barely supported him, much less anyone else. "I never saw any future in those jobs," Hassan, who is now 36, says. "The pay was poor, there were no benefits, and I knew the jobs weren't going to last. I was working hard, but the jobs weren't working for me."

Just over a year ago, Hassan found himself at Building Futures, a program designed to increase access of urban adults into the construction field through the trade apprenticeship programs. Three months later, Hassan had an apprenticeship with the laborers union and was part of a crew working on the J. Walter Wilson Building at Brown University. He now sees himself on track for a real career with a real future.

"And," he adds, "I really enjoy the work I do. You never repeat exactly the same thing twice so I'm always learning something new."