Mr. Dedication

I told a man in prison that I would save my son's life, even if it took my life. I'm willing to die here today, Ray... For my boy... Because I love him that much. Do you love him? All I want is to give him something that you or I never had... a father. You said... out there... that you owed me. All I want is my boy

t's not just about standing up and preaching. No, it’s about having real conversations, speaking truth, passing down the lessons we’ve learned the hard way, so they don’t have to walk blindly into situations that could be harmful to them and/or others. When we speak to the youth, we’re planting seeds. Seeds that’ll grow into wisdom, into strength, into action. We’re not just telling them what they should do. We’re showing them what’s possible when you believe in yourself, when you know your...

Where Are Our 12–17 Year Olds? This is a question every black parent, black grandparent, black educator, black mentor, and black community leader should be asking. We continue to see adults/elders at African descent empowerment events. We see young children. But the very age group that is preparing to inherit our communities, our 12–17 year olds....is often missing at Juneteenth events, educational workshops and so many other events created for us that would benefit our children. That should...