Giving Voice to the Next Generation

By Alisha Martin

This issue is dedicated to the Black Men in Leadership in our city, and I wanted to take some time to honor a special black man in my life, my father, C. Sunny Martin. I believe it is extremely important to give people their flowers when it’s due. It pains me that the media tends to focus on negative images of black men in our society. My father was extremely intentional about cultivating a healthy dynamic between him and I that he wasn’t as fortunate to experience with his own father.

My earliest memories of my relationship with my father are the days when I would be so excited to watch him walk through the door after a long day’s work. I would run into his arms and get picked up for a long embrace, or I may grab on to his leg and he’d be forced to walk around while I was stuck to him like a ride at the amusement park. Our quality time consisted of playing board games like Scrabble and Monopoly.

When I reflect on the lessons that molded me most. The intentionality was key from the beginning. My father struggled with math as a student and those struggles ultimately kept him from his college degree. So as a child, he always found ways to make math fun for me. I would use my toy cash register and Monopoly money to purchase other toys from him before I played with them. During long drives, he’d enhance my number fluency with math drills that he would make up along the way and he had my undivided attention. As nerdy as it sounds, I found joy in those exercises and found joy in making him proud. I have wanted to be a teacher since I was in kindergarten and my desire to teach math has been a passion of mine since I was a child as well. I ultimately worked to become an Algebra 1 teacher which is the same subject that kept my father from his college degree.

In addition to those childhood memories, as his businesses grew, I was able to sit alongside his journey as well. I had access and involvement in all of his entrepreneurial endeavors. He has made it his life work to highlight the positive achievements of our people.

I was able to see the accomplishments of people who looked like me in every field imaginable. It built my confidence as a black child, because I was always exposed to Black Excellence. I was able to witness first-hand the work ethic that it takes to start and operate a business as a CEO.

My father’s dedication to his job as a father has never wavered. I am grateful and proud to have such a strong black man in my life I can call dad.

I hope this issue empowers, uplifts, recognizes, honors, and pays homage to all the men of color in our city working to make our community greater.