Mamarazzi's Classic Man Edition

TM

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR A

Ti’Juana Hardwell

s a young journalist, I refuse to sit on the sidelines as the media portrays negative images of men of color. I feel a personal responsibility to ensure that I use this outlet to promote leaders often overlooked—but too modest to seek recognition for their volunteer and achievement.

This issue is packed with the stories of men I know, men I look up to, and men I’m only now learning about. In this issue, you’ll uncover stories about 16 men of class, distinction, redemption and promise.

You’ll learn about men from different backgrounds, full of talent and humility. It’s my hopes that you will feel compelled to invest into these men whether monetarily, through volunteer or simply by way of encouragement.

There are so many men who could be included in this list. In fact, there are COUNTLESS men missing from the Classic Man Issue.

I want the public to help with recognizing these men and others that you feel deserve acknowledgement. We can’t wait for national media to do it.

The responsibility to do so cannot rest with just me or stop at just this publication. One publication cannot carry the weight of uplifting ALL of our productive, professional, ambitious and selfless leaders alone. I recognize that I am in good company with Bonita Gooch’s Community Voice newspaper (www.voiceitwichita.com) and Christina Long’s Urban Magnate publication (www.ictup.org). Both professionals use their media outlets to shed light on community leaders.

Growing up, I would scan the pages of The Eagle newspaper. I wasn’t looking for headlines. I was looking for Christina’s name! I wanted to know what was going on in my community and how it affected me. She was devoted to making sure the northeast Wichita news beat was adequately covered.

That indicates to me how important it is to assist our people not only through service, but by reporting accurate and holistic news also.

I hope this issue serves as a reminder that there are young men pushing forward despite adversity and against the odds. We see you!

CLASSIC MAN PG. 2 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

PG. 4 ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER

PG. 5 DEVON BRAY DAVID GILKEY

PG. 6 DESMOND BRYANT PG. 7 COREY ROLFE LAMONT ANDERSON

PG. 8 JONATHAN LONG PG. 9 DAVID MOORE PG. 10 JOSEPH SHEPARD KELVIN LOPEZ-GARCIA

PG. 11 ERIC VELASQUEZ KWAME ROWE

PG. 12 CLARENCE NEWTON PG. 13 DERRICK JUDKINS PG. 14 PSTR. DEANDRE MORRIS PG. 15 JUSTON WHITE JEREMIE MCGLORY

Want to keep YOUR printed issue of Mamarazzi but share this publication with friends?!

Direct them to: issuu.com/mamarazzient

CONNECTING YOU AND YOUR AUDIENCE

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THE

PHOTO GRAPHER

E

ddie Legacy’s knack for

cutting-edge photography is why he was enlisted to be part of the Classic Man photoshoot.

As a young boy, he kept a disposable camera with him.

Unsure of what he wanted to do after graduation, he enrolled in college. He determined it wasn’t for him—not at that moment in his life.

Legacy basked in his passion for photography and grew confident he could perfect his craft. But he experienced a rude awakening.

“I started with a point-andshoot camera,” Legacy said. “I felt like I was the king of the world.”

But one of his clients took a jab at him online. Legacy read a comment that said: “I didn’t see a photographer, just somebody holding a point and shoot camera.”

He didn’t react that day, but it changed his perspective about growing his hobby into a craft he took much more seriously.

Legacy invested in better equipment and studied other photographers. He says all the difference was made as a result.

“Every time I touch a camera, my eyes turn to gold,” says Legacy.

“I’m capturing moments that can never be relived.”

He has made a decision to go back to school to pursue some of his other “God-given talents.”

Legacy appreciates all of his supporters. He was honored to be part of this special issue.

Surely, more great things are to come from Eddie. Mamarazzi wishes him the best! ## 4

DEVON

BRAY

I

t takes the help of visual effects for audiences to see, feel and truly hear the lyrics penned in music. In recent years, Wichita’s indie artists were blessed with a fountain of gold when Devon Bray began producing videos.

Bray’s first muse was none other than “The Kansas Boyz.” His son was the lead rapper for the hip hop group. Their video titled “It’s The Weekend” achieved viral success.

“I knew I had something,” Bray recalls. “Antoine “Twansac” Richardson was the first to compliment me.”

Richardson gained popularity when his 2002 hit single, “Cadillac Love” spun in heavy rotation on Power 93.5 (formerly 93.9). Richardson relocated to Arizona following his success. Bray was glad his videos were being seen everywhere and catching the attention of key names in the industry.

The videographer wanted to enhance his skill level but couldn’t accomplish that without shooting more and more music videos. After the success of The Kansas Boyz’s video, music artists came calling.

Demeatrice “Bo Pessi” Hill was one of the first.

On the set of Bo Pessi’s video homage to the city of Wichita for a song titled “31Sixx,” Bray took pointers from Sir Corts. Corts, friend to Bo Pessi and also a rap artist, had vision. He knew what angles were necessary, what ideas and concepts would look great, and quickly developed a story-line.

Bray credits Corts for helping him tackle directing in the beginning of his journey.

“I really needed him,” Bray said. “I came in ready to have the artists tell me what to do and they didn’t really know.”

“It was important to help an artist out with the concept of a video,” Bray said he learned. “It’s part of my job as a director.”

Bray says that a quality video is the best advertisement an artist can invest in to be taken seriously.

Years in, Bray Films has completed countless videos for musicians, for Entercom radio station’s Power 93.5, Paul Mitchell hair school, and Cricket Wireless. He’s invested more than $30,000 in equipment although still offering reasonable prices to help the “starving artist” afford his services. His quality cameras, professionalism and skill set keep him on the move.

His ventures have expanded to include wedding photography and corporate commercials.

Supported by wife, Sherika Bray, the videographer says they complement each other well enough to manage it all.

“She keeps me straight,” Bray said. “Most of my bookings go through her so she knows my schedule and can tell me where I need to be.”

“Without her I wouldn’t know my left from my right—we’re so busy,” the classic man confesses.

Led by God to use his gifts to help other’s dream come to life, he and family remain devoted to faith.

Bray credits his Father in Faith, Dr. Sanders, for pointing him in the right direction.

“He pointed us to God, not through religion, but through a relationship,” Bray said. “He instilled integrity and character in us and put it over our gifts.”##

DAVID GILKEY “Do you want to live or die?” That is the question David Gilkey poses to the young men he comes into contact with through his life-altering work.

For 10 years he has operated a non-profit organization for at-risk male students. Male high school students are referred to his program by the juvenile system but also by word-ofmouth. He takes students from 4 area-schools, to meaningful workshops, college tours, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and even the confinements of prison.

“I don’t want these young men to end up in the prison system or some grave yard,” Gilkey said. “I want to mentor them and make sure that they take the right path.”

“Nothing stops a bullet like a job,” says Gilkey who also teaches job-readiness.

Gilkey serves more than 120 students under “Rise Up for Youth,” a 501 (c)3 ...CONTINUED ON PG. 6 license that he shares

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with wife Lynn Gilkey. His wife serves high-school aged girls with her Caring Ladies Assisting Students to Succeed (CLASS) organization. They both partner with the Urban League of Kansas to make a difference.

David was in and out of prison, sold drugs and became addicted to drugs for more than 16 years before he tired from the lifestyle.

“God blessed me to have the mindset to get right,” Gilkey said. “I’ve spent each day trying to prevent today’s young men from doing what I did.”

He wants to give back to a community he once riddled with drugs and crime.

Well on his way to redemption, he puts in tireless work to be that Classic Man he know he can be, “an example to youth so they [too] become great men.”##

6

DESMOND

BRYANT

Poet Desmond Bryant has performed in front of meager audiences he can count on just one hand. But through persistence, he has watched the number of people attending his events grow.

Bryant began writing in a journal and later took a liking to poetry. In 2011 he began hosting open mic nights for independent musicians in the Wichita area. He felt that his hard work and energy towards promotion of artists was not being reciprocated. Some of the events yielded few people with interest.

The young writer saw a void in stages that welcomed spoken word performances and so he switched gears.

“I thought it would be a good idea to give a platform for others like me to perform,” Bryant said. “I felt that if I had an interest in performing spoken word, then others may also have interest in doing it or even coming to a place to watch it.”

Bryant says friends and family were skeptical that his idea would ever take off. Some of them felt that a city like Wichita would not support an open-mic event that included poetry, live music and local comedians. Fast-forward. It worked.

“There were people who thought it wouldn’t work but my passion for it kept me going,” Bryant said.

He networked and continued to push until the city caught on! His “Soulful Sundays” variety show is held once a month and draws in close to 100 people in attendance.

His “First Round” events are held at the 40 Plus Lounge located at 3926 E. 13th St. in Wichita, Kan. He says the blackowned establishment has been supportive and chooses not to dictate how he formats his events, unlike what he has experienced at other club venues.

“When people come, they can look forward to a great environment, great food, and friendly people,” Bryant said.

Bryant and fiancé Mesha Smith recently welcomed a newborn baby girl, a sister to his 4-year-old son from a previous relationship.

The poet says being a classic man is about “being yourself and not allowing society to define who you are.” A man must “respect his self and take care of home,” Bryant said.

In 2016, Bryant will focus on increasing attendance and the launch of a radio show featuring original poetry.

“I couldn’t stop if I wanted to,” said Bryant who plans to keep things new and innovative.

“Things are born only to born people.” ##

COREY ROLFE Corey Rolfe has owned and operated Mix Down Studios in Wichita for more than 9 years. He has met so many artists, helped them to perfect their craft and receive a project they can be proud of.

“I’ve grown tremendously in the last few years,” Rolfe said.

“I’ve had to learn how to handle business; be on time, guide people on what to do after a record is cut, and how they can market it.”

His passion for music has been there since he was a little drummer boy. In the church, he taught himself how to play the drums and even toured playing the instrument.

Rolfe assists independent musicians in several genres with recording their music projects. He helps them achieve quality mix and mastering for a finished product.

He says he has experienced last-minute cancelations, noshows, and disagreements with some customers seeking his business. And of course, he encounters people who want a service but don’t intend to pay.

The young entrepreneur says he has grown and better understands how to deal with conflict that comes into his dayto-day business. He enlisted the help of a secretary to serve as a gate-keeper. She handles all of his studio booking, assesses how many hours are needed and quotes a price.

“It helps me run my business without taking more of my time and energy,” Rolfe said.

“She’s able to weed them out for me and keep me focused.”

Rolfe says in order to be a good father to his son, he has to balance his schedule and be paid for time he shares with others.

His son normally tags along with him to the studio for sessions, but there are times he has to prioritize how their time is spent.

“My clients have to respect what I have going on,” Rolfe said. “If they’re 30 minutes late, I pick up and go.”

Despite the challenges of operating a business, he still loves music and wants to better publicize his business in the New Year.

“I enjoy serving people with my gift,” says Classic Man Rolfe. ##

LAMONT ANDERSON The gift of fatherhood is not one that Lamont Anderson takes for granted. Up until recently, if you saw one, you saw the other. His son, now focused on being a college student at Butler Community College, is making his way in the real-world.

Anderson, an entrepreneur and educator, is confident his son will do well. He has instilled in him countless valuable lessons.

“I feel that my presence within my son’s life has allowed him to operate in this world with tremendous respect for all things, self-confidence [and without fear for anyone or anything] except for God,” Anderson said.

Anderson says young men need strong male figures “to lead and teach them the values and characteristics of what it means to be a man and the importance of God, love and family.”

Training a child in the direction that he should go is not an easy feat. Male adolescents, especially those of color, are being targeted, mistreated and subjected to excessive police force across the nation. They are being shot and choked to death. Some of their murders are swept under the rug.

Those responsible aren’t even held accountable.

Such deaths involving black teens like Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis, Mike Brown and countless others, have motivated Anderson to initiate conversation with his 18-year-old son.

“I have always told my son to be aware of his surroundings, cognizant of his actions, and the company that he keeps,” Anderson said. “{But] I want him to give me the opportunity to do my job as a protector.”

Although attempting to shield his son, Anderson reminds him that not everyone is the same.

Labels cannot be placed on a majority in spite of a few.

...CONTINUED ON PG. 8

7

...CONTINUED FROM PG. 7 “As Black men, we really have to think 20 steps ahead in this world,” Anderson said. “We have to use our minds to elevate [ourselves] and make moves like it’s a game of chess.”

But he knows that this is life for him and his son. Lives are not a game so “the stakes are that much higher,” Anderson feels.

Anderson wants to set an example for civic engagement and community for his son. He serves as the board president for the non-profit organization of Community Operations Recovery Empowerment (CORE). He also volunteers time and ideas to the Sedgwick County Black Republican Council and as co-chair for Wichita’s Rock the Vote campaign.

As though that isn’t enough for any one man to be tasked with, he is an adjunct professor and a presence on Friends University’s Alumni board.

For years he has operated ALA Enterprises to provide assistance and consultation advice for start-up businesses, career development, branding and more. He manages a City Streets blog where he highlights business owners, community people and indie artists needing the platform.

Through fatherhood, civic engagement and by way of profession, Anderson deserves being touted as a classic man.

“A classic man is one who can give without the expectation of receiving in return while simply trying to improve the quality of life for everyone around him,” said Anderson.##

JONATHAN LONG

Photo courtesy of Lamont Anderson Facebook page.

If you’re a Wichita native, you’ve likely considered packing up and moving—at least once. Preparing for milestone moments like high school graduation, college or the start of a new career, maybe you’ve set your sights on bigger cities. But Jonathan Long sees so much value in what is already here.

The Tennessee native has called Wichita home for more than seven years.

After earning his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Middle Tennessee State University, he considered opportunities outside of the space he grew up.

“I was always the family member that was going to leave,” Long said. “It was predestined for me.”

Long didn’t know much about Wichita but in 2008 he was encouraged to apply for an opening at The Eagle. He only knew of Wichita State University’s baseball team from his work as a sports journalist. He didn’t know what to expect but accepted the position to be part of the city’s largest newspaper circulation.

He met Eagle news writer Christina Woods (maiden). They dated, married and decided to remain inside the city.

The reporters shared passion for their community and willingness to help “push Wichita forward.”

Throughout the years, Long has initiated several meaningful conversations about the city’s future. He participated in the 2015 Advance Kansas Diversity Leadership Program and developed a network of other young minority professionals who share his vision of helping Wichita reach its potential.

Long recognizes the many reasons the “young, diverse and talented” feel they have to relocate to accomplish their goals and dreams.

“People don’t look to Wichita, they look past Wichita,” Long said. “In terms of entertainment and things to do, Wichita is not on anybody’s radar.”

In June of 2015, Lil Wayne became the first hip hop artist to debut at the Intrust Bank Arena, the city’s largest venue for entertainment. Until then, hip hop shows used smaller venues to welcome big name rap acts like T.I., Lil Boosie, J. Cole, Wale, Snoop Dogg and Lil Scrappy. Although a staple for pop and country acts like Taylor Swift and Garth Brooks, there was a general consensus that the arena was deliberately making it hard for urban shows to be booked there.

Tickets were priced at $49.50—a reasonable price to see the superstar. The show was not a sell-out success however.

“There was no reason that show shouldn’t have sold out,” Long said. “But Wichita’s thought-process is different.”

“I think people undervalue things that come to Wichita but the same people would have drove to Dallas or Oklahoma to see the same show,” Long said in frustration.

He feels if Wichita changes its mindset, it could be the stomping grounds for more big acts to come.

The Urban Professionals founder is putting in work to link local minority professionals to boards and discussions that matter.

“There are decisions being made across the city,” Long said. “I want to be sure that I know about it before it happens so that we have the right people influencing the outcome.”

“J. Long Achieves” is birthed from this very idea that he scour the city to network and build with young people to serve on boards and committees where input and votes count. He says both pursuits are “tied together.”

“Advancing diversity and inclusion as an economic driver, promoting leadership development and connecting achievement-focused individuals will help get us where we need to be,” Long said.

In his role as resource coordinator for the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas, Long envisions an increase in revenue for the city, driven by growth in job creation, entertainment and business industries.

Long encourages young professionals to assess the opportunities that exist locally prior to looking elsewhere.

“I think one of the joys of Wichita is that it has the potential to be everything it wants to be,” said Long, 2015 recipient of the Twyla J. McFall Young Achiever Award.

For more information about J. Long Achieves, visit jlongachieves.com.##

8

DAVID MOORE A

t age 19, David Moore received a prison sentence nearly twice his age.

He grew up in a single-parent home along with three other siblings. His mother taught them that education was a priority.

In the shadows of his older siblings, both star athletes, he felt inadequate. Moore, a college drop -out, began hanging out with the wrong crowd. He was fascinated with making a name for himself and mimicked behavior associated with gang culture.

“My mother always told me, ‘I’m your gang. Your family is your gang,” recalls 39-year-old Moore.

“But there was something that my siblings got from our peers and family that I didn’t get.”

It was the early 90’s, the height of gang culture.

While his siblings were conditioning themselves in sports, he hit the streets to put in work doing the wrong things. Adopting the street name “Nine,” Moore’s posse would sensationalize all of his bad deeds. He found it flattering.

“I think it’s breaded through our culture and perpetuated through Hip Hop,” said Moore who survived being shot. “Although I always knew that wasn’t me, I wanted people to see me as someone you don’t mess with.”

Moore admits he didn’t value life, even as the judge read him his charges and the sentence that went with them. His victims? Drug dealers he felt would never go to the police.

Up until then, he had only served small jail stints—never prison.

“I don’t think it hit me until I was sitting in a cell and everything I owned fit into a pillow case,” Moore said. “That caught my attention.”

Despite falling off track, he felt that God had other plans for him.

“I knew God was going to do something for me,” Moore said. “My faith in God never left me.”

Moore spent more than 16 years of his life behind bars before appealing the sentence in 2002. He researched the case on his own and cited “ineffective assistance of counsel” in a claim. The presiding judge agreed. He admits that an unrelated charge prevented his immediate release.

It wasn’t until that he gained a new lease on life.

He was able to give back 21 years that the state gave to him in his original sentencing.

“Prison actually persevered my life,” Moore said. “If not for prison there’s no telling if I’d even be alive right now.”

What Moore admired most about gang life as a youngster, didn’t help him fulfill his potential.

“It’s all an illusion,” Moore said. “There’s nothing real about it because you can’t use it in the real world.”

Now focused on helping other young men savor their lives, the personal fitness trainer empowers youth through his Leadership and Athletic Development foundation. He tutors them and challenges them.

Moore feels, “Everything I’ve been through in life has given birth to LAD.” He recently married business professional Yun Rae Kim of Oskie Consulting. The two met on the day before Valentine’s Day in 2013 at a Wichita nightclub.

“She was in business attire,” Moore said. “I was curious to see what she was about.”

“I had just gotten off of work and was going for drinks,” Kim said.

They conversed and sparks flew. The duo are making plans to relocate outside of the Wichita area in the next few years. But Moore wants to ensure that the Wichita chapter of LAD is left in good hands. He is committed to work in the community and gladly shares his story with others.

A quote he posted to the LAD organization’s website reads: “No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.” ##

Photo courtesy of David Moore’s Facebook page.

9

JOSEPH SHEPARD T

he voice of the young people will not be muffled, stifled or silenced if 22-year-old Joseph Shepard has anything to say about it. And he does!

The criminal justice student is the second African American student body president at Wichita State University and is preparing for graduation in spring of 2016.

Shepard grew up poor and his mother sent him to schools in the suburbs of Lawton, Okla. She wanted him to receive a quality education.

He wore clothes that were handed down to him and he was one of few minorities in the school. Once, he took a beating on the playground from a white classmate who uttered the N word to him.

Shepard says he feels the student was not appropriately reprimanded. But Shepard walked away bruised and eager to seek justice for himself and others in the future.

In his role as student body president, he advocates for students and empowers those with concerns to voice them. When they speak, he wants administration to listen.

“I feel it is my job to hold administration accountable to listening to students’ concerns,” Shepard said. “As an institution we have to be proactive in having these difficult conversations.”

The Shocker student says that WSU has made great strides to enhance student life on campus with an eclectic array of activities and resources. But he says that members of the student body have turned a blind eye to issues occurring on-campus although tuning into the national media’s coverage of injustice elsewhere. He says not everyone understands the correlation and that it’s happening on campus also.

“Any issues taking place on our campus and in our community affect us all and as a society we must be aware that united we stand, divided we fall,” Shepard said. “One community’s challenge is also our challenge in spite of our differences.”

Shepard has been vocal about defending the rights of the school’s Islamic students also. He feels cultural competency education and diversification of the university’s staff and faculty will give students and opportunity to embrace differences. Students of color could also have the opportunity to gain mentors in their field of study who look like them.

Shepard’s mentor is Brandon Johnson, community leader and founder of Community Operations Recovery and Empowerment (CORE).

“When we expand our students’ minds and encourage them to embrace other cultures, they become more educated and aware of what life has to offer,” Shepard said.

Despite the work he is doing in the community and on-campus, he has been warned that choosing to be vocal may hinder him from acceptance into the graduate program—the next chapter in his studies.

He has been attacked online by several political groups and subject to opposition on the commuter campus.

“I was told to stay in my lane,” Shepard alleges university officials told him.

He feels student advocacy is his lane. He will continue to use his voice of influence to press for the change he feels needs to happen.

The student with classic man swag says he strives to give his best in everything he does. In his opinion, a classic man sacrifices so that others have. Undoubtedly so, he feels his risk-taking is necessary for the students he serves to be heard loud and clear.##

KELVIN LOPEZGARCIA

W ichita State University student Kelvin Lopez-Garcia is doing everything he can to accomplish his goal of someday working for

the United Nations (UN) to advocate for international co-operation between countries.

For now, the 19-year-old studies political science and concentrates on serving as an ambassador for the university’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. He helps to strategize and host on-campus discussions pertaining to culture, race, gender, sexuality, immigration and more. The sessions are referred to as “Brown Bag Discussions” and take place over the lunch hour.

“The dialogue that happens is like sensitivity training,” Garcia said.

“Students walk away with a deeper understanding and compassion for others.”

Garcia, an immigrant, feels every student should attend at least one session to learn about peers from different backgrounds.

Garcia and his mother escaped Nicaragua as refugees when he was much younger. Garcia says his father was abusive to them and they received no protection from the government. Desperate to live a new life, they left and have not returned.

They first settled in California. When a first grade friend of his moved to Kansas, they decided to visit the area. They intended to stay for only one month but what happened could very well be considered “fate.”

“We made it into Oklahoma and lightning struck our car,” Garcia said. “It basically fried it.”

He says they attempted to have repairs made but ultimately returned to Kansas.

“My mom is very religious,” Garcia said. “My mom told me, ‘God wants you to accomplish something in Kansas.’”

At that point he questioned his purpose. He attended Wichita East High school’s IB (International Baccalaureate) program and wrote a 16-page paper opposing Senate Bill 1070, an Arizona law allowing the arrest and detainment of someone believed not to be in the U.S. legally. At that point he realized how passionate he was about immigration rights.

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The college student plans to graduate from the university and attend law school. He is wants to work towards becoming an asylum attorney to help immigrants and refugees like ...CONTINUED himself.

Garcia says many undocumented immigrants “accept the oppressive nature of their situation.”

But Garcia was optimistic. He was able to achieve financial scholarship support and has become integrated in several faucets of society, serving as president for HALO (Hispanic American Leadership Organization) at WSU, the secretary of his Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity, holding the position of senator-at-large for the Student Government Association as well as several other organizations.

After 14 years of silence he and the father he fled reconnected. Garcia found it in his heart to forgive him—but he is glad for the opportunities afforded to him in the states.

The first in his family to go to college, Garcia already works as a legal assistant.

Garcia’s family is proud of the young man he is today. He is driven and focused on his future.

“I think about how far I’ve come,” Garcia said. “Imagine what I’ll be doing at 29?” ##

ERIC VELASQUEZ

I

n his early 20’s, Eric Velasquez was working his way up to becoming the #1 banker at Bank of America in Dallas. A pastor came into his bank and asked him if he had ever thought about helping Hispanic community members with filing their taxes.

“I told him I hadn’t thought about it,” Velasquez said. “Realizing it was a wide open market, I took a jump.”

Velasquez says he recognized there were few tax professionals who could serve Spanish speakers. They would sometimes wait hours just to see him.

By age 25, he established Tax Rapido (Rapid Tax). He felt a huge responsibility to educate immigrants about tax credit laws, as being in good-standing with taxes is one condition for gaining citizenship.

“There are [tax] preparers that take advantage of the lack of knowledge these people have,” Velasquez said. “At that point, they feel there’s no hope.”

Contrary to the image Presidential Candidate Donald Trump is feeding to the national media, Velasquez feels Hispanics are some of the hardest workers, often taking jobs that no one else wants. But he feels they are overlooked.

Velasquez’s parents were both born in Mexico. They traveled to the states legally and worked to earn respectable careers to support their family. His mother, the only in her family to earn a college education, became a Sheriff Deputy. His father has worked at Cessna for more than 20 years. An Americanborn child, he wasn’t allowed excuses. The standard was set for him.

“My parents expect more of me,” Velasquez said. “And I want the same for my kids—to be better than me.”

Velasquez prides himself on having integrity and ethics in serving his clients.

“As a firm, I like doing things the right way,” said Velasquez who only charges clients a $50 tax-filing fee. “It’s a good feeling to follow the code and educate people about what’s right and wrong.”

He feels chivalry is not dead. In his words, “A Classic Man is a gentleman who opens doors, gives flowers and more importantly, is respectful.”

In 2016 Velasquez will turn his focus to opening his third business location. He will change the business name to “Rapid Tax” to reflect the larger demographic he serves. For information, please visit www.taxrapidollc.com.##

Kwame “Kingstun” Rowe

K

wame “Kingstun” Rowe is arguably the hardest working man in Wichita entertainment scene. Anytime his name is attached to an event it tells club goers, “This is the place to be.”

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Kingstun has always had Reggae music and the spirit of a good time, in his blood. The independent musician incorporated his roots into his music. When few venues allowed for artist performances, he booked his own shows.

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KWAME “KINGSTUN” ROWE “I first started looking for my own connections,” said Kingstun, who partnered with the Ruff Ryder bike club association to promote events before joining. “I learned who the owners were and who was going where to party.”

He began creating flyers for himself and was asked by others to produce promotional images. While he has reaped the financial benefit of collecting door admission at his events, he has also seen the downside of being a promoter. He has been ripped off of his door profits and experienced nights were no one showed to party.

Over the years he has seen the club scene shift. He has witnessed the rise and fall of several nightclub venues like Doc Howards, Club Liquid, Lightning Joes, Club Beds and more. Kingstun has packed an establishment out and seen it succumb to the ever-changing industry.

“Promoting is a gamble,” Kingstun said. “You just never know.”

“When things don’t go my way, I look at what I could do differently and come up with new ideas,” Kingstun said.

He learns something new from every event and has learned that being a promoter is about maintaining a rapport whether pushing an event or not. That means reaching out to his following, checking on their well-being and being present at other events club patrons attend outside of the ones he hosts.

His largest draw comes from party bus events or hair and fashion shows.

He enlists the help of professional hair stylists to showcase unique hair trends— and to bust a leg split in the name of nightlife.

“I don’t just throw parties,” says Kingstun. “I party with the people.”##

CLARENCE “BEAR” NEWTON

C

larence “Bear” Newton says he lets his “Who Next” barbershop “run its self.” He doesn’t sweat the small stuff—and that has been his outlook since day one.

“Everything is with God in mind,” Newton said. “That’s why I don’t worry about things.”

He promotes his 2-year-old business with pictures and videos posted to his Facebook wall and on other social media. He offers giveaways and charity cuts.

In August he gave away free haircuts to support kids returning to school.

He bans the use of profanity in the shop, especially when kids and women are present. He is mindful about the shop’s atmosphere.

“We don’t have many rules, but one that exists is that there be respect for women and kids who visit the shop,” Newton said.

Some other ventures he has dabbles in, is the promotion of artists. He currently works with independent rapper Young Eight-O. In March 2014, Eight O was featured in the “Talk of the Town” issue of Mamarazzi Entertainment Magazine for the buzz he created when promoting his music and video projects.

Although Newton wants to help push the artistry of a few other artists, his bets are on Eight -O. “He consistently makes good music and people really support him,” Newton said. “He pushes his music and I respect that.”

“I want to create the opportunity for artists to get out there and I can use my connections to make it happen,” Newton said.

The barber says he runs everything by his wife of three years, Serita. Serita is the owner of Cut-N-Up Hair Salon. The couple share a mutual respect and admiration for each other.

“We are obedient and move on faith only,” Newton said.

Newton takes pride in being “presentable and handling business.”

“I’m shocked that I’m even being considered a classic man,” Newton humbly admits.

I asked, “Why not?”

I can rest with his definition of a classic man.

“He can step into any situation or setting and survive in it,” says Newton.##

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DERRICK “DETROIT” JUDKINS D

errick Judkins, originally from the city of Detroit, served in the U.S. Air Force for years before concluding his time of service in 2007. At the time he was stationed in Wichita and had just celebrated becoming a homeowner. He grappled with the decision to relocate or remain in the land of the Shockers. He chose good credit!

“I thought about what it would look like on my credit report if I left a home that I just purchased,” Judkins said animatedly. “I weighed my options, considered how affordable it was to live [in Wichita], thought about the people and decided to stay.”

Judkins has visited all but one state in the U.S. and been a tourist to places like Germany and the Bahamas.

Well-traveled, he says what he liked most about Wichita were the people he found “interesting and hilarious.”

Getting where he needed to be in 15-20 minutes without battling traffic was another additive he leveraged in his decision-making. Years later, he is happy with his decision and says he genuinely likes what Wichita has to offer.

Through the military, he was able to afford a college education. He studied business and achieved his master’s degree.

“It was a no-brainer,” Judkins said. “It was free, so I got started and kept going.”

The Detroit native grew up in a two-parent home and attended one of the best schools in the city, Cass Tech Magnet school. Fellow alum include David Alan Grier, Diana Ross, former Miss USA Kenya Moore (RHOA), and the city’s infamous former mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

Although his parents didn’t pressure him to pursue higher education, he carefully assessed how doing so could elevate his career and his life.

Judkins now works as a marketing director by day and by night, he’s a DJ under the pseudonym “Detroit”-homage to his native city. He promotes and hosts nightclub events and concert shows with his Usual Suspects entertainment team which includes Derrick “DJ 3” Crosby and Sam Breeden. He finds little contrast in his two roles.

“My personality is the same and I’m still professional,” Judkins said. “No matter if you see me in the office or at the club, I make it a point to be welldressed and classy at all times.”

Detroit says he learned how to dress from his father, whom he considers the ultimate classic man. It was his father who told him how to hang his suits side by side so they wouldn’t wrinkle and how to match belts to shoes.

“I was fortunate to be able to have my dad and watch him show me how a man acts and dresses,” Judkins said.

Judkins feels the concept of spending a lot of money to look good is misguided. His tip: “It’s all about the shoes.”

“The clothes don’t make the man,” adds the Omega Psi Phi frat. “It’ll make you look good, but it doesn’t make you.”

Judkins feels a classic man is one who has not forgotten the values of what a gentleman is and how to conduct himself wherever he goes. He looks no further than his dad. ##

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PASTOR DEANDRE MORRIS When your pastor can’t reach you by phone, radio or television, he will find you on Facebook. Pastor DeAndre Morris, of Kingdom Harvest Church of Wichita, isn’t allowing the bounds of tradition to dictate how he saves souls.

Called to ministerial servitude at age 12, he felt compelled to help others develop a meaningful relationship with Christ. He studied business and ministry at Wichita State University before founding KHC in 2003. When he began, he had only eight people in attendance. Humble beginnings. He attributes social networks with helping him grow that number to more than 300 members—most of them ranging in age from 25-45 years old.

In Facebook’s early popularity, conservative ministers were reluctant to use it as a vehicle to reach potential members. Some of them hadn’t grasped the power of social media. Others simply didn’t know how to use it.

“No pastors were on Facebook or using Facebook the way I was,” Morris said. “In some ways I’ve been a trendsetter.”

Morris says that use of social media enables pastors and others to reduce budget expenses. These expenses include flyers, radio and television advertising to attract new members.

“I’ve always considered social media to be neither good nor bad,” says Morris who also uses social networks like Periscope, Twitter and Instagram. “It’s how you use it.”

Morris is adamant that marketing feeds into the experience and enhances how church members receive the message. He incorporates trending topics into his online pitch. Take for example the TV show Empire starring Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson. The show achieved polarizing success with memes, hashtags and discussion through social media. Morris formatted a series that discussed how those watching at home could build their own empire, have healthier relationships with their spouse, family, and spirit life.

“I pride myself on staying relevant with my topics,” Morris said. “By the time I get through, people feel like I’ve been following them all week.”

The young pastor encourages his congregation to come as they are. Most dress in casual clothing, jeans and a t-shirt.

“We intentionally eliminated dress code,” said Morris who sometimes preaches in jeans. He uses the tagline “Church Unusual” in reference to his church. His motto is, “Come as you are but you won’t leave the same way.”

Morris acknowledges that some in the ministry, including some of the older pastors, may not be fans of the style he uses to draw people in.

Others in the ministry have consulted him for advice and help with graphic designing to produce flyers—something he does as a business venture. He doesn’t mind aiding others in the ministry but realizes it’s not always reciprocated.

Pastor Morris remains undiscouraged by those who just don’t get it.

“I’m like a bus driver,” Morris said. “I have no control over who gets on the bus or who gets off.”

“Once you get delivered from the opinions of others, you can step out and do some things you may not otherwise do,” Morris said.

Morris is preparing for expansion in the New Year. Asked how he defines a Classic Man he says, “He’s confident, constantly moving and evolving.”

For more information about KHC and for worship times, please visit www.khcwichita.org. ##

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I

JUSTON WHITE

f anyone knows how important it is for a child to be supported with positive mentors, it’s Juston White, chief professional officer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas.

At age nine he experienced the loss of his father. But along the way, several good adults cared enough to look out for him and mentor him. They helped steer him towards a path of success.

“I was fortunate to have a long list of people I could look up to,” White said.

“They ensured I had the tools I needed and more importantly the support.”

He received a full-ride athletic scholarship to attend Wichita State University.

After sustaining injuries, he left Wichita to study at Winston-Salem State University, a historically black college in North Carolina.

He studied business administration and marketing before graduating in 2003.

White worked as a loan officer until the recession shifted him to pursue another career.

“I ran a residential youth facility in Dodge City and had a good experience there,” White said. “But I was glad to get a chance to return to Wichita and serve in the community where I grew up.”

He worked at Wichita State University and was told about a position at the Boys & Girls Club. His employer encouraged him to apply for the position.

“I thought it was a good opportunity to get my name out there in the community,” White said. “I wanted a [career] of giving back to youth in the same capacity I was helped.”

In September 2014 he was named the organization’s CPO. The youth organization was not in the best standing financially. He was tasked with increasing the revenue needed to support the programs.

“We’re financially stable now,” White said of the non-profit organization hugely funded by grants and donations. “I was able to increase the cash flow there and get us where we need to be.”

He also worked to reconnect the organization with the community. Some of the after-school programs supported include help with homework, science, technology, sports fitness, cheerleading, art and band.

Students are also guided in adopting healthier lifestyles and decision-making.

White says students are “more likely to graduate with plans for the future.”

In order to serve the youth, it takes the heart and help of many volunteers and also financial donations big and small. The programs are offered at just $100 per student for an entire school year.

Busing services are also provided although many students are dropped off or walk to the center for help with their studies.

“When you consider the low cost of our programs but the big impact, even a five dollar donation helps,” White said.

White is optimistic that the organization will be able to increase the number of students that benefit from the program and the volunteers available to support them. He wants every student to be afforded the opportunity for mentorship and success as he was.

“A Classic Man sets an example for others to follow,” White said when asked how he defines the title. “He’s a leader.”

To volunteer, donate or enroll a student, visit www.begreatwichita.org. ##

C

ommitted to making sure that customers leave the chair looking “twice as nice” as they did before, 26-year-old barbershop owner Jeremie McGlory sets high standards for barber professionals to follow. He seeks to lead and represent what he calls “the city’s premier barbershop.”

The Southeast High school graduate studied at a few colleges before reaching a decision to pursue barbering school.

Since 2011 he has owned and operated two Twice As Nice Barbershop locations: 6249 E. 21st St. N. Suite 110 and 2800 E. Central Ave. in Wichita, Kan. He says the shops allow people to feel comfortable while “partaking in energetic conversation.”

McGlory hopes it creates the space for people to laugh and “enjoy top of the line grooming from the best barbers in the ICT.” He cares about the brand, reputation and his colleagues at Twice As Nice.

“The dream team that I have been blessed with has raised the bar in the barber game,” McGlory said. “But I believe in constant and never-ending growth.”

He empowers them to recognize that as long as they are able to plug their clippers in, they can make it anywhere.

JEREMIE MCGLORY “They have the tools and talent to create an image that the world needs to see in each individual,” McGlory said. “The art of a barber is priceless.”

He has employed many young barbers and helps them to hone their skills. He works alongside them every day and even uses the opportunity to work on improving himself.

He admits there are challenges in keeping everyone happy, his employees and the customers. But a lesson he’s learned along the way is to never allow anyone to see his frustration.

“You play your cards as you feel necessary,” McGlory said. “Not everyone will see and fathom your vision and they’re not supposed to right away—because it’s for you.”

He will continue to create opportunities for aspiring barbers while giving clients profound confidence in every shop experience.

Typical of a Classic Man, he finds the beauty in how a man rises to the occasion instead of succumbing to it.

“Be patient and never fear pressure,” McGlory added. “What good is a diamond without pressure?”

“We were made to shine,” says McGlory. ##

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