Charles Winfrey

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Mr. Charles Winfrey, a man who sits on too many boards to mention and who serves his community as both a county commissioner and an executive director of the Floyd J. McCree Theatre in Flint, MI.

Co-author, The Heart of a Black Man

Give the title of your chapter and a brief synopsis.

“A Slice of My Life.” My chapter details my transition from an apathetic, indifferent young man to one who, as he becomes older, is fully aware of who he is, and who is seeking to fulfill his reason for being. It takes the reader on a journey from my carefree manof-the-street days, through to my college revolutionary era, to a traumatic wake-up call that landed me squarely back to earth with a renewed sense of patience and humility, and the realization that it takes more than rhetoric to change our condition.

As a Black man who has had lots of good experiences, as well as bad, or has overcome life challenges, what keeps you motivated to keep going?

I have always had an overwhelming desire to do good for my people and for our community. I have moved in that direction for most of my adult life.

Briefly, share one of the most significant experiences you’ve had as a Black man that impacted your life and why.

Having to care for my baby girl, who was quadriplegic and totally dependent on her parents to provide for every aspect of her being, taught me to be a better man, to appreciate what I have no matter how large or how small, to be patient, and to always be humble. www.thenewmcreetheatre.com chwinfrey@yahoo.com charleswinfrey

What encouraging words do you have for the younger generation of Black men?

Young Black men of America, as you journey through life, you will encounter many, many, obstacles, some more perilous than others. It is definitely not easy being a Black man in this country. But we must dig deeper within ourselves to exert the resilience, the diligence, and the courage to withstand and overcome those obstacles and to ultimately join with like-minded men of courage to remove all of those man-made obstacles for the generations to come.

If you were given the opportunity to speak from your heart before a worldwide audience of leaders what would you say in regard to the plight of the Black man?

White America, you are not listening, either by design or by ignorance. As a Black man, I am an expert on racism. I know how it feels to be scrutinized, to be prey to side glances, to be belittled, to be thought less of. I have a genuine feel for when one—one person, one institution, one occasion—is racist, and when one is not.

What’s next for you?

What’s next is to continue building.

How can readers connect with you?