YBM New Reality News November 2016

NOVEMBER 2016

THIRD QUARTER EDITION It seems that things get more exciting at YBM and YBW every week. This has been an incredible quarter filled with positive activities for the organization. Our young men who have gone on to college continue to make their mark with internships, community service, and the election of one of our own to Freshman College President. We had another blessed trip to Haiti and continue to advance educational opportunities for the wonderful people of Port-au-Prince, the country’s capital. In addition, we had outstanding attendance and results at our Top Scholars

Program. We had over 100 students sign up for our Top Scholar 9month program. Our organization and Ambassadors participated in numerous events revolving around one of the most critical concerns in our community, and frankly throughout our nation – the relationship between law enforcement and African American men.

We feel that much was gained through these interactions, but we also acknowledge that there

is much work that needs to be done. Information on these and other activities are contained in this newsletter. Please consider joining us for our November 18th Gala. As you know, this is our primary fund raiser.

Your attendance is needed and will be greatly appreciated. If you cannot attend, please consider a donation to help support the important YBM programs. Please enjoy the read and join in our excitement as we continue to develop our young men and women and watch them GROW!

Mission Trip:

Haiti!

YBM Mission Trip

e are excited to report on our third consecutive mission trip to Haiti, which happened in August. Just like the previous trips, this was an incredible experience and was life changing for many. The mission team spent time in devotion, prayer, service, and cultural exchange with the Haitian people. One of our main goals on this trip was to build an education center as a first step to providing something of permanence in Haiti, addressing our commitment to global education.

This trip was particularly interesting for the volunteers who have traveled to Haiti before, because not only did they travel with the young men of YBM, but also with the young ladies of YBW who joined them for the first time. Our trip began on August 4th and ended on August 9th with a total of 24 volunteers, including eight YBM high school students (three of whom were bound for college in the Fall), six YBW high school students, nine YBM mentors, and our Samaritan’s Feet mission leader. Once in Haiti, we met with our Heartline Ministries tour guide and several Haitian interpreters/bodyguards.

During our stay in Haiti, we traveled across Port-Au Prince sharing a message of compassion, love, and service. We got the opportunity to travel up into the Haitian mountains to visit the Baptiste Haiti Mission, which was founded in 1946, serving several thousand people Haiti wide through its 350 schools and churches. Our team also performed three shoe distributions at schools and/or churches, which included washing the feet of

Mission Trip:

children, providing them with shoes, and praying with them. We were able to provide shoes to 350+ Haitian children and young people. Additionally, it gave us great pleasure to bring soccer balls for some of the locations, which allowed our young men to spend some time playing with the local children.

As mentioned, one of our main goals for traveling to Haiti this year was to begin the process of building an education center. In 2015, we attended a church in one of the villages called Church of Shambone located in the Haitian countryside. We decided to attend church there again this year, and chose this community as the location for the education center. It was very exciting to set up a computer lab with two new laptops, 4 tablets, and one desktop. The pastor at the church said that the computer lab has planted a seed that will help them for generations to come. In addition to providing computers, we also provided over 300 books for their library, which was part of a book drive headed up

by YBM Ambassador, William Gibson in Charlotte. Our plan is to build upon what we have started at the Church of Shambone and to continue improving education access and tools. In addition to worshipping with the locals at the Church of Shambone, we also participated in painting the outside of the church, which gave us the opportunity to work alongside the wonderful people of Haiti.

We are very proud of the work of our young people and their willingness to be involved in such a life-changing event, making this mission trip a tremendous success yet again.

Traveling to Haiti provided exciting opportunities to serve, love, and learn.

This trip allowed our YBM and YBW leaders to gain valuable international experience while exercising their leadership skills.

We extend a special thanks to those of you who went above and The Church of Shambone is the community where we will set up the beyond with your financial assistance new computer lab. that made it possible for some of our young men to participate in this trip. Your support is invaluable as we continue in our effort to Create A New Reality by expanding our global reach and positive impact through our international service work.

YBM Top Scholar’s Leadership Conference On Saturday, September 24th Young Black Male Leadership Alliance hosted the 2016 Top Scholar’s Leadership Conference. The event took place at Mallard Creek High School and we had “standing-room only” attendance. The auditorium was at capacity with 300 young males and 300 parents in the room.

Our attendees did not have to wait long to get into the core content of the leadership conference. After the opening greeting, the audience heard the keynote address entitled “Yesterday’s Whipped, Build Today, Move Tomorrow” from Dr. Kenston Griffin, Founder and CEO of Dream Builder’s Communication, Inc. Dr. Griffin’s message was filled with inspiration, motivation and education for our young leaders to move them towards academic success and success in life.

Dr. Griffin has been a long-time supporter and partner of YBM and once again delivered exactly what our attendees needed to hear to make the most of this school year in preparation for college and life-long success.

After the combined opening session, we held separate sessions for the young men and for the parents. The young leaders received a brief “step” demonstration from members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and participated in a College Panel Discussion with YBM Ambassadors currently enrolled in college who participated in the YBM Program as high school students. Lively discussion along with Q&A from the young men filled the

YBM Top Scholar’s Leadership Conference room as they received valuable information from other young men based upon their YBM and college experiences. The parents and guardians also participated in a panel discussion with college advisors, a scholarship expert and a YBM College Ambassador to have open and honest discussion regarding how to best prepare their young men for the college experience. They also received a great deal of information regarding the realities of what colleges and universities require in order for young black men to be successful. Audience interaction during both breakout sessions was extremely high and both groups were very engaged throughout.

At the conclusion of the day, we brought parents and the young men back together in a combined session to recap the day and to hear more of what the YBM Top Scholar Program is about from Mr. John Martin, YBM CEO and Founder. The entire event provided value, direction, and inspiration. Many parents enrolled their young men into the program on-site that day. Immediate feedback from conference attendees indicated that they were extremely pleased with the Top Scholar’s Conference and were eagerly looking forward to beginning the program and coming out to future YBM events.

The YBM Top Scholar’s Conference is an important component of Creating a New Reality for young black males. We were pleased with the turnout and response from our attendees and look forward to continuing the positive engagement that took place during the event. If conference participation is any indication of things to come, this will be a banner year for the YBM Top Scholar’s Program…stay tuned!

Ladies in Leadership Conference The YBW first annual, “Ladies in Leadership” Conference was held on September 24th at Mallard Creek High School. There were over 600 lady scholars and parents who attended this conference. The keynote speaker was Dr. Adrianne Pinkney. There was a breakout session for the scholars that focused on a panel of YBW co-founders to address questions about high school and leadership. The parents’ session focused on a panel of experts that addressed college expectations and the importance of getting students prepared for college.

Ambassadors on the Move Congratulations to Ambassador William Gibson on his appointment as Freshman Class President 2016-2017 at Winston Salem State University. William analyzed his freshman and Renaissance Man programs’ requirements and only after much prayer and thought did he pursue this time-consuming position. We know how thoughtful and dedicated William is, and we know that he will make his mark as an excellent President.

Congratulations to Ambassador Eric Graham, freshman at NC State University on his outstanding summer internship at Duke Energy. As a result of his performance, Eric was hired by Duke Energy, working part time in project management. He is a marvelous example of education and application and we know he will be valuable in his internship.

Ambassador Jabari Moore was selected to be co-captain of the Independence High School Dream Team, which is a group of senior athletes promoting a safe, tobacco, drug, and alcohol free school. Jabari also received the school’s nomination for the Parks Scholarship, a full ride scholarship to NC State, and the Morehead Cain scholarship, a full ride scholarship to Chapel Hill. We admire his leadership and wish him success in acquiring these scholarships.

Community Action

Ambassador Anthony Wright II participated in a peaceful protest in Charlotte. Tony acknowledged that, prior to the protest, he had a negative image of how white police officers viewed African Americans. After some discussion, Anthony realized that it is the responsibility of both sides to get out and build relationships with one another.

“The more we talk to each other, the easier it will be to fix these problems that we are facing in our communities.”

Community Action

Charlotte, NC – July 14, 2016 – The Young Black Male (YBM) Leadership Alliance presented the action-oriented forum, “Now What?: A Discussion on the Young Black Male” Thursday, July 14, 2016 at UNC-Charlotte. Event organizers were excited to have over 190 community members in attendance. Capt. Mike Campagna of CMPD said, “It was a surprising joy...I’m looking forward to the next one already.” Moderated by Dr. Tae-Sun Kim, director of Multicultural Affairs at Davidson College, Now What focused on the community’s role in the optimal development of nurturing of young black males. The student panel was composed of YBM high school and college Ambassadors. The professional panel included:

Dr. Patrick Graham, president of the Urban League of Central Carolinas, Inc., Judge Yolanda Trotman, Mecklenburg County 26th Judicial District, Fred Shropshire, WCNC anchor, Dr. Enrica Ruggs, UNCC professor, Ronny Reddig, CMS educator, Travis Jackson, CEO of HBCU Pride Nation, Dr. Phillip Johnson, CMS educator, and Capt. Mike Campagna, CMPD.

Community partners for this event included UNCC Building Better Brothers, No Grease Barbershop, Inc., Jump Institute LLC, Premier Grooming Lounge, and HBCU Pride Nation. To nurture healthy relationships and engagement between community organizations, law enforcement, and young black males, YBM is establishing strategic partnerships with community organizations to implement action steps discussed at the event.

Ambassadors Nate Smith, Davion Washington, Jr., Ziddell Yala, and Jabari Moore volunteered at Joseph W. Grier Academy. They assisted the teachers by helping to set up the classrooms and delivering supplies of books, board games, calculators, and more. It was a wonderful bonding experience for the Ambassadors, which also gave them another opportunity to perform a community service.

Community Action The same day, YBM sponsored Project Hope’s Community Back To School Bash along with No Grease Barbershop, Inc. and Hoodie’s House of Hope on 8.20.16. This was a school tool collection event and the Ambassadors participated in a Hope for Youth Program operated by Team Inc. This event was designed to raise awareness for mental disorders. This was a well-attended event and the participants were able to enjoy free food, free haircuts, and some organized sporting events.

Community Engagement Luncheon

During the engagement luncheon, in partnership with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and hosted by YBM, the participating community members were reminded that we are all far more alike than we are different. This luncheon was a continuation of the "Now What" community discussion series, and the ongoing purpose of these events is to proactively develop relationships between law enforcement officers, young black males, and the community. 100% of those surveyed after the event felt that it was productive and said that they would attend a similar event in the future. We also received great feedback and plan to host more community-strengthening events in the near future, with the help of enthusiastic individuals such as those who chose to attend our first luncheon! Special thanks to YBM Ambassadors who initiated and coordinated the program: Tony Wright, Hunter Davis, and Destyn Peoples, who spearheaded the event.

The luncheon was sponsored by Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, and we are grateful for their support in these endeavors. Partners such as Coca-Cola make it possible to broaden our reach within the community.

Emmanuel Morgan, YBM 2014 Top Scholar recently had the unique opportunity to break bread with 20 Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers and 19 other high school and college-aged African-American males. While the discussion

Ambassadors on the Move focused on some of the troubling police and citizens encounters, Emmanuel felt that the most interesting part of the discussion was the small talk. “Honestly, it humanized them and made them relatable. It was fun to talk about our upbringings, our families and our hobbies. One of the men, Officer Humphreys and I shared a mutual interest in football, and hopefully we’ll be able to play catch during my fall break.”

“Now, if Officer Humphreys pulls me over for speeding during Christmas break, he won’t see a kid with an exotic haircut and then assume he should search my car for weed or alcohol. Instead, because we both took the time to understand each other, he’ll recognize who I am and what I stand for, which is the exact opposite of the harmful stereotype.”

Summer Cookout at the Hendrix’s Alan and Nneka Hendrix opened their home in July for a fantastic middle of summer cookout. Many Ambassadors, their families, and YBM Executive Leadership Team members were in attendance. The tables were overflowing with many different food offerings and desserts.

Conversation was plentiful, with participants discussing summer activities in which they had already participated and activities that they were still looking forward to enjoying. Of course, there were also discussions with some of the college freshmen and sophomores about what they could expect in the upcoming year. All left the gathering with full stomachs and excited minds about the challenges and opportunities to be explored.

YBM Reads

We would like to invite our audience to join us via YBM's conference line 605.475.4333 Code: 616223#

The goal is to enhance the presentation and information delivery skills of the Ambassadors, increase reading comprehension, gain helpful hints, strategies, and direction to enhance their studies and job related skills. The Ambassadors are currently reading and reviewing, “Unfinished – 40 Lessons of Purpose, Self, and Becoming A Man”, by Reginald Bean. The calls take place each Tuesday evening, and the family and friends of our Ambassadors are welcome to join in the calls, which are led by Ambassador members of Cohort V, and Christopher Land.

"YBM Reads" program which happens every Tuesday evening at 9:00pm beginning with their next book, "Open Says Me!" by Carlos V. Davis on November 22, 2016.

Ambassador Leadership Retreat 2016 July 8 – 10, 2016 The Cohort V Ambassadors, along with Christopher Land, Ronnie Reddig, and John Martin, participated in a Leadership Retreat that was hosted at the lake home of Darwin and Myra Smith. The purpose of the Leadership Retreat was to submerse the Ambassadors of Cohort V in teamwork, spark unity, and set the expectations of our Ambassador’s program.

The Smiths’ home, which was previously a campsite, was the perfect getaway to unwind as well as to use the peaceful environment to establish plans and programs for the future. The weekend included team-building activities such as painting of murals and gardening. The attendees also enjoyed boat rides, tubing, fishing, and a taste of nature through camping and sleeping in tents under the stars.

A very special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Smith for hosting our Ambassadors during this very enriching weekend!

Upcoming Events: October

Oct 30th – Academy Meeting

November

Nov 18th – YBM Evening of Excellence Gala Nov 19th – Scholarship Workshop Nov 22nd – YBM Reads Nov 23rd – Service Day Nov 27th – Academy Meeting

December

Dec 6th – National Giving Tuesday Dec 10th – Scholarship Workshop Dec 11th – Academy Meeting Dec 18th – Ambassador Reunion

Save the Date

April 22, 2017 Wealth Summit

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

We are so very grateful for all of the gifts received this year.

We are particularly touched by your giving to meet the speciďŹ c needs of our young men as you were made aware of them, and we will be eternally grateful.

Your gifts have made such a tremendous impact on the lives of the young men in our village. Each one of our Ambassadors that has gone through various training programs such as Toastmasters and many leadership activities is growing into a leader that we all will remain proud of for the rest of our lives.

The value of your partnership cannot currently be measured, just as the depth of the impact being made cannot be fully comprehended today – for it will go on forever. Not only will these young men be phenomenal leaders as adults, but they will impact their peers now, in college and in their careers, thus making the world and their children and grandchildren better.

Because of your gifts, YBM programs have a positive impact on our community, country and the world! None of this would be possible without you.

Together, we are Creating A New Reality!

The President Speaks

Now is the time. As I scan the landscape and listen to the collective narrative of our community and country, I am convinced more than ever that the world needs more impactful, eective, and authentic leaders.

In my opinion, the best way to get more of this type of leader is to develop them. At YBM and now YBW, we are developing the types of leaders that the world so desperately needs. As you can see from the great work displayed in this newsletter, our young people are actively engaging in community-building and world-impacting leadership activities. They are role models, mentors, and change agents who are positively impacting their circle of inuence. Yes, we need more positive leaders, and so the work continues. Join us as we Create A New Reality.

Let’s Get Social!

Find us online at http://www.ybmleadership.com

@ybmleadership YBMLeadership

ybmleadershipclt YBM Leadership Alliance info@ybmleadership.com The link to the YBM Newsletter is http://www.ybmleadership.com/ybm-newsletter/

To learn more about the YBM mission and the engagement of our young leaders, please take a minute and view this YBM Leadership Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ3QpOYeYQU

Executive Editor: Ken Currence, currenoct@carolina.rr.com Co-Editor Tammy Reed, supportybm@ybmleadership.com Chief Editor: Wesley Reed of Hofstra University Graphic Design: Virtual Illustrations