REAL TALK: MIKE BROWN & ICE BUCKETS During my playing days in the NFL, we always appreciated when coaches and teammates were completely honest about how they felt about a situation. Even when we didn’t like what they had to say, we would rather hear it straight up, improve if needed or in some instances, simply agree to disagree. Today, I woke up and wanted to give an honest message to all my Facebook friends, Twitter followers and anyone who knows me. So here we go… In case you are not aware, recent reports have shown that my hometown of Rochester, New York currently has the LOWEST graduation rates of Black & Latino Males in America, currently hovering at 9%. In all honesty, this statistic breaks my heart every time I type it… When I first heard the news, I spent the next 6+ months flying back and forth to Rochester to listen and learn directly from these young men about their honest challenges and what they need to succeed. I heard their pains. Saw their tears. Embraced their struggles. In response, I started the Champion Academy, a 12-month mentoring and empowerment initiative to prove we can reverse these negative trends. The Champion Academy kicked off with a groundbreaking 2-week FREE summer mentoring program to introduce the brand and to prove that this program was worthy of funding. After enrolling a record-breaking 400+ participants in grades 7-12 to a program full of inspiration, growth, discipline, leadership, honesty, teamwork and transformation, this summer program was nothing short of spectacular. Take a look at this video made during the program by one of our hard-working mentors: youtu.be/ulPkDdRdJd0 Truly a powerful start. The Champion Academy makes a concentrated effort to provide consistent, neutral and inspiring environments for mutual understanding, conversation and connection between young Black & Latino men and authority figures BEFORE something negative happens. BEFORE someone is killed. At the Champion Academy, officers, politicians, social workers, gang prevention specialist, etc. engage young males in a positive, fun and inspiring environment and work out differences BEFORE negative situations arise. If you are someone that was horrified by the on-going tragedy in Ferguson, Missouri surrounding #MikeBrown, reading this should get you VERY EXCITED. Its time to be proactive and fight back BEFORE tragedy happens. At the Champion Academy, we had more than a dozen gangs represented among our 400+ 7th-12th graders in attendance. They guys interacted constantly. Played on teams together. Sat in classrooms together. Shared together. Cried together. Began to connect with authority figures better. Where more consistent in showing respect, courage and discipline. It was amazing. Although we have a long ways to go, the Champion Academy is HERE and looking to join other organizations at the front lines working to teach acceptance, teamwork and mental courage to young men AND authority figures. I need passionate advocates for #MikeBrown and Ferguson to see value in investing time and energy into promoting SOLUTIONS to challenges. To everyone who sent out a message or comment on #MikeBrown or Ferguson, I am humbly asking that you participate in THIS message. Embrace the honest emotions evoked with his death and dont let them simply fade away like the media coverage. I am asking that you share THIS post. Like THIS post. Support THIS new program to solve old problems. Please. I truly believe this is a time to stand unified and collective for something good. Our young men need to see there is more than a scattered few that believe in them and still have hope. I am asking that everyone that knows me, if a fan of mine, has participated in one of my youth or corporate programs over the last 15 years, has heard of my community work, youth advocacy or simply is person with a heart who can understand my perspective to PLEASE STAND WITH ME in solidarity to fight for this mentoring & empowerment program in my hometown. Whether you have $1 or $1,000,000 to your name, I AM TALKING TO YOU. Whatever your race, I AM TALKING TO YOU. Whatever your gender, I AM TALKING TO YOU. Whether you have 5 or 5 million in your social network, I AM TALKING TO YOU. We can do it. Just like in sports, we CAN mount an amazing comeback with young Black & Latino boys in Rochester, NY and beyond . But we must stick together to do it. Together, we can create change. Together. But it starts with playmakers doing what it takes to win one game at a time. So here’s the deal…(Special shot out to the folks at ALS for the great idea) Introducing the #HelpRochesterBoysIceBucketChallenge!!!!!! After talking with plenty of people who participated in the ALS challenge, all I keep hearing is how much fun it was. But the funny part is, when I asked many of those same people what was ALS, they didnt have a clue. Go figure.. So Facebook family, I am asking that you help me get this fun way to pass the word started right. Make sure people DO actually know what the #HelpRochesterBoysIceBucketChallenge is about. Cool? So let’s start calling people out!! I’ll go first…. Since you had enough heart to read this entire message, I am officially calling YOU out right now!! Yup. YOU. I am challenging YOU to take the #HelpRochesterBoysIceBucketChallenge within the 24 hours. No excuses. Doesn’t matter if you have already donated or not!!:) For clarity, here are the official #HelpRochesterBoysIceBucketChallenge Rules: 1. Within 24 hours of being challenged, you have to record a video of yourself accepting the #HelpRochesterBoysIceBucketChallenge then pouring a bucket of ice water on your head and posting on your Facebook, Instagram or Twitter accounts. You also get to call out as many people as you want to participate in the #HelpRochesterBoysIceBucketChallenge!! 2. If you do NOT want to pour an ice bucket on your head, simply go to GoFundMe/HelpRochesterBoys, donate $10 or more and share it with your social networks. Once complete, you get to call out as many people as you want to participate in the #HelpRochesterBoysIceBucketChallenge!! 3. If you have some serious reason you can’t do the ice bucket OR you don’t have $10 to donate, we understand (and will pray for you). Please post your reason you can’t participate on our @HelpRochester Facebook Page. But you can STILL be a part of this challenge!!! Simply visit: GoFundMe.Com/HelpRochesterBoys, watch the video and share it with your social networks. Once complete, you must make at least 2 people to participate in the #HelpRochesterBoysIceBucketChallenge instead of you. Oh—and one last thing. If you are NOT planning on participating in the #HelpRochesterBoysIceBucketChallenge in any of the three options, I need you to “UNFRIEND” me from this Facebook page immediately. No hard feelings. But my page is full and I need more people who will support #HelpRochesterBoysIceBucketChallenge. So please leave. Quickly. To make it easier, here is a link to show you how to UNFRIEND me the fastest: https://facebook/help/172936839431357 Let the games begin. I’m watching. Let your ACTIONS be your response!:) RW @HelpRochester [Instagram & Twitter] PS. To learn more about the Champion Academy, visit: HelpRochesterBoys.org
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 21:19:04 +0000
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