L.E.A.D. Center For Youth, our non-profit organization, stands for Launch, Expose, Advise, Direct, and we are a sports-based youth development (SBYD) machine with five foundational parts that empower Black males to live a life of significance.
- Philosophical
- Methodical
- Ethical
- Accountable
- Deliverable
Commercializing is when an organization reduces its value to make a profit. I can name several organizations that I believe are "commercialized" but I won't because being "commercialized" is not a good thing.
Contrary to popular belief, all great non-profits should be run like Fortune 100 companies. Lack of funds is often a great reason for non-profits that serve Black males to "sell out" to "commercialization" because American inner cities that are crime-ridden with low-performing schools are vast in numbers. There's a need to rapidly scale good non-profits that are serving Black males.
LEAD is a disruptor that intentionally and strategically levels the playing field for African-American males through America's Game - baseball. We love lots of conversations about racism because it's a cloud that hangs over the heads of African-American males. Racism has generationally caused and perpetuated poverty in Atlanta. Without racism, academic outcomes would be great, as would housing and health in Atlanta. According to the Atlanta Metro Chamber of Commerce, if you are born into poverty in Atlanta, you have a 4% chance of making it out. Imagine if your child was dying of cancer 15 years from now and had a 4% chance of living and the person that could eradicate cancer is currently a third-grade African-American boy living in poverty in Atlanta. It is not a far-fetched feat to believe, considering that Martin Luther King Jr. was born and raised in the inner city of Atlanta and was educated in inner-city Atlanta's public schools during segregation.
