“He’s getting fame, but really, what does it all mean? She’s getting fame, but really, what does it all mean? We’re getting fame, but really, what does it all mean when every time I hit the hood all I see is a dark dream? Until we proceed forward with unity, we will always be in a critical condition,” Ezra Smith.
Critical Condition, is how the state of the image of the African American male in this country has been for so long now that an organization named BMe was created for the sole purpose of redesigning that image.
Harry Johnson II, BMe community manager in Pittsburgh, said BMe started out as a storytelling project of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in Detroit.
“The project collected more than 2,000 videos from Black Men in Detroit and Philadelphia who shared their stories about the big and small things they were doing to strengthen communities,” he said. “The video project, initially a part of the Knight Foundation, became it’s own organization by mid 2012; and former Knight Foundation V.P. of Communities Trabian Shorter was slated as the CEO. In 2013 Heinz Endowments began a BMe pilot program in Pittsburgh.”
Johnson, has been at the helm of several initiatives to lay the ground work and drive the mission of the organization here in Pittsburgh. Several months ago they held a competition to identify their first 10 BMe leaders who would receive $10,000 to aid them in their particular program.
The culmination of the competition came in a reception and formal 2015 BMe induction ceremony where the winners were presented to the public at the 21st Century Club in Oakland.
Moderated by Benjamin Evans III, BMe national managing director and second in command to Shorter, the program was comprised of a reception where local actors performed the poem “Critical Condition” and was followed by a panel conversation between four dads who shared with the audience their most memorable moments as a fathers.
The panelists were Trabian Shorter, CEO of BMe; Majestic Lane, director of Strategy and Community Engagement at A+ Schools; John Wetzel, Pennsylvania Secretary of the Department of Corrections; and Malcolm Thomas, director of Reaching Back—Rites of Passage Program. Thomas shared this “my most memorable moment is right now, what an honor to being held in such regard as a father to be selected to serve on a panel such as this.”
The 10 BMe inductees were announced as follows; Brian Burley, Youth Development and Education, Black Male Achievement; Lee Davis, Economic Opportunity, Youth Development and Re-entry; Leon Ford, Community and Youth Development; Evan Frazier, Community Development and Co-Founder of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality; Rev. Glenn Grayson, Economic Development, Youth Development and Violence Prevention; Thomas Jamison, Philanthropy, Community Development and Social Enterprise; Kevin McNair, Black Male Achievement and Youth Development; Joshua Pollard, Economic Opportunity, Capacity Building and Real-Estate; Andre Samuel, Education, STEM, Technology and Mentoring; and Jasiri X Youth Development, Media & Entertainment.
Samuel said of this opportunity, “It is a great honor to have an organization like BMe recognize the work that is being done. Many times we don’t get validation that or recognition on this level. And the award money to continue my work is a tremendous bonus. I’m very honored.”
He also shared, “I am also looking forward to a plan we are working on with BMe to host a STEM-Street and Block festival for the Hill District. It is important to be pro-active in exposing young people to careers in these fields, they have got to see they are viable opportunities for careers. This kind of event can provide that type of exposure.”
During its national conference held, in Washington, D.C., two weeks ago, BMe recognized 10 leaders, from five cities—Pittsburgh, Detroit, Philadelphia, Akron and Baltimore—distributing $400,000 to promote the individual efforts of the awardees to keep doing good work in their communities.
Immediately following the presentation of awards, state Rep. Ed Gainey issued an official “Call to Action” to the participants. Keeping with the Father’s Day theme, he charged all the participating men to recognize the hierarchy of their roles, that is to be, first, fathers within their homes, and then community fathers.
“Lifting each other is our ultimate charge as men,” he said. “If we lift one another, this could go a long way in dealing with some of the issues around crime our communities face.
“The timing is right for this BMe initiative, the climate is ripe for something different, and I feel it is essential to move towards more visibility with this message.
“At youth activities, on billboards, in conjunction with other organizations are places where Black men can be found doing positive things.”
In his closing remarks, Shorter said, “The need for us to uplift our communities by telling the truth of who we are—Black Men doing great things in our community is overwhelming.” Additionally, he reminded the audience that an ongoing goal of BMe is to partner with other organizations in their effort make a positive difference.
You can be a part of the “next steps” of Pittsburgh’s BMe efforts by joining the network; log on at www.BMecommunity.org or text the word “BROTHER” in all caps to 96,000.
“We want to partner with any organization to help push their agenda’s around education, mentoring, entrepreneurship, STEAM initiatives and other important causes in and around Pittsburgh,” Johnson said.
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