7/29/2019 MC AT&T 28 Days 2013

1/1

CommunityCommunitysection B Marh 6-12, 2013

michiganchronicle.com

Powered by Real Times Media

See Blak Hry page B-2

See Kd opg Day page B-2

By Amber Bogins

AT&T wrapped up its 28 Days BlackHistory Month campaign at the Millen-nium Centre in Southfield. It was freeand open to the public and featured alive performance from singer/songwrit-er Elle Varner. The campaign, hostedby comedian, television host and radiopersonality Rickey Smiley, kicked off inWashington, D.C and made stops in Ra-leigh, North Carolina and Atlanta, Geor-gia before coming to metro Detroit, theday before the end of February, and theend of Black History month.

When asked why he believed AT&Ts28 Days program was so important forAfrican Americans, Smiley replied, I

just want people to know where theycame from. Kids are growing up with asense of entitlement. They need to real-ize that someone sacrificed for them.

For the past five years, AT&T hasbeen committed to celebrating Blackhistory and inspiring people to chal-lenge themselves and to be empow-ered.

Our goal is that they hear a mes-sage an authentic message and theytake that with them, said Jennifer L.Jones, vice president of diversity mar-kets for AT&T Mobility. For a lot ofyoung people, it is important that whilethey celebrate themselves as is, it isalso important to understand why theyare able to do the things that they cando.

The series featured a differentspeaker for every city. The speakerswere innovative thinkers and leadersof our generation. This year, the host

cities had the opportunity to hear fromKevin Powell, Corvida Raven and MCLyte. Here in Michigan, we were blessedto have the award-winning investiga-

tive journalist, social activist, politicalcommentator and author Jeff Johnson,symbolically drop the mic on us afterdelivering a breathtaking speech that

frequently had the audience on its feet.His message was that of knowledge andparticipation, saying, We dont havetime to be politically disengaged. We

dont have time to play.Johnson expounded on how im-

portant it is that we are aware of thepolicies that are being passed throughthe government nationally and locally.Adding that Americas enslavement ofthe African people and those of Africandescent already living in America wasthe result of a systematic introductionof policies and laws that pushed statesto realize that it was economicallyviable to enslave African people, nota random idea to increase profits. It isfor that reason that we need to be awareof and challenge any questionable poli-cies and laws being generated today.

Beyond looking at the past, Johnsonencouraged no, demanded that wehave a vision of the future. If King wasliving in 2013, he would not be having

a 1963 vision, he said. Therefore wemust encourage our youth and our-selves to redefine what the new vision,the new dream is and the responsibil-ity we have to seeing it into fruition.It is important that we know our his-tory. Not just the history that makesother people comfortable, even our-selves, Johnson said. But our wholehistory, from our ancestors in Africawho were not only kings and queens,but mathematicians, astronomers and

Boys to men:Bryant Georgehelps youthto succeed

He was never supposed to make it.They were never supposed to succeed. Heis Bryant George. They are Alonte Sims,Tywonn Mitchell, Curron Thomas, ScottJackson, Donald Owens and DominickAltman. Black boys! The odds are dismalfor a Black boy growing up in the innercity of Detroit, with meager resources,not a lot of guidance, an inferior educa-tion and not enough money to live on.

George defied the odds; he beat thestreets. The streets, where just makingit to the age of 25 is quite an achieve-ment compared to the majority of mychildhood peers who are now incarcer-ated, deceased, or stuck says George.

He used his athletic skills to create apath to success out of a seemingly hope-less situation. In high school, Georgereceived a Real Life 101 scholarship,laptop and a personal mentor. MadonnaUniversity took a chance on him. Hewas admitted, received a scholarshipand competed on the Crusader basket-ball and cross country teams. With a 4.0GPA his last two years, George was in-ducted into two national honor societiesat Madonna. A criminal justice major,he earned his bachelors degree in2010. He was the first minority studentto intern with the U.S Marshal Service,United States Secret Service and Bureauof Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Ex-

plosives Agency.Today, George works diligently and

with great passion, giving back to De-troit and his alma mater. He serves asmentor, leader, and father-figure for 17at-risk young men, who are currentlypursuing four year degrees at MadonnaUniversity. And although, nationally, Af-rican American male students have a 35percent graduation rate while attempt-ing a four-year degree, under Georgesleadership, six finished on the DeansList and to date the retention rate is100% Through his role as an admissionsofficer and coordinator in the Office ofDiversity and Multicultural Affairs atMadonna, George is pushing harder; thethird group of students are anxiouslywaiting to begin their college careers atMadonna in the fall of 2013. To recruit,

enroll, and retain these students is anhonor from God, and I take no credit forthis kind of service, says George.

So whats his formula? These youngmen lack discipline, someone they cancontinuously depend on, and the passionto acquire knowledge, says George. He,along with Madonna University faculty,staff, and current students, try to instillthese traits. The Real Life 101 programis their mentor village off campus.

George keeps the students busy. Theymeet weekly (a session that requires atie and white shirt) to discuss the pastweeks successes and challenges. Thereare church services, football games, con-ferences on success and leadership, andcommunity activities, such as Bridg-ing Lost Gaps (BLG), a pre-college pro-gram originated by George. Through the

BLG program, current students becomeguest speakers as they bring their col-lege experience to Detroit public schoolstudents from prior events such as theReal Life 101 annual gala, professionaldevelopment sessions hosted by Com-puware Corporation, and the MentoringTodays Youth dinner with former India-napolis head coach Tony Dungy and SidE. Taylor.

I dont think they (students) reallyappreciated what I was trying to teachthem about succeeding at real life untilThanksgiving Day (2011), when we fedthe homeless and visited a juvenile de-tention center, says George.

He knew he was succeeding whenhe received a call from a mother thank-ing him, My son doesnt want to comehome, she said. You may have saved

his life and another statistic on the localnews broadcast.

Leaders think and talk about the so-lutions, followers think and talk aboutthe problems. I have to be a part of thesolution by all means says George.

Georges mentor, Dr. Terry Gordon,said, It doesnt get any better than this.I mentor Bryant through some of lifeshurdles and he turns around and givesback in a tangible, meaningful way.

Some see stories, on the nightly news,that involve at risk youth getting intotrouble, and they only hope that some-one will do something.

Bryant George has decided to act. Hismission is to take boys and make themreal men.

Bryant George

ATT&T celebrates Black history

with its

28 DaysBlack History

month campaign

HRkysmlypak.

Jeff Johnson and Jennifer L. Jones, VP of diversity markets, AT&T Mobility.

Rickey Smiley (left), Rhonda Walker, Elle Varner, Alexis Wiley, Jeff Johnson.

By Amber Bogins

The Detroit Tigers are giving youngfans a chance to be a part of the ex-citement of Opening Day. The Tigersare now accepting nominations forchildren ages 5-14 who are interestedin participating in the Detroit TigersKids Opening Day on Sunday, April7. The Tigers will host the New YorkYankees. On Opening Day, 21 win-ners will receive four complimentarytickets to the game in addition tohaving the opportunity to participatein one of the following ways:

Ceremonial first pitch (one child)

Announce the starting lineup of Fox

Sports Detroit (one child)

Announce the starting lineup on97.1 FM The Ticket (one child)

Announce the starting lineups onthe Comerica Park Public Address(two children)

Announce the first two DetroitTigers batters in the first inning(two children)

Honorary ticket takers (two child-ren)

Honorary ground crew (two chil-dren)

Honorary kids take the field (ninechildren)

Lineup card delivery (one kid)

A stUDentwinds up for the pitch.

Detroit Tigers now acceptingnominations for

Kids Opening Day participants