Created in 2022, We Teach for the Youth began as a capstone project for my Masters studies in Community and Social Change at the University of Miami. The goal was to create a supplemental male mentorship program while partnered with a community organization that focused on college acceptance for high-achieving students. Overtime, the idea bloomed into not only catering to male mentorship but inclusivity to all students, assisting in the development of emotional intelligence, life skills, college readiness and career outlook.
About the Founder
How do my experiences and values shape the culture and purpose of We Teach For The Youth?
I grew up in the North Carolina K–12 public school system. While I received a solid education, what shaped me most was not the content itself, but the classroom experiences that influenced my learning outcomes. I attended predominantly white schools, where the majority of my teachers were white women. As a young Black male student, representation in the classroom was not just valuable—it was essential. Representation provides a sense of connection to cultural values, norms, language, and aspirations that deeply affect our educational experiences and outcomes.
Too often, I was reprimanded, given detention, placed in ISS, or even banned from tutoring for simply reacting to situations I did not initiate. Ironically, the subject I needed the most support in—mathematics—was where I was denied that help. Yet, educators like Ms. White, my sixth-grade math and science teacher, stayed after school to tutor me, leading me to excel in math. Mr. Johnson, my first Black male mathematics teacher through the MSEN Saturday Academies at Winston-Salem State University, not only taught me math but also helped me excel in it. First Sergeant, my JROTC instructor, instilled in me the importance of discipline, consistency, and integrity.
These educators modeled what it truly means to teach—not just to work a job, but to lead with compassion, vision, and purpose. They taught me that teaching is about shaping lives, not just covering material. Their impact continues to fuel my aspiration not only to follow in their footsteps but to build upon their legacy.
Given my values, life experiences, relationships, and context: What will leadership look like, sound like, and feel like in program implementation?
Program dissemination will be rooted in cultural competence and relevance, allowing facilitators to meet students where they are while pushing them beyond their own expectations. In practice, this will mean creating a program that feels affirming, challenging, and inclusive. It will sound like dialogue that respects and uplifts students’ voices while fostering critical thinking. And it will look like a community where relationships and learning are intertwined—where students feel both seen and supported as they grow.
What are students’ dreams? What opportunities do they want to access?
At the core, students dream of success, achievement, and opportunity. Whether through academics, skills, or personal talents, they want to know that advancement is possible for them. They seek not only access but also affirmation-the courage to believe in their potential and the inspiration to forge their own paths toward brighter futures.
How will the shared program vision build pathways to those dreams and opportunities?
I believe it is essential for students to understand that challenges come not only from life itself, but also from the interconnected systems we navigate—education, healthcare, employment, and public policy, to name a few. My role as an educator is twofold: to make students aware of these systemic barriers, and to equip them with the tools, skills, and confidence to overcome them. Through this approach, our shared classroom experiences will become a foundation for resilience, empowerment, and pathways to opportunity.
“…students dream of success, achievement, and opportunity. Whether through academics, skills, or personal talents, they want to know that advancement is possible for them. They seek not only access but also affirmation-the courage to believe in their potential and the inspiration to forge their own paths toward brighter futures.”
