(This blog was written after an experience I had on one day prior to the 2020 Presidential Election.)

I make it my business to sit in places where I’m not expected to be or “supposed” to be. One such place is bible study groups made up of predominantly White men. I am a follower of Christ. I was raised that way. In my adult life, I got the blessed opportunity to unknow the Christ that White Supremacy built, and connect with the true Christ of the Scriptures. The Christ from Genesis to Revelations; a privilege that my early ancestors didn’t have as their enslavers didn’t want them reading about nobody’s Exodus.
I’ve had a lot of emotions and reflections during this current presidential campaign. During a conversation with my wife, we started talking about the differences between appreciation and allegiance.

Appreciation is the recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something.

Allegiance is loyalty or commitment to a group or cause.

As a Black man having citizenship in a country that’s been trying to kill and disenfranchise Black people since the days our ancestors were stolen from Africa and enslaved on this soil, it should be relatively clear why pledging allegiance to my country is difficult for me. I’m not going to burden myself with an exhaustive history lesson on the disenfranchisement of enslaved Africans and their descendants in America; there are far too many resources out there that already do this in a more systematic and thorough way than I ever could. I recommend the following: Equal Justice Initiative, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture & We Are Push Black.

Getting back to these spaces…

I’m a part of a bible study that’s made up of White men. From what I can tell from the Zoom calls I’ve been on, I’m the only Black man. During the opening prayer this morning, a gentleman that I respect prayed the following in part (and I paraphrase), “…God please bless and strengthen Donald Trump as he seeks to lead this nation from Muslim rule and saves the unborn from abortion…”

I was stunned. Now praying for leaders isn’t something that’s foreign to me. I feel the Bible tells us to do this and I attend Elizabeth Baptist Church under the leadership of Dr. Craig L. Oliver, Sr. where we always pray for our leaders. In my household and in my church family, however, we pray a little differently for our leaders. We pray that God’s will be done relative to their leadership. We pray that our leaders will yield their hearts and minds to the will of God. After all, the Word of God does tell us that he sets up kings/kingdoms and he takes them down as well.

The prayer I heard this morning was one of trying to get God to bend to the will of the man who was praying and the cause he represents. As a follower of Christ, I have lots of experience with trying to make God do what I want Him to do – it never works. It never works, that is, if I’m not in alignment with Him. As I listened to the verbal affirmations from the other White men on the call, I wondered to myself, did they stop to think about their Black brother in Christ on the phone and how what was being said would affect me? Did it even occur to them that I may feel that Donald Trump and everything he stands for is a threat to me and everyone who looks like me? Obviously not, because after everyone (except me) uttered a collective ‘Amen’ they moved to the first item on the agenda like everything was cool.

After their amens, I immediately hung up. I didn’t hang up at the moment I was offended because I wanted to stay on to listen to all that would be said in his prayer. I try my best to live by the philosophy that I learned from one of Dr. Covey’s books – seek first to understand, then to be understood. I must admit, I’m still at a loss here. I don’t understand how so many White people can’t see the threat that Donald Trump poses to Black people and basically anyone who isn’t White, male, and straight. I don’t understand why the White men on that call this morning didn’t think about my feelings relative to that prayer.

I’m not sure whether I’ll log into that Bible study group again. I’m trying to figure out if I have enough self-control and sanity to subject myself to that hostile space; trying to figure out if my being present to learn and to teach others is worth me losing my cool or my mind. Pray for me on that one.

What I will continue to do is lead and protect my family and the Black boys I serve in L.E.A.D. I will continue to enlighten, correct, and educate my White friends on the Black experience and what I expect them to do to make it what it should be in America.

I will also continue to be an unapologetic Black man. That’s who God made me and that’s who I’m committed to being wherever He has me showing up.

(Photo by Steve West)

 

 

As a child, the rhetoric around me was that sports were for the dumb boys, that the smart boys focused solely on academics. Being an athlete was likened to a four-letter curse word.

Despite this, I fell in love with baseball around the age of eight years old. My grandfather would watch the Chicago Cubs on WGN. Summers were hot in Atlanta, so we would sit in the room and watch the games with the air conditioning roaring. My mother said that at just six years old, I was already saying I wanted to be a professional baseball player.

When I was eight, my parents signed me up to play baseball at the Cascade Youth Organization, which was less than five miles from my grandparents’ house.

When the Cubs games would end, I would go outside and practice my swing by throwing rocks in the air and perfectly timing them to hit as far as I could like Gary Matthews. I improved my pitching by throwing rocks at trees.

As my life became centered and reliant on athletics, I began to shed these misconceptions. I learned that being an athlete grants a high level of critical thinking skills. To be an “athlete” is to get things done even when you lack the knowledge or experience to get it done.

Athletics is even biblical.

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 but I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, ESV)

Ultimately, athletics taught me how to be committed, disciplined, and gritty.

Learning core values such as these can lead to future success in life and beyond athletics. That is why athletics hold so much value for young Black boys.

Had I not shed the misconceptions about athletics presented to me, my life would not be what it is today. So when people discourage other Black boys from pursuing athletics in favor of academics, I wonder if they are ignorant or stupid.

To be ignorant is to not know something.

Perhaps they are ignorant about the distinction between sports being extra-curricular versus co-curricular.

Perhaps they do not know that sports at the high school level bring the community together in large numbers and offer a sense of pride, belonging, and camaraderie.

Perhaps they do not know that college student-athletes are a driving force of student enrollment.

To be stupid is to know the right thing to do and to choose not to do it to the demise of others.

Stupid people who discourage Black boys from pursuing athletics in favor of academics could be a result of jealousy. The Black Intelligentsia often finds themselves envious of athletes because they do not receive the fame or financial benefits that athletes receive.

I believe this jealousy may have roots that grow even deeper than that.

According to Howard Bryant’s book “The Last Hero,” there are several classes of people in America. Of these, three of them show up at sports venues.

The Labor Class – The Athletes (mostly Black, except in baseball)

The Leisure Class – The Fans (mostly White)

The Ruling Class – The Owners (mostly White)

I believe the Black intelligentsia would like to be a part of the ruling class but are not allowed to due to systemic racism. I also believe that the Black intelligentsia feels embarrassed that Black people are willing participants of the Labor Class.

So instead of recognizing their jealousy and its roots, they decry the participation of Black people, especially young Black boys, in roles within the labor class such as athletes or musicians.

But why should they?

As a follower of Christ, I believe that we all have a calling to fulfill. Both athletics and music were integral parts of society, even when Jesus was on this earth.

19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, (Ephesians 5:10, ESV)

Reflecting on God’s call, John Ortberg wrote “A calling is very different than a request for fulfillment. A calling, though we glamorize it, is not glamorous. It is a response to a summons. It is a kind of surrender. It is a willingness to die to the past and move to the future.”

Men and women that have the gift of athletics and music mattered then, and they matter now.

Antagonists who discourage Black boys from the pursuit of athletics blatantly and willfully encourage these boys to ignore their calling and insist that the calling of athletics detracts from the pursuit of academia.

However, I absolutely believe there is room for both.

Athletics and academics are separated when we look at sports as extracurricular. This separation often happens when it is dealing with children living in poverty. In middle-class and private school settings, sports are often looked upon as co-curricular.

The misconceptions and discouragement surrounding Black boys in athletics do not stop there. Once they commit to the pursuit of athletics, Black boys have a new responsibility thrust upon them.

The responsibility of activism.

Activism is vigorous campaigning to bring about social change.

I do not recall Black athletes being activists in my childhood. I know they existed, but their efforts were “whitewashed” to make them appear non-threatening and docile to White people. Looking back, they were humble to a fault.

I recently read Howard Bryant’s “The Heritage: Black Athletes, a Divided America, and the Politics of Patriotism.” In it, Bryant states that “Today, sports arenas have been transformed into staging grounds for American patriotism and the hero-worship of law enforcement. Teams wear camouflage jerseys to honor those who serve; police officers throw out first pitches; soldiers surprise their families with homecomings at halftime. Sports and politics are decidedly entwined.”

Just as Jackie Robinson showed America that Black and White men can work together and Nelson Mandela used soccer to rid South Africa of apartheid, today the WNBA, NBA, and MLB are coming together under #BlackLivesMatter to take a stand against systemic racism.

I was born in 1976 and as a Black teen, I was taught not to “cause trouble” with regards to race relations. I was simultaneously taught that I could be whatever I wanted to be, but that racism would limit me from being anything that I wanted to be.

As a child, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Hank Aaron were positioned to me to be more of peace-loving figureheads. (It wasn’t until I was much older that I learned about these men in spirit and truth and who they really were to The Movement.)

As a teen, everybody wanted to “Be Like Mike”, but he never took a stance against systemic racism.

Today it is different. Colin Kaepernick and Lebron James are unapologetically leading the way and setting the standard for how to fight systemic racism that specifically oppresses Black people. All Lives Matter, but Black people are and always have been at the back of the race with regards to living the American Dream.

This burden of activism is not one equally carried. Some athletes say nothing when it comes to systemic racism in society, others speak from a place of the passivity of political correctness, and those remaining bear the brunt of the burden.

Some athletes choose to say nothing or are politically correct because they do not want to lose opportunities. To contrast this, you have athletes like Lebron James, who is arguably the greatest basketball player on the planet. I think about King James when I think about Jay-Z’s quote, “I”m not a businessman, I’m a business, man!”

Too often, these stances are met with opposition such as “Shut up and Dribble.”

In 2018, Fox News host Laura Ingraham told Lebron James to “shut up and dribble.”

Ingraham called it “unwise” for children, although I’m not sure what children are watching late-night cable news, to seek political advice from someone who “gets paid $100 million a year to bounce a ball.” By saying this, she completely disregards her own company’s long-documented history of putting athletes and other nonpolitical “experts” on its air.
https://theundefeated.com/features/what-laura-ingrahams-attack-of-lebron-james-really-means/

The “shut up and dribble” argument is the White Leisure Class of fans wanting the Black Labor Class of athletes not to bring politics to the playing field.

I do not believe that you can be a thriving community without athletics. The women and men that are trained in sports can also become the educational, business, and political leaders to make America great. They just need to be committed to training in how to represent their community as well.

The value and skills athletics have brought into my life are immeasurable.

After falling in love with baseball as a child, I met my mentor at age 14. T.J. Wilson was a veteran Atlanta Police Department Officer known for discovering hidden gems in Atlanta’s baseball community.

Within weeks of getting to know Coach T.J., I was receiving professional baseball training at an indoor baseball facility in Forsyth County with Denny Pritchett. I had my first professional workout with the Cubs that year, inching toward my dream of being a “Cubbie.”

I signed a baseball scholarship with Georgia State University during my senior year of high school and was eventually drafted by the Cubs.

My life is an example of how great things happen when your talent is an asset combined with advocacy and access.

I have achieved a lot of success in life and now, I am committed to using my success to serve others. The desire to recreate my achievements and stand against the antagonists who say that athletes cannot be intelligent and stand up for what they believe in, is what led me to establish L.E.A.D.

L.E.A.D. (Launch, Expose, Advise, Direct), bridges the gap between athletics and activism.

It is our Human Ambassador Project. The Human Ambassador Project was birthed from a life-changing experience I had during my 2015 Leadership Atlanta Cohort. From this experience and the revelation received from it, I wanted a way to share game-changing information about race and racism with youth.

Our L.E.A.D. Human Ambassador Project mission is to foster understanding and community between the youth of different races. Our vision is that the participants will grow up to become strategic community partners who will ensure that all of Atlanta’s citizens have access to opportunities that lead to sustainable lives of significance.

L.E.A.D. works to connect the body and the brain through Habitudes®: Leadership Curriculum & Lesson Plans. Habitudes by Tim Elmore combines images, relatable stories, and experiences into leadership development curriculum and lesson plans that resonate with today’s young adults, equipping them to navigate through life’s challenges and opportunities.

We’ve used Habitudes with our L.E.A.D. Ambassadors for over five years.

This fall, we are planning to use ExQ to connect the body and brains of our Ambassadors through executive function training. ExQ is an exclusive, research-informed system designed to enhance the brain’s executive function through game-based personalized training.

In short, L.E.A.D combats all the misconceptions discussed in this blog.

We support and encourage athletics as a route to improved academics and activism.

There are very few things that frustrate me to the point of tears, but the fact that many people can’t understand how we got here and why change is needed when it comes to crime, poverty and racism tops that list. For a moment, I would like you to imagine that the City of Atlanta and its impoverished citizens have a parent/child relationship. If you yourself are a parent, you would do anything to protect your child from predators, and would of course, never think to prey on your own child. But in the city of Atlanta, that’s exactly how the poor and disenfranchised feel ― like a voiceless child in a toxic relationship with an irresponsible parent.

Born in Grady Hospital, I am a son of Atlanta. Both the depth and duration of the poverty that riddles my City infuriates me! Fortunately, my athletic ability allowed me to escape my circumstances, but sadly, I am still on the frontlines fighting against the very same inequalities and injustices that threatened to hamstring my future over 40 years ago. The question that those in power need to answer is, how do we eradicate inequities in education, housing and employment caused by race once and for all?

In 2018, it was reported that Atlanta had the worst income inequality in the entire United States. For this reason, understandably, many of the citizens who live at or below the poverty line feel desperate and disconnected. While big businesses thrive here, they seemingly prey on the poor. How can we have all the major businesses we have here and young folk en masse feel they have to resort to selling water in the middle of our streets just to get by? Feeling forgotten and neglected fans the flames of Confederate age-old distrust, and the facade of Atlanta being a world-class city that’s too busy to hate feels more like a city that’s too busy to care (as cleverly stated by my friend, Soon Me Kim).

Crime and poverty in Atlanta are spiraling out of control. All who are ready to face the truth know that racism plays a considerable role in their perpetuation. On a national level, Blacks are still the most segregated group in the country, and the poorest neighborhoods in America are also the blackest. I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel some resentment about the current state of Atlanta, but at my core, I am a compassionate person who deeply cares about all people. I especially care about those who have been oppressed and mistreated, starting with Black people. 

As a Black man, I believe that we are on assignment from God to be providers, protectors and spiritual leaders in our homes and communities. In order to do this, we must have spiritual, emotional, physical and financial health which is fertile ground for building wealth in these areas. The financial part of that well-being, in America specifically, is tied to home ownership. This is where a major rift lies. While 70 percent of White families are homeowners, only 40 percent of Blacks own homes. Meanwhile, over the past decades, welfare, affordable housing subsidies and other first-time home buyer initiatives have slowly evaporated; and it’s worth it to mention that these pitiful approaches to Black home ownership were and have been insulting and predatory. What’s ironic, yet not surprising, is that America solved poverty for Whites through housing, but struggles to do the same for Blacks. What happened to the 14th amendment claim that “no state shall . . . deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws?” I sincerely believe that when we have these elements in place – spiritual, emotional, physical and financial health – for Black people as a whole, all races will be elevated.

What we need to do is wipe the slate clean. This would require us to allow people access to health and wealth based on the content of their character as opposed to the color of their skin. Although idealistic, I am under no illusion that man will ever be perfect or that the poor will cease to exist. That does not stop me, however, from fulfilling my purpose of helping Atlanta rebrand its Black men and live up to its claim of being a world-class city. That would mean that, one day, hundreds of thousands of Black boys in Atlanta will be able to live sustainable lives of significance.  

Hope and love, although necessary, aren’t enough to affect change. It’s also going to take both leadership and money to develop the Ambassadors in my organization L.E.A.D., Inc. These young men will ultimately become the future Atlanta Chief of Police, city councilmen, public school board members, business owners, pastors and philanthropists. We have the funding capacity in Atlanta to see that vision through; the only thing missing is authenticity and will.

We are at a moment of crisis in America in 2020, and history will judge all of us on how we respond. Instead of empty promises and guarantees, let’s start a conversation and building trust by listening to one another. And let’s start that conversation with those who are closest to the pain. As representative Ayanna Pressley stated so clearly, “…those closest to the pain should be closest to the power.” It’s time for new voices; not those whose roots you can trace back to a family of educators, politicians, or business owners. We also need to hear from those who come from the working poor (earning $9K to $18K per year) and the underclass (earning under $9K per year). And we must stop commissioning task force after task force, and committee after committee focused on youth without youth voice present at the table. From our recent protests and riots, our youth are showing us that they will have their seat at the table by invitation or force. It’s past time for us to invite them in and share power with them. 

If you are sincere and empathetic about the plight of Black boys who live in poverty in Atlanta, my organization, L.E.A.D., is on a mission to empower those boys to lead and transform their city of Atlanta. We do this by using the sport of baseball to empower them to overcome crime, poverty and racism. 

To the elected and appointed officials in this City, I pray that you intervene and stop the powerful from preying on our children, your children. 

As the country is making what many believe to be a major shift in terms of how transparent we’re collectively willing to be about racism, it can be easy to sit on the sidelines and remain silent or complacent. My daughter, Mackenzi, has done the exact opposite. Her empowerment movement, Know Your Truth?, sparks honest conversations about the people, places, and ideas that have been conveniently and intentionally left out of our standard curriculum. I choose to stand with those like Mackenzi and Kevin Donovan, a dear friend of mine that serves on the L.E.A.D., Inc. of Board of Directors with me, who take responsibility for the injustices within their community and use their strengths to make the world more like the Beloved Community that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of. I hope that you are ready to read how Mackenzi, Kevin and I hit these three pitches out of the park.

Do you consider yourself as part of the community to the extent that you believe you have a responsibility to address issues of race in partnership with other members of the community? (Clarity/Are you accountable?)

Mackenzi

Most definitely. Even though I have been made to feel like, because of my race, I’m not apart of certain communities within Atlanta and the country in general, I still believe I have partial responsibility to address issues of race. Particularly in partnership with white members of the community as they have the privilege and power (whether they realize it or not) to help create the change necessary to make everyone, regardless of their race, skin tone, sexual orientation, gender, religion, economic status, etc.

CJ

Yes, I feel that I am a part of the community to the extent that I believe I have a responsibility to address issues of race in partnership with other members of the community. I want to unpack my affirmation beginning with my interpretation of these words.

To be a Part of a community is to be accountable for playing a role in its destiny. Planet earth as a whole is controlled by the community of humanity. I was uniquely made by God and I have a unique assignment to fulfill on earth as an African-American man and as part of the community of humanity. My personal mission in life is to be significant by serving millions and bringing them into a relationship with Christ starting with my wife, Kelli, and our daughters Mackenzi and Mackenna.

Community is a group of people living in the same place, and the size of that community is dependent on the context of the affirmation. I live in Cobb County. My household is a community. My neighborhood is a community. My county is my community. My state of Georgia, my country and my world – planet earth – is my community.

Responsibility refers to the obligation we have to something or someone and the means by which we fulfill it.  Those means and methods are unique to each of us because we are all unique.  For me, my spiritual gifts are prophesy, discernment, hospitality and leadership. My earthly talent is coaching. I am unique.  The blessing of these gifts for me entails a responsibility upon me to share them with others; they are a calling to me to be a consequential and aspirational leader. Being aspirational is my proven (if imperfect) ability to inspire people to go higher in their social position or standard of living.

Race is the root word for racism. According to Dr. Claud Anderson, “R-A-C-E, means to be in competition, in a contest or in a match for a prize or other group benefits.” Tragically, this “race” of races has been designed by one race in its own interest and at the expense of all others.  The result: Black people are near or at the bottom in nearly every meaningful measure of success on planet earth. For one race in particular, racism is working and it is continually being perfected.

Planet earth needs me to use my spiritual gifts and earthly talent to make it a better place for me and everyone else for generations to come. I’m committed to that and I’m not going to die an early death fulfilling the assignments of other people. I will enlist them in my conviction and inspire them to win at the game of life.

Kevin

Yes.  I believe there is a tension between our varying definitions of community and our collective ability to achieve progress.  Many people define their community based on their immediate neighborhood, their “gated” community, their segregated church or some other circle of people around which they define their identity.  This implies that their actions, beliefs and behaviors have no impact beyond those with whom they regularly interact, most notably people of color.  This is a fallacy – a barrier that must be torn down if we, the broader community, are to succeed.

The coronavirus provides an ideal example of how our behaviors can directly affect others outside of our personal experience.  Racism is no different, and just as we have a responsibility to our community to wear a mask and social distance to protect those around us, we have a responsibility to acknowledge systemic racism, and commit to doing everything in our power to protect the rights and privileges of all others in that community.

To fully appreciate the most expansive definition of community, and understand that no one truly lives in isolation, consider this:  As I write, there are people demonstrating in countries all around the world on behalf of Black Lives Matter and George Floyd, countries throughout Europe, but also as far away as New Zealand, and as embroiled in their own struggle as Syria.  Syria!

This is a testament to the faith that the world has in the values of America and the worldwide distress that it causes when we fall so tragically short of living up to them. The indifference that perpetuated the “institution” of racism is finally being called to account, as people awaken to the reality that we are all responsible, not just for our past, but for our future.

If people in New Zealand can embrace their responsibility to act, so can all of us.

Do you feel empowered to act to the extent that you believe you can positively impact issues of race in partnership with other members of the community? (Conviction/are you empowered?)

Mackenzi

Yes. My parents, C.J. and Kelli Stewart, have raised me to be way more aware of racism, the different ways it takes form (from systemic racism to “micro-aggressions”), and how I can use both our family network and my own voice to amplify the voices of those that are intentionally neglected within our community.

CJ

Yes. Let me unpack this by defining empowerment and partnership.

I define empowerment as giving and receiving responsibility, and combining it with the authority to act upon it. If I don’t have both, I’m not empowered. God has empowered me with my spiritual gifts and earthly talent to positively impact issues of race in partnership with other members of the community. I can’t quote a lot of bible verses but I have my life testimony. The Latin definition of passion is “to suffer.” My sufferings have helped me to identify my life purpose. And my life is sustained by my grit – the relentless pursuit of purpose.

Partnership. Now that’s a word that gets folks into a lot of trouble when problems are trying to be solved. For me, everything starts with conviction. All my relationships must start with conviction to forge a strong and lasting connection. But conviction can be painful. I don’t want to make folks feel guilty about their shortcomings with regards to racism because guilt paralyzes people and ultimately leads to their disengagement.

In contrast, conviction allows me to look into your soul and feel the words you are saying as opposed to just hearing them come out of your mouth. Your belief in the endeavor – your conviction toward it leads to connection and connection leads to a consensus between us. This is the foundation of your promises and commitments; if you aren’t making promises, any partnership with me is unsustainable.

After consensus comes collaboration – the point at which we bring all of our resources to the table.  As part of our collaboration, I’m going to hold you accountable immediately when you breach our consensus and I expect the same in return.  And as we go forward together, our bond – fortified by the practices and principles of conviction, connection, consensus and collaboration – ultimately will lead to change.

1. Conviction
2. Connection
3. Consensus
4. Collaboration
5. Change

Kevin

Solving this problem requires a collaborative effort that begins with the conviction that CJ is talking about.  We can’t address systemic racism unless we first accept that it exists.  We can’t appreciate the importance of addressing it until we establish the connections that validate our role in the community.

I personally believe everything succeeds or fails based on the connections that we can make, and as someone with many years of social equity (a network of connections), I have an obligation to ease the way, to the extent I can, for others to connect, just as those who preceded me did for me.  It is clear to me that indifference is our greatest foe, and connections are our greatest weapon.  Connections extinguish indifference but establishing them often requires us to push ourselves out of our comfort level – to reach out to people who, on the surface, are unlike us.  More often than not, our similarities far outweigh our differences, and that ends our indifference.
Connections are also a “force multiplier”; each positive connection leads to more of them, and the cumulative result is like a super-power that just becomes stronger over time.  Ultimately, we become empowered in the community to reach out to and ask for what we need.

Do you care about your community to the extent that you are motivated to address issues of race in partnership with other members of the community? (Care/Do you feel a personal stake?)

Mackenzi

For sure. Because of the intersectionality of my identities (I am a dark-skinned, black woman), I have been subject to various levels of racism. The fact that I’ve attended both private and public school is important to who I am and my potential impact as an aspiring education reformist and advocate for Black youth. I am very much so personally invested in the process of addressing issues of race in partnership with other members of the community.

CJ

Yes. To care about something is to give it the attention and action that it requires for positive growth and success. On a relative basis, most everything has some importance and value, but I don’t care about taking action for everything just because it is important. For me, the importance of combating racism rises to the level of justifying my conviction.  I care enough to fight against it.

I was born and raised in the inner-city of Atlanta in poverty to two hard-working parents. Atlanta is the home of the Civil Rights Movement, the Atlanta Braves, which was the first major league sports team to ever exist in the Jim Crow South, the CDC, CNN, Coca-Cola, Delta and so on.  These are inspiring achievements, and yet, Atlanta will never become the truly world-class city that it claims to be until hundreds of thousands of black males are living a sustainable life of significance.

Baseball was my ticket out of poverty to prosperity, not because I became a major league baseball player, but because baseball taught me the values, the interpersonal skills and the executive functioning that I needed to live a purpose-driven life. I made a lot of mistakes in my youth and I still make a lot of them today at age 44; however, my mistakes have given me opportunities to learn lessons that only mistakes can provide.  And with that comes an opportunity for others to learn from my mistakes, just as I did from others before me.  I made it out of poverty and, with the additional support of hope and prayer, I can share with others the strategic path I followed from poverty to prosperity.

Since 2007, I have served as the Chief Empowerment Officer for L.E.A.D. which stands for Launch, Expose, Advise, Direct. L.E.A.D. is an Atlanta based 501c3 organization whose mission is to empower an at-risk generation to lead and transform their city of Atlanta. Through a program of year-round, sports-leadership (baseball), we empower 350 black boys from 6th-12th grades in Atlanta Public Schools to overcome three curve balls that threaten their success in life: crime, poverty and racism. We Scout The Counted Out – boys that are struggling with grades, attendance and behavior.

L.E.A.D. needs the type of partners that can engage the larger community in a way that inspires and sustains the conviction of others to understand, value, care about, and intentionally support what we do.  Our city of Atlanta often feels like it is a city that is too busy to care, and our country is now being confronted with the cost of pretending that systemic racism either doesn’t exist or is not their problem.  As a community – whether it’s our neighborhood, our city or our country – racism is a problem for which we are all responsible and empowered to care much more about than we have in the past.

It all begins with conviction.

Kevin

Yes.  I have a deep love for the community of Atlanta and I care about its future.  As with the symbol of the city – the phoenix rising from the flames – Atlanta is a place of resurrection of the human spirit.  The world is looking to our country to set the standard as the best example of human and civil right, and I believe the country looks to Atlanta for the same reason.  We are a country that so much of the world aspires to emulate, and we can be the city that the country aspires to emulate. We still have a long way to go, but I believe we are further along than others.

I also believe that racism is our nation’s biggest problem for the simple reason that we can’t address every other problem we are facing until we eliminate the barriers that are preventing all people – and especially our next generation – from achieving their full potential.  Just as with any investment, if we invest our care, time and attention in helping people achieve their potential, the return on that investment is one that will benefit our entire community, no matter how it is defined.

Racism isn’t going to magically disappear on its own. In the same way that intentional decisions and actions have been made and taken to create and maintain it, intentional decisions and actions will have to be made and taken to dismantle it. We all have a role to play and making this happen. Whether or not you decide to step up to the plate and accept it is your choice.

Kevin Donovan and Family (Photo Credit: iSmooth)

CJ Stewart (Photo Credit: iSmooth)

Mackenzi Stewart (Photo Credit: iSmooth)

My relentless pursuit of equity for young black boys in the city of Atlanta has often landed me in the crosshairs of people who either misunderstood or disagreed with my point of view. While I readily concede my inherent biases, I believe that they serve as proof that where you stand on a particular issue largely depends on where you sit. For example, as a Black man, I feel that when it comes to race relations between Blacks and Whites, a vast percentage of the latter believe that racism is exaggerated and the best solution is a combination of patience, love and prayer.

Unfortunately, both groups attempt to avoid racial landmines by tip-toeing around the highly sensitive gray areas of race relations. Historically, this passive strategy has only led to overlooked racist acts, avoidance of healthy conflicts, and prayer without action. Full disclosure: my motivation here is not to convince you that my perspective is right or superior. Instead, my purpose is to solicit candid answers and insights to one of the most difficult topics on the planet, race relations. The ultimate question is, how do we get unstuck? 

In order to permanently break the racial log jam and build a foundation of trust between Blacks and Whites, we need to minimize the stigma of guilt associated with true, but unpopular, positions while simultaneously amplifying the voices of people who have the courage to stand up for their convictions. Guilt paralyzes people and prevents them from engaging in uncomfortable conversations, without which we cannot sustain racial progress. On the other hand, conviction inspires people to act on their beliefs, despite danger or disapproval.

Combating racism is not easy, but this is an open invitation for you to express your unadulterated beliefs and feelings about Black and White race relations without fear of rebuke. At my core, I want White people to know and fully accept that: not all Black people are bad, not all White people are good, and the poor are willing and able assets who simply need love, attention and sponsorship (not charity) in order to pull themselves up. 

Presuming you might be resistant to sharing your unfiltered thoughts regarding Black and White race relations, I am going to lead the way. Below is an interview conducted by my friend and colleague. He asked me the ten most difficult race-related questions that I have either asked other people or otherwise wanted to know the answer to.  

As you read (or listen to) the interview, I invite you to do two things: (1) objectively stand in my shoes, as best you can, so that you can try to understand things from the perspective of a Black person; and (2) answer, comment or challenge me in any way you choose. Keep in mind that the ultimate goal here is to build rather than destroy. If it’s your truth, it’s fair game; just keep it civil.

Here we go…

Interviewer: Why are you sharing this message about race relations? What do you really want to see happen? 

CJ: I’m sharing this message in hopes that it will help people find their deepest point of racial conviction and inspire them to act. People are more likely to act on something they truly care about. Black people are dying because of the passivity of White people. White people are praying for us and will give us leftover opportunities… Many of them think that we’re okay with that and being mistreated, and I want them to know that we aren’t. 

We won’t ever completely solve racism, but we can definitely mitigate. We can at least give people a fighting chance to have a good life. There are millions of unborn Black children who will never live a good life simply because they’re Black, and that doesn’t sit well with me. I feel I must fight to convince those White people who are willing to listen because there will be no racial progress if more Whites are not in the fight with us.

Interviewer: What’s the biggest difference between you and your White listeners’/viewers’ approach to race relations? 

CJ: The biggest difference is urgency. Many White people want to connect and go on a long racial exploration. Although I appreciate and respect that, I’ve been in this fight for over forty years. I’m looking for Whites who are already convicted because they are ready to act. That doesn’t mean they agree with me, but knowing that I’m dealing with a truthful person who is ready to act is enough for me.  

Interviewer: Where is the exact point society is stuck? 

CJ: We are stuck at the point of action. We know that racism is a real thing, but we are afraid and choose not to act on what we know. Then we use words like love and hope as if they are the silver-bullet-solution, but nothing ever happens. Here’s one of my favorite quotes that explains it better than I can…

“Christians talk about love a lot. It’s one of our favorite words, especially when the topic is race. But I have found this love to be largely inconsequential. More often than not, my experience has been that whiteness sees love as a prize it is owed, rather than a moral obligation it must demonstrate. Love, for whiteness, dissolves into a demand for grace, for niceness, for endless patience — to keep everyone feeling comfortable while hearts are being changed. In this way, so-called love dodges any responsibility for action and waits for the great catalytic moment that finally spurs accountability.” — Austin Channing Brown

Of course, this doesn’t apply to all white people but it represents the ideology that holds us back.

Interviewer: Why have people given up hope when it comes to race relations? 

CJ: Race relations is hard and it causes people to feel guilty when they should be convicted and unashamed, no matter their position. We have to abide in truth in order to heal and eventually act.

Interviewer: What pisses you off about race relations? 

CJ: It pisses me off that some white people conveniently act like it’s not happening. It pisses me off when black people say, “don’t worry about it. . . . just keep working hard.” It pisses me off that innocent young White kids have to grow up to become racist because of the family that they were born into. It pisses me off that there are Black leaders [who] choose to be diplomatic about race relations rather than being authentic. It’s as if they expecting our oppressors to respect us. It pisses me off that some Below average white men get to have so much power. It pisses me off that some White people still erroneously use the Holy Bible to justify racial oppression instead of acting against racism like Jesus did.

Interviewer: How does culture influence the story you’re trying to tell? 

CJ: Culture is how people behave. There’s a sector of White culture that thinks most Black people are lazy and violent. There’s a sector of Black culture that thinks that most White people are greedy and conniving. Those things are facts for some people. Starting with conviction will let us know who is who. The long-established patterns of our culture keep us from interacting and overcoming.  

I also believe the way that Black and White cultures see Jesus stands in the way. I believe Jesus wasn’t White and He wasn’t spending all of his time with wealthy people. If all followers of Christ focused on this part of Biblical history, they would be compelled to act differently.

Interviewer: How is social media changing the story? 

CJ: Social media is allowing people to share how they feel, so that more people can see their true feelings. We are able to see people commit acts of racism, but they are dismissed by White people as isolated incidents because they don’t want to feel guilty. It infuriates Black people when blatant racism is shown on social media and is dismissed, making us feel like White people will never believe us. That’s why I feel like racism is demonic. If we can get millions of White people to be convicted and get them to flood their social media timelines with testimonies about how they are dealing with race relations, that will turn the tide.

Interviewer: What would you say to them to start to shift their view? 

CJ: I would start by telling White people that you don’t have to be ashamed about your core beliefs, no matter what they are. The truth will set you free. Everyone deserves the right to live their truth. I happen to believe that ignoring the oppression of others is not living an honest life.

Interviewer: How can you make your audience the hero in your story? 

CJ: White people have the power. It’s a historical fact that White people brought my ancestors to this country against their will and thereby created this situation for Black people. They are our only way out. In my opinion, they are heroes when they stand up against racism, to any extent. White people liberate us from conformity to White culture when they call out racist acts. We feel like we can breathe easier when we are respected and trusted by them.  

Interviewer: What are consequences for those who don’t believe/behave in the way you’re suggesting? 

CJ: The racial demographics in America are rapidly changing. Relatively soon, White people will not  l be the majority race in this country. This means that our future leaders will be more diverse, and yes, more Black people will be in leadership. It makes sense to be on the right side of history. The playing field will eventually level and being White will no longer be an advantage like it is today.

Interviewer: Do you have any final thoughts?

CJ: Sure, we have to stop treating racism like it doesn’t exist. We all know what it is and most of us can feel it when it happens. Racism is a disease! People, emotionally and physically, die from it every day.

If you don’t know how to handle racism, a great place to start is by simply admitting that you don’t know how to respond. My hope is that White people will care enough to be honest and transparent. My hope is that they will care enough to ask questions because when they do, it dramatically increases the odds that they will act. 

A silent response to racism is agreement with racism!

Building a bridge to better race relations starts with conviction and evolves to a point of connection where we can find consensus and begin to collaborate and create change.

The floor is yours! I welcome your unfiltered answers to these questions and comments on my responses.  What do you say?