time of heightened division, Protect 2025 is my personal commitment to fostering equity, innovation, and understanding. It’s a blueprint for growth—personal, professional, and collective—rooted in faith, leadership, and collaboration.
Our Pillars for Progress
- Ambassador Excellence: Elevate the LEAD Ambassador Performance Teams to be among the top 25 teams nationally, showcasing excellence on and off the field.
- Empowering Opportunity: Increase the earning potential of our Ambassadors through Breaking Barriers ATL, a powerful initiative merging the commerce and civic engagement pillars of the LEAD Center for Youth.
- Connecting Communities: Strengthen relationships between Black boys who are LEAD Ambassadors and children of varying races in Atlanta through impactful programs like summer camps and baseball instruction at the LEAD Center for Youth.
- Brave Conversations: Expand my connections with people who support different political candidates and engage in courageous conversations to foster understanding and build bridges across divides.
- Leading with Purpose: Launch and implement the LEAD certification process, equipping leaders with tools to create sustainable, equity-driven change.
- Faith as a Guide: Deepen my understanding of the Bible to better grasp how God’s word prepares us to face crises with strength, compassion, and purpose.
- Inspiring Innovation: Launch a podcast dedicated to exploring and fostering innovation—not by creating from scratch, but by finding new ways to use existing tools and ideas to create impact.
- Sharing Stories: Begin writing my second book to expand my impact and share insights that inspire transformation and innovation.
- Reigniting a Legacy: Strengthen the Diamond Directors player development business, reestablishing its role as the premier blueprint for elite Diamond sport athletes.
- Advocating for Equity: Actively engage in policy work to address systemic inequities affecting marginalized communities in Atlanta and beyond.
- Inspiring Through Action: Dramatically increase speaking engagements for Kelli and me, using our platforms to amplify the mission of leadership, innovation, and equity.
- Personal Growth Through Running: Commit to a robust running season, including 5Ks, 10Ks, 10-mile runs, and a half marathon—building toward the ultimate goal of running a full marathon.
- Expanding the Circle of Trust: Build and maintain a circle of at least six trusted individuals who love me, believe in me, and will call me out when I’m stuck in stupidity. Stupidity is knowing the right thing to do and not doing it—these six will humble me and push me toward growth.
- Avoiding Toxicity: Protect my energy by identifying and staying away from people who are stuck in their own cycles of negativity. My time and energy will be reserved for productive, impactful relationships.
- Scaling LEAD Programs: Expand the scope and impact of LEAD’s sports-based youth development programs to increase access for underserved communities across Atlanta.
- Deepening Mentorship: Commit to mentoring emerging leaders and coaches, empowering them with trauma-informed methodologies to transform the lives of youth they serve. Recognize that mentorship is only the starting point; through sponsorship, ensure my mentees are positioned at the right place and time to make game-changing impacts.
- Celebrating Black Legacy in Baseball: Use storytelling, education, and programming to celebrate the rich history and future potential of Black boys and men in baseball.
- Strengthening Family Bonds: Dedicate intentional time to nurture and strengthen my family relationships as the foundation for everything I do.
- Empowering Kelli Stewart: Ensure my wife Kelli has every tool, platform, and opportunity she needs to thrive as a transformational leader alongside me.
- Leveraging the 2025 MLB All-Star Game: Use the MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta as a platform to amplify LEAD’s impact, launch the trauma-informed coaching certification, and expand the LEAD Center’s reach.
- Investing in Youth Innovation: Develop summer camps and workshops that encourage creative thinking, problem-solving, and leadership among Atlanta’s youth.
- Collaborating with Faith Leaders: Partner with faith-based organizations to address systemic issues affecting Atlanta’s communities through spiritually grounded solutions.
- Amplifying Advocacy Through Media: Use podcasts, books, blogs, and speaking engagements to elevate the narrative of equity-driven progress.
- Embracing Resilience: Build my mental, physical, and emotional resilience through disciplined practices like running, Bible study, and mentorship.
- Committing to Rest and Renewal: Prioritize self-care and spiritual renewal to maintain the energy, clarity, and purpose necessary to sustain this mission.
Why Protect 2025?
- Protecting Principles: Faith, leadership, and open dialogue.
- Protecting People: Elevating young leaders, thinkers, and change-makers.
- Protecting Progress: Advancing equity and fostering connection across divides.
How We’ll Achieve It
- Faith and Focus: Drawing strength from faith and scripture to navigate challenges.
- Leadership Development: Elevating leaders through LEAD certification and innovative youth programs.
- Innovation and Impact: Using a podcast to inspire creativity and share ideas that transform industries and communities.
- Community Engagement: Strengthening relationships and earning power of Ambassadors through Breaking Barriers ATL and summer programs.
- Brave Dialogue: Creating opportunities to connect with and learn from people with differing political perspectives.
- Personal Growth: Advancing physical and mental resilience through running, writing, and goal-setting.
- Advocacy and Action: Addressing systemic barriers while amplifying our mission through increased speaking engagements.
Call to Action
Let’s come together to protect what matters most and create a future rooted in faith, equity, and understanding. Protect 2025 is about building bridges—not walls—and creating a legacy of connection, innovation, and progress. Will you join me?
