Chionesu Bakari Newsletter Issue 7 - March/April 2014

Chionesu Bakari Program For Young Men “Guiding Light of Noble Promise”

“Moving Forward”

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issue 007March / April 2014

DIRECTOR’S WELCOME 1

CB GOES TO COLLEGE 2

CB FULFILLING THE MISSION 3

SO YOU WANT A SUMMER JOB 4

LETTER FROM A YOUNG BLACK MAN 6

CB HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES 7

JOIN US @ THE ANNUAL GALA 8

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

A Word From The Director

These last two months have been busy for the young men of Chionesu Bakari.

Since we last talked we’ve returned from our February College and Historical Site tour. The young men had a great trip to New Orleans and North Carolina. With tours at Shaw University, Virginia State University and Winston-Salem State University, which were led by CB Alumni. 50 young men travelled on this trip, 13 of which traveled for the first time on their own who adapted very well. Not only was it good to get away from the cold in the “Big Apple” for a while but the trip was a great opportunity to expose the young men to the warmth of the “Big Easy.” We can’t forget to thank Mr. Raleigh who has been consistently transporting us safely on all of our trips for the past five years.

In March the young men opened for Daniel Beaty. The presentation was powerful as it allowed the young men to give voice to the relationships they have with their fathers. The young men expressed different types of relationships with their fathers. They discussed relationships with their biological fathers, step-fathers, deceased fathers, father figures in their lives, fathers that they’ve never known and finally relationships with God as their father. They will present again on the 1st Sunday in June and on Fathers Day at St. Paul Community Baptist Church in Brooklyn, NY.

The young men had a chance to learn about the importance of Social Justice this March as they participated with the Metro Industrial Areas Foundation and East Brooklyn Churches assembly where Mayor Bill de Blasio joined and was charged to keep the promises he made to communities around the issues of housing, safety and education.

The young men also had the privilege to meet filmmaker and Brooklyn native Spike Lee and Larry Miller, President and Howard “H” White, SVP of the Nike Air Jordan brand at the Brooklyn Urban Youth Forum. They heard them speak on empowering and motivating steps on staying focused, taking advantage of the greater opportunities for success today and attaining your dreams.

Looking forward to prepping for Summer session, we will travel to…Indianapolis, IN, Richmond, VA, Columbus, OH, and Dallas, TX. We have hired 6 counselors and 4 staff interns all from within the CB members. We are also looking forward to the staff and parent’s retreat in May and June respectively.

We are excited to celebrate our 3rd Annual Gala on June 6th at the Sheraton in Flushing, NY. It will be an amazing night of awards and celebration, honoring the commitment and faith of our Parents in their sons and the mission of CB.

Last but not least…. May 2nd is family Game Night… at Brownsville Academy High School all are welcome for a night of family fun, games and good food and prizes!

As you see we’ve covered a lot of ground during the last two months enjoy our stories as they unfold and reveal how we continue to live up to our mission!

In closing, we wish each mother and those who have stepped in the gap and served as a mother figure, a very Happy Mother’s Day!

Namaste, Horace L. Moore, Founder/Director

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The young men of Chionesu Bakari traveled and explored New Orleans and North Carolina during their winter break from school this past February. In New Orleans, Louisiana and North Carolina the young men were fed a wealth of information, toured colleges and universities, visited historical sites, experienced beautiful weather and got to enjoy some of the famous local scrumptious cuisine.

College & Cultural Tours with CB Alums

By Tosca Myers

The first stop on this trip was New Orleans, Louisiana. The young men visited Xavier University, Southern University and St. Augustine High School, Xavier University’s Preparatory School (which partnered with St. Augustine High School after Hurricane Katrina) and the French Quarter. CB was able to see how the great city of New Orleans and Southern University is still rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. The richness of what Southern University has to offer left some of CB’s young men expressing an interest in applying to this school.

Visiting St. Augustine High School was a special treat because this prestigious all-male parochial school is Rev. Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood’s, (Pastor Emeritus of St. Paul Community Baptist Church) alma mater. Being able to visit the individual classrooms and ask the student body questions about their experiences at-

tending this institution with strict rules and guide-lines shed light on how this school produces so many ex-ceptional students year after year. Chionesu Bakari also met with the leaders of the school’s nationally known marching band called the “Marching 100”. It was ex-

citing to hear about their experiences participating in Super Bowl presentations,

performing for dignitaries and all of the competitions that earned the Marching 100 the crown as “Best Marching Band, New Orleans”. The faculty also expressed pride in coming back to teach at the

school that they once a t t e n d e d . Apparently, s h o p p i n g and dining in the French Quarter was

also amazing as it was described as “some of the best seafood this side of heaven!” by A s s i s t a n t D i r e c t o r , E l d e r V. Young.

In North Carolina, the young men were given a bird’s eye view of what living on campus, away from home looks like

thanks to Roberto Wi n t e r a n d Rennie Coburn, two CB alumni members. Roberto and Rennie gave a great introduction into the world of higher learning and gave CB a tour of Johnson C. Smith University

where they currently attend. In Raleigh, Moses Lewis, Justin Allen (also from the original 30 members) and Kennedy Hinds, a brother beloved were CB’s tour guides at Shaw University. These great young men effectively showcased some of the major attractions of their school such as the Divine Nine, The Shaw Bear

and the Garden of Champions. Elder Young expressed that being a witness to the development of these young men from boys to men gave him great joy.

In addition, to adventures of travel, expo-sure to more colleges and fellowship that

this trip pro-vided, eleven of our young men served as counselors for groups of younger CB brothers. This role was train-

ing for the full-time positions available in CB over the summer. Since these posi-tions require leadership abilities, if cho-sen for this opportunity, what better way to prove themselves than with job-like scenarios?

Upon return home and evaluation of this trip CB’s young men shared what they enjoyed about the trip. They definitely enjoyed the time away from school and home and there was an overall consensus that they found fun in the assignments they were given. Reflecting on the sud-den room changes, college tours, time

spent together and beautiful weather (compared to the frigid cold and snow they left at home) created lots of smiles. As always the college tours were fun and seeing the alumni was memorable. The most fun was had just traveling with their brothers and having fun on the bus. Oh yeah, and Bourbon St.! “In my humble opinion, this being our first trip during the school year, it was a great experience for all of us,” said Elder Young .

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During Chionesu Bakari’s fall program year (Oct-June), the young men meet at least four times per month for workshops, seminars and events, organized by CB staff and invited presenters. Critical topics are covered in these experiences, touching on religion, drugs, peer pressure, personal hy-giene care, sexuality, communication, public speaking, interviewing skills, along with creative arts and expression. CB’s programming goal each year is to positively change the character and various stages of development for each young man.

How CB Fulfills The MissionENGAGING WORKSHOPS AND ACTIVITIES TO RECLAIM, RENAME, RENEW & RECONDITION YOUNG MEN

Strong Mental Foundations

Reclaiming the minds and thoughts of the young men from the too often negative influences they experience daily is paramount to Chionesu Bakari’s, Founder/Director Horace L. Moore and Assistant Director, Elder Victor Young. At the start of the program year the young men begin with a series of written assignments interpreting positive quotes and various Bible verses. The goal is to provide the young men with the mental “tools” to overcome challenges they will inevitably face. In one such assignment the young men shared their thoughts on the quote “.. boys are born, and men are made.” Several young men shared how negative (and positive) experiences have help to shape them into becoming young men. Leveraging study of Bible verses, like Philippians 4, verses 8-9 are also discussed. As this verse asks them “...to think on and do what is true, honest, just, pure and of good virtue.” With the study of these positive affirmations the young men are off to a great start.

Workshops and Seminars

CB Staff plan the bi-weekly workshops and events to guide the young men through their developmental challenges & stages. In a recent workshop the topic of sex was discussed. Some of the young men expressed concern about their par-ent’s ability to calmly discuss the topic. CB Staff discussed ways to help bridge the communication gap and gave the young men a safe space to ask questions.

The reality of drugs and peer pressure have also been covered in CB workshops. Recently, the young men met with mem-bers of the police community to learn and discuss the dangers of prescription and illegal drugs. Although, peer pressure has waned as a popular topic, it is still a relevant issue that was discussed in a workshop led by Elder Martin Stroman, a CB Prayer Intercessor. Elder Stroman led the discussion sharing his experiences as a young man succumbing to peer pres-sure and the hard lessons he learned on the way.

Topics related to personal development, e.g., self-esteem and developing positive

relationships are also addressed in workshops led by staff member Elder Vaughn Curmon. Elder Curmon works with the young men on an ongoing basis in workshops chal-lenging their view

of themselves, to build their self-esteem and give them tools to work through their emotions when relating with others. Elder Curmon also teaches them about the im-portance personal hygiene and grooming maintenance.

Creative Expression

Chionesu engages in rich set of activities in creative expression. This season, the young men will be taught the art of quilt making by Esmond Barnes, a member of the Black Men Who Quilt ministry from St. Paul’s. Quilting encourages creative

expression, so-cial interaction and quiet time to relax and re-lieve stress. The young men will also study and take part in an African based, exciting, acro-batic dance per-formance titled

“Katache” The Warrior Dance, led by LaKai Worrell of Purelements. The practice for Katache happens over multiple weeks resulting in a thrilling performance, that also improves physical fitness, increases self-confidence and forces the young men to work beyond their comfort zones. Public speaking and dramatic presenta-tion is also studied as a tool for profes-sional and personal development. CB Staff member, Keir Nelson has worked with some of the young men in the cre-ation of monologues expressing their positive/negative relationships and ex-periences with their fathers. The young men gave an unforgettable, moving pre-sentation in March and have been asked to present again for Father’s day. And thanks to Lois Francis, from the American Bridge Association, CB has found a way to not only teach the young men the card game of Bridge, but to make it a fun and challenging team building activity.

Professional Foundations

Check out this month’s featured article “So You want to Work this Summer.” to read how CB sets the bar high with pro-fessional career readiness experiences for the young men.

Seeds of knowledge and awareness are planted with every CB experience, to ensure the members transition into well-rounded, “critically thinking” young men that embody the mission of the CB Program.

By Sharon Swain

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The Center for Law and Social Policy has complied data that examines how young black males from low-income communities are finding themselves locked out of employment opportunities. In the article The Unrelenting Challenge of Young Black Male Unemployment, (August 27, 2013) Linda Harris, Director of Youth Policy, discusses how opportunities that once existed have all but disappeared. Harris states, that as a result of the civil unrest of the 1960’s the federally funded summer jobs program was cre-ated to provide work experience for low-income youth. However, that with the loss of federal funding and other publicly funded youth development

programs young black men lack opportunities to gain employability skills as well as develop and refine appropri-ate work behaviors. “The high unemployment situation of black males has been persistent and historically intractable. It has endured over decades. Work opportunities for black male teens have all but disappeared.” ~Linda Harris

We are proud that in the history of Chionesu Bakari young black males have always had an opportunity for sum-mer employment within its program.

This year, Mr. Horace L. Moore, Founder and Director, implemented a panel style interview process, which involved every component of the program, the young men, parents, the staff and finally a one-on-one interview with Mr. Moore. I had the opportunity to speak with individuals who represented each panel, but first I was curious why Mr. Moore decided to change the interview process.

On why design a new interview process with separate panels of young men, parents and staff...

Mr. Moore - “I wanted all stakeholders to take part in the interview process and didn’t want the decision to be mine alone. Instead I wanted input from every component.”

On reflection of the common strengths and weaknesses of the young men who were interviewed

Mr. Moore - “I learned more about the young men individually. I learned that some of the young men are well equipped for the interview process which has been put in place and at the same time a few still have to grow in that area, but they are well on their way. Most of the young men interviewed rose to this challenge and demonstrated what has been given to them by the program. For some, we will continue to help them develop so that they commu-nicate effectively, use eye contact and demonstrate confidence when dealing with adults. I was thoroughly pleased and excited after speaking to a few of the young men on the panel and the applicants.”

So You Want to Work for the Summer

The Interview Panels

A selected group of seven young men between 10-13 years old were chosen to be the first interview panel that the respec-tive applicants would face. They showed up donned in business attire, carrying note pads, ready with their questions for the candidates. I was fortunate to speak with some of these young men to learn how they felt about such an important role they were playing in CB history.

Tyaree Ragin, Age: 13, 8th grade

AM: Describe your experience as a member of the interview panel.

TR: It was a humbling experience! I knew I had to be fair because when it’s my turn to apply for a job I want people to be fair to me also. I felt like I earned a chance to make decisions in the program and that the staff saw something in me that made

them believe in me.

Interviewer and writer, Antoinette A. Miller

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So You Want to Work for the Summer

AM: What did you like/dislike most about the process?

TR: I really liked the one-on-one interviews because we had a chance to get to know the applicants better. I didn’t like the physical space where the interviews were held because it just felt too small. I think we needed a boardroom.

AM: What lesson(s) did you learn from this experience?

TR: I learned that when applying for a job to come prepared, in proper business attire, a resume, an open mind, and some-thing to take notes with.

Jawan Lawson Age:12, 6th grade

AM: Describe your experience as a member of the interview panel.

JL: Being an interviewer was pretty AWESOME! It was awe-some because of the decisions we had to make as a panel and how we made them. I think I asked good questions as well as the others who were on the panel.

AM: How did you feel when you were asked to be on the in-terview panel?

JL: When I was asked to be on the interview panel at first I was a little nervous because I wasn’t sure what to ask and I felt I had a lot of power in my hands, but I adjusted to it.

AM: What did you like/dislike most about the process?

JL: What I liked most about the process was the answers of the applicants because their answers were quite interesting. There wasn’t anything that I disliked about the process.

AM: What lesson(s) did you learn from this experience?

JL: I learned that with great power comes great responsibility!

Joshua Miller, Age:14, 8th grade

AM: Describe your experience as a member of the interview panel.

JM: My experience as a member of the interview panel was that it was a position of power where I had to chose whether people would get a job or not and it made me feel nervous.

AM: How did you feel when you were asked to be on the in-terview panel?

JM: When I was asked to be on the panel it felt like a privilege! While I was nervous about having to choose who would get

a job it was an honor as a younger member of the program who was apart of a small group entrusted to make this decision.

AM: What did you like/dislike most about the process?

JM: I didn’t like having to send people home that were unpre-pared without hearing their story because everyone makes mistakes and deserves a second chance. However, I realized that when you consider something important you have to take the time to prepare and sometimes there are no second chances. I really liked seeing how most of the older guys took this process seriously, put the jokes aside for a day and came prepared to become counselors.

AM: What lesson(s) did you learn from this experience?

JM: I learned to dress accordingly, manage time and to treat others with respect.

The Applicants:

A few of the CB young men who applied for the summer Counselor position weighed in as well. For all, this was their first time going through an interview process for employment.

Najee Quick: Age:15, 9th grade

AM: Describe your experience as an applicant

NQ: It was really good! It was like having a conversation about what I should do to be a good staff member.

AM: What did you think about the different panels?

NQ: At first I didn’t think it was necessary, but Mr. Moore ex-plained the purpose of the panels and I understood, so all and all I understand why each panel was important.

AM: What lesson(s) did you learn from this experience?

NQ: I learned that it isn’t easy when applying for a job. I learned that you have to be prepared and it may not be what you thought it would be but you still have to go with what is presented to you.

AM: If you could do anything different what would it be?

NQ: If I could do anything different I’d remember

Continued on next page

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My name is Lawrence Powell and I am 18 years old. I attend Brooklyn Academy High School and will be graduating in the summer of 2014. I currently work in my school office answer-ing telephones and doing other administrative duties. I enjoy basketball and fashion and I am a car enthusiast. I have a pas-sion for cars; their style, mechanics, repair…EVERYTHING. I at-tend St. Paul Community Baptist Church where I am involved in the Team Q youth ministry and have also worked with the stage and audio management teams for The MAAFA Suite: A Healing Journey.

I have been a member of Chionesu Bakari since the fall of 2007. I learned of the pro-gram through a friend, Khalief Hill, who was a member and my older sister, Valerie. Since my sister enrolled me in the program, CB has definitely broadened my horizons and I have been able to visit a number of places -- Atlanta, North Carolina, South Carolina, Miami, New Orleans, Chicago, Ohio and Canada to name a few. Without Chionesu…I would not have been afforded this opportunity. I have had some great experiences with CB. In fact on a 13-day trip with CB is where I really learned responsibility, patience, time management and how to get along with my brothers, because we “lived” together.

There have also been some challenging moments for me. I went through a stage where I didn’t want to listen to authority because I thought I knew everything. I worked as a CB Counselor, which was challenging. There were many things thrown at me at the same time which required me to multi-task. I had to plan events while away on trips, watch over my brothers, and along with the other counselors ensure the day-to-day activities ran smoothly. At the same time, I was dealing with dead-lines for school projects and homework that I needed to complete to graduate. This proved to be very stressful and I ended under-planning an event, which led to the young men missing an opportunity. This negative experience along with lack of timeliness to work within CB, led to ultimately being let go. I have since learned my lesson and hope to be working as a Counselor again.

CB has also taught me about manhood and being a young black man. CB has also taught me the importance of being respectful, being able to manage money, stay-ing on top of my hygiene as well as how to dress and prepare for an interview and how to present myself. CB has definitely contributed to the progression of my life and influenced the young man that I am today.

One of my favorite quotes from Tupac Shakur is “The only thing that comes to a sleeping man is dreams”. What I understand from this quote is that my dreams won’t become real unless I put a plan in place to make them a reality. I plan to attend Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Caro lina, in the fall of 2014 where I will major in Mass Communications. After graduating, I plan to work in music pro-duction and/or stage management with major plays, concerts, etc. I want to thank my mentors, Mr. Moore, Elder Young, Elder Curmon and Keir Nelson and all who continue to support me.

Letter from a Young Black Man

By Lawrence Powell

to bring my resume to the interview panel led by the parents.

AM: How has this process helped prepare you for future interviews?

NQ: This process has helped me to prop-erly prepare for an interview.

Najee Hunt: Age:15, 10th grade

AM: Describe your experience as an applicant

NH: I thought that this process was AMAZING! I learned about myself and what others thought about me

AM: What did you learn from this experience?

NH: I learned how to express who I am as a person; I learned to be the best repre-sentative for myself. I also learned to ac-cept other peoples’ comments about me and how to use it to make myself better.

AM: How will this experience help you outside of CB?

NH: This process will help me to think quickly on my feet and to make sense in an efficient way.

Ishmail Muhammed, Age:16, 11th grade

AM: Describe your experience as an applicant

IM: This experience has been a learning process. It taught me a lot about my-self and will help me prepare for future interviews.

AM: If you could do anything different what would it be?

IM: If I could do anything different I would’ve changed my attitude because I came into the interviews “cocky.”

AM: If given the opportunity to advise a friend who is going to a job interview what would you say?

IM: I would give my friend the follow-ing advice: (1)Stay humble don’t let any questions get under your skin, (2) Wear a watch because it’s important, (3) Dress

appropriately, (4) Bring extra resumes, and (5)Engage your interviewers

After talking to all of these brilliant young men I was left with just one impression……I’m glad that I don’t have the responsibility of making the decisions!

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To all of the young men that are High School and College bound, we acknowledge your journey of new experiences and great expectations. The High School and College entrance process can be daunting for some to say the least. But with hard work, an open mind and moral support from the entire Chionesu Bakari family, some of the best NY High Schools and Colleges have welcomed this year’s CB middle school and high school graduates.

Thoughts on school admissions process from a few of the rising CB High School and College freshmen...

Joshua Miller shared, he and his family’s desire was to explore as many top NY high schools as possible. The long and some-times exhausting process meant many high school tour dates to schedule and admission requirements to meet However, Joshua practiced patience, learned from simple CB experiences, such as traveling for long hours. To ensure his admissions success Joshua went to tutoring, took various entrance exams, wrote essays and went on several interviews. In the end Joshua chose to go to Bard Early College High School in Queens for it’s small and friendly environment and the fact that the school includes two years worth of college experience.

Devon Ramcharitar, received an acceptance to his first choice, Urban Assembly NY Harbor School to study Marine Biology. Devon was really nervous that he would not be selected, but with the support he received from his CB brother, Akil ( currently attending the Harbor School), he had a good understanding of the process and now has a CB brother in H.S. to look forward to.

Tyaree Ragin determined his selection from over 200 high schools in Brooklyn alone, went on multiple high school tours for two months. Tyaree now appreciates this grueling process and feels that all of his work paid off as he can now study to

become an Aerospace Engineer or Game Designer. His CB mentors helped him to maintain focus and to put every effort into the process.

Ryan Richardson offers the advice he received from CB to the next generation, “to maintain a high average throughout the middle schools years especially in the 7th grade. The process can be complicated to find the right school in your field but mainly to keep your average up in the 8th grade for academic success.”

Dante Leary although excited about his multiple college ac-ceptances recalls the magnitude of paperwork that is required just to begin his search was overwhelming. Gratefully CB of-fers some solace in the decision making. CB exposed Dante to many colleges over his years. In fact during one of the summer college tours, he visited Florida Memorial University and knew immediately that it was were he wanted to attend. CB also built a network for him to utilize for guidance and assistance with the initial application and interview process. Dante’s advice to the young men is to apply to every school that peeks your interests regardless of your shortcomings because you never want to limit your opportunity of gaining a higher education.

Janoah Zion Harrison - Xaverian H.S.

Brandon Hartley - Little Red / Elizabeth Irwin H.S.

Joshua Miller - Bard Early College H.S.

Ameer Mallory - H.S. of Telecommunication Arts and Technology

Tyaree Ragin & Ryan White - City Polytechnic H.S. of Engineering, Architecture & Technology

Devon Ramcharitar - Urban Assembly New York Harbor School

Ryan Richardson - Williamsburg School of Architecture and Design

Dante Leary - Florida Memorial University of Miami (Criminology)

Malik Stanford - Shaw University

Lawrence Powell - Johnson C. Smith* *pending

CB Proudly Presents

the 2014 Rising High School & College Freshman

the CB High School & College Class of 2018

Left from Top - Joshua Miller, Ryan White, Devon Ramcharitar, Ryan Richardson, Malik Stanford Right from Top - Janoah Zion Harrison, Brandon Hartley, Ameer Mallory, Tyaree Ragin, Dante Leary, Lawrence Powell

By Terri Butler

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Visit Chionesu Bakari Online

Learn More about our Program

& Support Young Black Men!

www.youngblackmanonline.org

CreditsThis newsletter is published by:

Chionesu Bakari Program for Young Men 859 Hendrix Street Brooklyn, New York 11207

Phone: 347-708-2008 [email protected] www.youngblackmanonline.org

This newsletter is also available online @ www.youngblackmanonline.org

©2014 – All rights reserved

Editor Horace L. Moore

Newsletter Team Susan T. D. Rodriguez Paulette Bailey Monica Britton Terri Butler LaToya Kittrell Antoinette Miller Tosca Myers Charisse Smith Sharon Swain

May 2014 05/02 - CB Family Game Night

Staff Retreat

June 2014 06/06 - Annual Gala

Tickets $125, Black Tie

Parent Retreat

August 2014 CB Family Cruise

Summer Session Begins July 2, 2014-August 15, 2014

Please check our website for the latest information

Upcoming EventsCelebrate With Us! 3rd Annual GALA

This spectacular event honors our young men, parents and supporters of Chionesu Bakari. This year’s theme is “ Ties That Bind:

Honoring Your Commitment and Faith .....Ensuring The Legacy.”

Proceeds benefit our year-round programming of personal and professional development workshops and activities, including

annual tours of colleges and historical sites. Our activities enable the success of the next generation of critically

thinking Young Black Males.

SAVE THE DATE!

Friday, June 6, 2014 Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel

Flushing, NY

Cocktails 7:30PM

Awards, Dinner and Dancing 8:30PM

For Gala Tickets, visit gala.youngblackmanonline.org

For ticket and table phone inquiries, contact Susan @ 914-380-7260

CHIONESU BAKARI a Swahili phrase meaning “Guiding Light of Noble Promise”, is engaged in the ministry of saving and developing young black males by reclaiming, renaming, renewing and reconditioning their minds. We strive to motivate young black male children to think critically and prepare their minds and the minds of their respective parents/guardians for the men they will grow to become.