Season 1 Chapter 3: Bally Boys to Men: A Lesson in Growth & Survival Part 1

Sit back and relax and listen as I have a conversation with one of my oldest friends, Ryan Griffin while we answer questions based on Old School Classics.  Our Ode to Hip Hop!
Music removed to uphold copyright laws. 
Playlist 
Friends  Whodini
If My Homie Calls Tupac
I Need Love  LLCoolJ
Ain't No Half Steppin'   Big Daddy Kane
Ruff Neck   McLyte
Flashlight  Parliment
I Ain't No Joke  Eric B & Rakim
 
See how you can support Ryan's efforts with Black Men and high blood pressure through MICMT and Michigan Medicine.  See Ryan Griffin on LinkedIn or Facebook. 

Announcing Welcome to Paynesville's newest podcast Cookies & T where we spotlight change makers while sharing our favorite baked treats! 

Conversation with Marina Thomas--Cultural Icon, Memory Coach, Educator, and Author 

Marina Thomas believes that she is here to help Women, especially Nubian, remember who they are.  Organizing gatherings and practicing ancient traditions of healing through Sister Circles and Waistbead parties, Women are challenged to remember their roots and take action to become who they are destined.  Marina wants to see Women healed and walking in their purpose.  

As an Author, Hurts Just Like Love, is the 25-year labor of love birthed in print.  This future blockbuster will have you crying, screaming, and wondering with the plot twists and turns.  Hurts Just Like Love’s characters force you to confront your beliefs, your values, and meaning of love.  Enjoy part of the first chapter read by the Author herself.  Then go to the website and make your purchase.  You won’t regret it! 

If you would like to support her please contact her at www.hurtsjustlikelove.com or www.culturallytied.com.

Announcing Welcome to Paynesville's newest podcast Cookies & T where we spotlight change makers while sharing our favorite baked treats!

Conversation with Amika Adams I--InventHER Extraordinaire, Graphic Artist, Female Encourager, and Dancing Machine discussing the process of going from divorce to patented inventor.

During the trials of life she danced, reinventing herself and has been transformed like Cinderella.  The effect of attending these dancing sessions reminded her of her worth as a woman.  Now she interviews other women who have also gained this powerful insight on her podcast The Cinderella Effect  on anchor.fm. 

Amika Adams I wants to see women succeed and become the best they can be.   She wants to learn how to pitch product ideas for the Latrenae Collection and hopes to have her patented purse for heels invention sponsored by The Shark Tank.  Stay tuned for the releasing of her heart’s labor and courses on how YOU can become an inventor.

If you would like to support her, visit her website at: www.amikaadamsthe1st.com. 

Join me  as I converse with Educated Black Females  and their take on their obstacles during their journey as Educators.  Stephanie Spivey, New Orleans, LA native  and Toi Robinson-Trice, New York native and Atlanta transplant who both currently reside in Charlotte, North Carolina. I have had the honor of working with them to change generations of our children.

Educators by heart, yet passionate and vocal about impacting systemic change to build bridges out of poverty.

"So my passion is moving or, related to that bridge out of poverty and impacting  systemic change.  I like to think of myself as an activist and that is what I do. [I am] not linked to a specific organization--it's just who I am."

Stephanie Spivey, Educational  Administrator & EC Educator
Community Activist
Educated Black Woman

"[What Power means...] Basically, [it can be used] in a negative way or positive way.  You can have the power to make changes, to make decisions, to influence them or to, even to blackmail them. You know, so if [they] don't do this a certain way, give them the ultimatum. [To use power] on the positive side you can be that trailblazer for the person and set things in order for them."

Toi Robinson-Trice, EC Educator
Super Mom, Wife, Encourager & Motivator
Educated Black Woman

For more information on the Culture of Power in Education, read this article by Lisa Delpit. 
The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's Children 

And if you are interested in helping with us organize a National Black Woman's Day Off contact us at www.welcometopaynesville.com. 

Join us as we stroll down Memory Lane with two more members of the Bally Boys crew, Ermias Alemayehu in Los Angeles, California and Abdur Ali in Ann Arbor, Michigan as we discuss school, growing up in the late 80's, and social issues.

"So politicians, they want to do whatever they can to try to get people [with] emotional explosive issues to try to get folks. I mean, that's the bottom line because you notice they don't make a big deal of these situations until it's election time. And when they feel like they can get something from the Black community."

Ermias Alemayehu
Public Relations & Marketing
Brotherhood Of a New Destiny (B.O.N.D.)
Aspiring Political Candidate

"You know, a lot of us know the truth. We're scared to say it, you know? Because it might compromise the work situation, the benefits, even their social status, or who they are. [They are concerned with] who they are around and who they consider that they need to appease to be accepted."

Abdur Ali
Demolition Expert
Real Estate Investor

Join us as we stroll down Memory Lane with two members of the Bally Boys crew, Sie "Tito" Singleton in Las Vegas, Nevada and Derrick Dickerson in Ypsilanti, Michigan as we discuss school, growing up in the late 80's, and social issues.

"Looking back now, you know, as I'm raising [my children], I understand. And the importance parental advising as well as participation. They were really into our education, and my mother and I speak a lot about that till this day. My mother sometimes looks back at it and thinks, "Was I too rough on you all and this and that?" I'm like Mama, you [have] your baby girl [she] is a lawyer and doing something at America Bank in Ann Arbor, your baby boy, my little brother's a school teacher in Ann Arbor Public Schools system, [the] same system that helped raise us--[with] his Master's Degree."

Derrick Dickerson
Trailblazer in the Automotive Industry

"I tell everyone, and I'm not just saying this I'm on the phone with y'all, but the people that I met in Ann Arbor were probably some of the most quality people I've ever experienced in my life. Just my whole demeanor was different. When I was living in Ann Arbor, I did better in school. Jail wasn't my bag--it wasn't my thing. I tell people I [have] a relationship with God on my own. I had to go to church as a kid and all that.  Until I became an adult and saw that prayer works and just talking to God about a situation that you may be going through and you start to slowly, gradually can see changes and I just believe in you get what you get.  If you're just putting bad energy out into the atmosphere, you're going to get back bad energy."

Sie "Tito" Singleton
Low-Volt Electrician by Trade
Sneaker King Extraordinaire

***This episode will be continued in Bally Boys to Men Part 1-2.***
 Stay Tuned

Owner & Founder of KingVillz music, my former student Dionte' Villia' is doing it big! 
Excelling academically, accomplished athlete, and fighting social injustice.  Listen as he gives his take on Black Lives Matter & what needs to be done in order to make real change.

"That's what Black Lives Matter is--that fight for people to understand, because there's some ignorant people that don't want to, they don't want to open their eyes to the reality that we have to face.  Black Lives Matter is just  educating those people. It's that continuous fight. 

For me, at least it was always an understanding that because of the color of my skin, I would always be at a disadvantage and it didn't matter what I did. So if I walked in the street, police would be looking towards me who's not really doing anything, versus a white person across the street that's actually committing a crime just because of the color of my skin. It's created the vibe of having this negative stereotype that black people are evil, manipulative problem makers, and it gives this privilege towards people with lighter skin tone. It's a difficult fight.

Because as a young black man growing up in America, your faced with [a lot], you're already in a ruthless environment 99% of the time, because of the poverty stricken places, you probably grew up in. I grew up in New Orleans. The murder rate was insanely high, especially after Katrina.  We actually have to work 10 times harder than the average person just to get to where we need to be." 

30 1-Minute Lessons from My Leadership Journey 

30 1- Minute Lessons from My Leadership Journey 

30 1-Minute Lessons from My Leadership Journey