Seeds Sown, Ambassadors Grown

I truly feel that L.E.A.D. is doing God's will as an organization planted in Atlanta. It is evident in the fruit that we bear through young African-American males.

We have been serving Atlanta with excellence since 2007. Our mission remains the same, to empower an at-risk generation to lead and transform their city of Atlanta. Our vision remains the same that our L.E.A.D. Ambassadors will lead their city of Atlanta to lead the world. We still accomplish this through a sport that is considered America's favorite pastime - baseball.

L.E.A.D. Ambassadors with Governor Nathan Deal

It is my desire that in 2040 a L.E.A.D. Ambassador will be elected as a U.S. Senator representing our state of Georgia. That is why it is of uttermost importance that our core values of excellence, humility, integrity, loyalty, stewardship and teamwork be upheld.

To be clear, L.E.A.D. scouts out the counted out. In case you haven't noticed, society has pretty much written you off. Why do I say that? I say that because we live in a time where it's more profitable to build prisons than to invest in schools. That's really sad, but you can change that and you're going to need my help. We don't go into schools and cherry pick the top all around students. All you need to have is a minimal desire to play baseball and a passion for living a life of significance.

The baseball field is where the Ambassadors practice their core values the most. Academic excellence for the Ambassadors should be a no brainer starting with excellent attendance and behavior in school. Civic responsibility is nurtured now to prepare Ambassadors to truly lead this city and leadership is all about influence - nothing more, nothing less. It's going to take financial resources to lead Atlanta and the Ambassadors will develop skills weekly that will prepare them to be gainfully employed when they graduate from college.

As we prepare for our fall Legacy League that will produce twenty five Ambassadors, here are three things that I'm most excited about.

1. Ambassadors will coach themselves

We will have sixty Leaders in the Legacy League competing for twenty five coveted Ambassadors slots. We will only have two coaches on staff by choice. Ambassadors know how to lead themselves as well as possess the ability to work with others. When core values are in place, learning to hit and throw a ball correctly to earn a college scholarship won't be difficult at all. Young men that lack core values will be removed quickly because we don't have time to force young men to value this once in a lifetime opportunity.

2. Ambassadors hold each other accountable

It's considered an innate action for youth coaches to yell and scream to get results from their players. With only two coaches on staff this fall, we're looking for Leaders who can hold each other accountable based on our standards and expectations. We don't have perfect kids in our program yet they all have an awareness of core values. From personal experience as a child, I can attest that when their is a lack of accountability, young men stop growing in the positive direction.

3. Ambassadors will lead their schools

L.E.A.D. will have twenty five Ambassadors within eight Atlanta Public Schools (APS) high schools in 2014-15. They will all be charged to lead their schools since we are training them weekly in character development. Their character development playbook will be Habitudes by Dr. Tim Elmore. This is the same character training that the San Francisco Giants, University of Alabama and University of Georgia use to name a few. L.E.A.D. is not a "good for you" organization so it is within the school buildings that our Ambassadors will be able to lead the way to show that L.E.A.D. is good for APS and good for Atlanta.

No need to tell me that you're in on this challenge. You must show me - your consistent, committed actions will tell me all I need to know about you.

I'm here scouting for Ambassadors- period.

Now let's go!

Well Done Mr. Truett Cathy

Well Done Mr. Truett Cathy.

Mr. Cathy was sent to Earth by God for 93 years to do His will. I never had the opportunity to meet Mr. Cathy, but I have seen his tireless love and service to others for a long time.

Mr. Cathy passed last night, but he lived a fulfilled and purposeful life in the name of The Lord. I also want to live a purposeful life for The Lord.

I was giving some thought this morning about Mr. Cathy's life and discovered three things that he and I have in common:

Atlanta Public Schools Alum

Although Mr. Cathy was born in Eatonton, GA, he was raised in Techwood Homes and educated in Atlanta. Techwood Homes was eventually torn down due to the expansion of the Georgia Tech campus. He graduated from Boys High School which is now Henry W. Grady High School (Atlanta Public Schools).

I was born and raised in the inner city of Atlanta on Hollywood Road in Northwest Atlanta (Hollywood Courts) which less than 15 miles from where Techwood Homes once stood. I attended Grove Park Elementary School which is also an Atlanta Public Schools (APS).

APS has always been a school system that developed innovative leaders like Truett Cathy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Innovative

Mr. Cathy didn't invent chicken but he is known worldwide for creating the chicken sandwich. Chick-fil-A is a multi billion dollar company that not only serves delicious food, but also is respected for developing great leaders within its communities.

I didn't invent baseball. However, I created a methodology to convert the raw baseball talent of inner city African-American males into skills that are attractive to college baseball programs. Hundreds of elementary through high school aged African-American males in the inner city of Atlanta are positioned to graduate from high school (on time) and college and become gainfully employed because of L.E.A.D.

All things are possible through Christ Jesus.

Follower of Christ

Mr. Cathy lived by Christian values and built a billion dollar company with those same values. His legacy will no doubt live on through men and women who remain on Earth until we are also called to Glory.

I'm unashamed to be a follower of Christ. L.E.A.D. is an organization that is governed by ethics, morals, core values, standards and accountability.

Our time on Earth should be to do God's will by loving others and serving others. Mr. Cathy loved and served others well.

I can confidently say that his greeting in Heaven went as follows: 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your Master.' (‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭23‬ ESV)

Future Hall Of Famers Among Us

On Tuesday, September 2nd, eight L.E.A.D. Ambassadors were guests of Major General Ronald L. Johnson (Two Stars) at the College Football Hall of Fame Dinner. The West Point Society of Atlanta hosted the dinner in celebration of the Hall of Fame's relocation to Atlanta and the West Point Academy's leadership role in founding the National Football Foundation, the parent of the College Football Hall of Fame.

A few of Atlanta's finest student-athletes visiting one of Atlanta's finest new establishment:
The College Football Hall of Fame.

The following is a reflection on their experience.

What guarantee can you make to the city of Atlanta after attending this event?

Ambassador Jacoby Evans: I will guarantee Atlanta that I will graduate from high school on time and go onto college to further succeed, with the help of scholarship money. I will have a successful career in accounting.

What was the most impressive thing that you saw tonight?

Ambassador Vernard Kennedy: One of the impressive things I saw was all the alumni that were committed to The Academy (The West Point Academy).

What is something that you saw tonight that you have never seen before?

Ambassador Derrick Walker: I've never seen two rivals get together, get along and enjoy one another. I guess they had one goal in mind: to protect and represent the USA.

What do Atlanta Public School Students (APS) students need to know about tonight's event?

Ambassador TJ Pittman: They need to know that the students who attend West Point Academy are very respected and that they are excellent role models. We can do the same too.

Describe how you feel about life after tonight's event?

Ambassador Emanuel Wilson: I feel that life is a blessing; just to be around some of the people I was around tonight was a blessing. This evening has shown me that life is all about connecting with other people - the right people. Life is hard, I say this because of the Generals that I saw with battle scars and scars that have changed them forever, but they found a way to overcome hard times. It was a blessing to be around them along with the Hall of Famers.

What's the best way to repay Major General Ronald Johnson for inviting us?

Ambassador Desmond Jones: Wow, this was a really great experience! He showed loyalty and stewardship by inviting us. Without him, we would've never been able to take advantage of a opportunity such as this. I think we should present him with an Ambassador ring for showing some of our core values.

Describe the College Football Hall Of Fame facility?

Ambassador Austin Evans: I describe the college football Hall of Fame facility as a place of great history and engulfed with school spirit. An experience like none other. It was an opportunity to tap into the history books and be amazed. The film was creative and mind blowing. I could feel the school spirit and emotion flowing through my body as I walked through the tour. It was honestly a night I will never forget.

###

Born to be great. It's not Godly to be mediocre.

It's not Godly to seek shelter in the womb of mediocrity but we often do it because we lack discipline, dedication and the ability to dream.

Discipline is simply doing what you ought to do even when you don't want to do it. There was a time in my life when being mediocre was acceptable. When I look back at that time of my life now, I realize that I had successfully surrounded myself with mediocre people. These people would never hold me accountable for being less than excellent because they would have been correcting themselves as well.

My favorite thing to do now to remain disciplined is to start my day with devotionals from Wisdom Hunters instead of checking my Facebook and emails.

Dedication is being committed to a task or mission. Guess what happens when you don't have a clear mission in life? You guessed correctly. You act mediocre and you spend your time with mediocre people doing mediocre things while complaining about it. I've been a less than dedicated person and I don't regret it because I now know what not to be. My mission in life is to be significant and to serve millions. God gave me my beautiful wife Kelli Stewart to help me accomplish this.

The Stewart's at the Annual L.E.A.D. Dinner With Champions Awards Celebration

My favorite thing to do now to remain dedicated is to serve black male students in Atlanta Public Schools through L.E.A.D. We develop Ambassadors that are empowered to lead their city of Atlanta to lead the world.

L.E.A.D. Ambassadors at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta

Dreaming is so much fun for me. God revealed so many great instructions to men in the Bible in the form of dreams and I feel that He does the same for me. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. didn't have a plan for social equality, he had a dream. When you don't dream, you live a life of mediocrity and you find yourself surrounded by mediocre people and doing mediocre things.

My favorite thing to do now to remain a dreamer is to spend time weekly sharing my dreams with dream catchers. Dream catchers aren't quick to say what I can't do. They think it through with me and challenge me with questions so that I can decide whether to move forward to make it a reality.

God wants to do more for us, with us and through us if we allow Him.

L.E.A.D.'s Core Value for September is Excellence (which is not even in the same air space as mediocrity). 

Bases Loaded

Don't give in to stereotypes:

A topic of discussion for the media every year is the decline of blacks in baseball. It's generally followed by "canned" reasons such as not having a dad at home or not having enough baseball fields in their communities.

I tell you what. If you have a few good men in your community, you can take 12 black middle school aged boys from the south side of Chicago and put them on ESPN for the world to see that black boys DO play baseball.

Show up and be present, and for Pete's sake (whoever he is) please stop being a part of the problem with all of the excuses. Remember, if an idiot tells you the same thing over and over again for a year- you'll eventually believe it.

In order to win the game, you must rely on more than having fun. Baseball is a game that requires a lot of critical thinking and quick adjustments. There are lots of momentum shifts in baseball and you must be mentally focused in order to overcome adversity.

The boys from Chicago came to win and they played with a lot of respect and character. Their character was tested like all of the other teams the entire tournament. That's what this game does- baseball exposes character, then develops it.

Don't give up:

America didn't lose the Little League World Series. The world saw that black boys do play baseball in America and they play with character and resilience.

These courageous young men and coaches from JRW did their part; the bases are loaded. Now what are you going to do?

#LetsGo
#llws2014

Right Is Not White - It's Just Right

I've been a black male all 38 years of my life yet for most of my life I've been accused of "acting white" when I do what's right.

My parents raised me to respect others, say thank you and please. I still do those same things today because it's the right thing to do.

As a child, I was picked on for being polite and considerate of others because it wasn't the "cool thing" to do. I was also that kid at Grove Park Elementary School, Atlanta Public Schools with Vaseline on my face and IZOD shirts tucked into khaki pants that were firmly belted on my true waist. Let's just say that the teachers thought that I was handsome and my classmates called me lame. Before you feel sorry for me, know that I never had problems with bullies because I was a trendsetter.

During my school days, you were considered cool if you were loud and willing to physically fight every time somebody looked at you wrong.

That way of thinking was stupid in the 80's and 90's and is still stupid in 2014.

The reality is that I am still accused of "acting white" when I do what's right.

Hundreds of young men in the city of Atlanta have willingly submitted to growing up to do what's right. They aspire to live their lives governed by core values because it is ultimately the only way to live a life of peace.

In the meantime, they still get ridiculed for saying thank you and please.

I have four sentences of wisdom for anyone that is accused of "acting white" for doing what's right.

Put your trust in The Lord.

Continue to do what's right.

You lose when you do what's wrong.

Have mercy on your ridiculers, they'll need a job from you one day.

The 2025 Version of L.E.A.D. Ambassadors

Meet Ambassador Joseph McCrary; Savannah State University graduate/Magna Cum Laude (Accounting)

In order for Kelli and I to fully realize the power of L.E.A.D., it must be lived by you. What can you GUARANTEE that you will be doing in 2025 by the grace of God and the support of L.E.A.D.?

Will you have a job in 2025? If yes, where?

CPA with my own firm McCrary & Kitchens

What do you expect your minimum salary to be in 2025?

Minimum salary to be 85k

Will you be married by 2025?

Yes

Will you have children by 2025?

Yes

Will you pay tithe to your church in 2025?

Yes

Will you donate money to a favorite charity in 2025? If yes, how much money would you like to give to a charity per year? Keep your minimum salary in mind.

Would like to give back no less than 5K annually

Will you be a community leader in 2025? If yes, what city would you like to raise your family in?

I would raise my family in Atlanta, GA

Will you be a mentor in 2025? If yes, how many young men or women will you be responsible for helping graduate from high school by 2025?

at least 10 young men

How would you have answered these questions above when you were 16?

I could have answered the questions the same but not with as much conviction. I am slowly finding myself but believing in my abilities more and more day by day. Of course everything won't come overnight but I am a working progress and 2025 is ample time to get there.

Left to right: L.E.A.D. Ambassadors Joseph McCrary, Cedric Reed and Denzel Campbell showing off their Ambassadors Life Champions Rings by Jostens

Meet L.E.A.D. Ambassador Cedric Reed; Attending Georgia Highlands College

In order for Kelli and I to fully realize the power of L.E.A.D., it must be lived by you. What can you GUARANTEE that you will be doing in 2025 by the grace of God and the support of L.E.A.D.?

Will you have a job in 2025? If yes, where?

Yes sir, I will work for Microsoft or Google working with the math department in Los Angeles,CA as a Sales Excellence Analyst

What do you expect your minimum salary to be in 2025?

$222,990

Will you be married by 2025?

Yes

Will you have children by 2025?

Yes

Will you pay tithe to your church in 2025?

Yes

Will you donate money to a favorite charity in 2025? If yes, how much money would you like to give to a charity per year? Keep your minimum salary in mind.

Yes sir, $20,000

Will you be a community leader in 2025? If yes, what city would you like to raise your family in?

Atlanta, GA

Will you be a mentor in 2025? If yes, how many young men or women will you be responsible for helping graduate from high school by 2025?

Yes sir, and at a minimum 40,000 young men and women

How would you have answered these questions above when you were 16?

Will you have a job in 2025? If yes, where?

Yes, San Diego

What do you expect your minimum salary to be in 2025?

$1,000,000

Will you be married by 2025?

Yes

Will you have children by 2025?

Yes

Will you pay tithe to your church in 2025?

Yes

Will you donate money to a favorite charity in 2025? If yes, how much money would you like to give to a charity per year? Keep your minimum salary in mind.

Yes, 250,000

Will you be a community leader in 2025? If yes, what city would you like to raise your family in?

Yes, San Diego

Will you be a mentor in 2025? If yes, how many young men or women will you be responsible for helping graduate from high school by 2025?

Yes, over 100 students

L.E.A.D. Ambassador Cedric Reed checking out the new Porsche

Meet L.E.A.D. Ambassador Denzel Campbell; University of South Carolina-Beaufort graduate

In order for Kelli and I to fully realize the power of L.E.A.D., it must be lived by you. What can you GUARANTEE that you will be doing in 2025 by the grace of God and the support of L.E.A.D.?

With the support L.E.A.D. and faith in God I can guarantee that I will be reaching out to others who aspire to become better people for their families and communities. I want to share my story of choices and hard times that every young teenager in Atlanta can relate to.

Will you have a job in 2025? If yes, where?

Yes I will have a great job leading a team of multiple personalities, ethnicity, and core values with a goal in providing outstanding service for special events through local/major businesses, sports/entertainment and of course L.E.A.D.

What do you expect your minimum salary to be in 2025?

Minimum Salary: 40,000

Will you be married by 2025?

Married: Yes

Will you have children by 2025?

Yes

Will you pay tithe to your church in 2025?

Most certainly

Will you donate money to a favorite charity in 2025? If yes, how much money would you like to give to a charity per year? Keep your minimum salary in mind.

Yes I will donate money to L.E.A.D. because of it's foundation with great leaders, growth throughout the city of Atlanta, and success with helping at risk youth reach their goals. It's training with constant empowerment on and off the field from professionals across the board has led me on a journey where I refuse to look back. Minimum donation including salary considerations would be $1,000 annually.

Will you be a community leader in 2025? If yes, what city would you like to raise your family in?

I plan to be a community leader not just locally but throughout the region and as far as our message will travel while raising my family on the far countryside north of Atlanta. But I don't have any preference in regards to where I will live. Baseball has allowed me to travel and meet so many great individuals that may have a lot to offer.

Will you be a mentor in 2025? If yes, how many young men or women will you be responsible for helping graduate from high school by 2025?

Now and throughout my life I will be enjoying mentoring young children and teenagers across the globe because it's just the right thing to do. Each person deserves a opportunity to seek out their dreams in everyday possible. Not every person has that access to a mentor, leader, family member, or even friend. That's why I volunteered myself in 2008 with L.E.A.D. to reach out to as many hands that's willing to hold on.

How would you have answered these questions above when you were 16?

At 16 I don't think I would have had the same ideas or focus that I have today. It would have been difficult for me to understand the purpose of being a mentor and giving back when all I saw and heard about was negativity through my local community and sometimes family. The mind begins to drift to other things that don't involve education or sports. Even the little things like using such words that mean much more when wrapped around a sentence of ideas.

L.E.A.D. Ambassador Denzel Campbell with the Atlanta Braves cap