Ashmond Swayne
Mr. Dewit
English 4
8/25/13


    In the community of Oakland young African American man need all the support they can get from people in schools, and also the community. Strivings Black Brothers has shown me that there is hope in our young black men, about 70% of young black men that has stayed in the group has transfer to a four year college. When you take a young men, or child, outside of the streets of Oakland, in invest your time and hope into his soul you can impact him.
    Showing a young African American boy that he can beat the statistic by being book smart, and being exposed to college at an early age is the key to success. To show  them there is so much life outside hood, and that Even though society labels us because of is skin color, we can succeed in life. The freedom project showed me that change is important, knowing about are community and helping the community prosper. Coming to school is a blessing because I also could have been another statistic. This pass summer I had the opportunity to work with young kids, and I became an influence on them in a positive way, now that I’m a mentor I understand what I have to do to help see the next generation of young black man succeed in today’s society.


                                                            Black Soul

    Trying be a black man in Oakland is a struggle I work hard like some people work their muscle, to be a better man while life has me rap around the controversy its hard in this crazy epidemic black on black crime babies dying, mothers crying it could be are time, I’m tired of the pain in my city I witness a little baby laid out on the ground. Young baby gunned down and didn’t even have a chance to see age five, looking a the child’s mother I begin to see tears coming down of the side of her face this what occurs in my city its sad but I would love to change it but how do that when God is in control, Black soul knowledge is power take advantage of it even if was an hour.