I am writing this letter to you in the lobby of the Lord Baltimore Hotel. You know, I’m here for a conference. My work with writing and capoeira sent me traveling during your birthday week. Thank you for pausing your skateboarding to participate in the video of our music practice. I will use the footage during my presentation. You have officially become a teenager. This weekend we will celebrate you. From simply being you to earning straight A’s and making the Junior Olympics

“Do you believe life exists on another planet? Is there a parallel universe that we can’t see?” My son asked me these questions as I put shoes on to take him to football/soccer practice. I unlocked the car doors, sat in the driver’s seat, and fastened my seatbelt before I replied. “It’s possible. Much of this world is yet to be discovered by scientists and our current technologies. There are portions of the oceans that we have yet to explore.” The conversation shifted as I pu

Last Saturday, I reconnected with nature. I drove to a forest preserve and almost ran a marathon. While I covered 20 miles around a river and eyed small islands, the Wells case crossed my mind. What do you believe happened to 18-year-old Nolan Wells? The current story seems suspect. He leaves with friends on July 4, sails to Horn Island near Mississippi, and then dies. Wells’s parents, investigators, an attorney, the FBI, and the police are attempting to uncover additional de

Are you as lost as I am in the World Cup? Multiple moments have confused me during several games of what Americans call soccer, and everyone else recognizes as football. We attended a community watch party hosted by a local soccer club for the USA vs. Belgium match. Our friends came, but despite crowd cheers and presidential interferences, the USA team lost. I played basketball, baseball, and American football as a child. Whenever my gym teachers covered the soccer unit in PE

We, the people, will celebrate your 250th birthday tomorrow. Some of us will line the streets and fill public parks with red, white, and blue flags in our hands. Others will mourn, lower their heads, take a knee, and consider hypocrisies in the home of the brave, land of the almost free. Tomorrow is Independence Day, but Frederick Douglass questioned this holiday. Remember, he asked, “What to the slave is your 4th of July?” Ancestor James Earl Jones read Douglass’s speech on

Fifteen years ago, I became a father. Where the time went, I don’t know, but I lost it somewhere between December of 2010 and today. “Cherish these moments. They grow up fast,” said older parents when they witnessed the limitless energy of my babies. I replied with a smile but didn’t recognize their wisdom. My youth convinced me that I had many Father’s Day holidays ahead. With this blog post, I’m asking you to do something I couldn’t do as a younger parent. Listen. I’ve lear

We know half the story of Juneteenth. On June 19th, 1865, emancipation reached enslaved Africans in Galveston, Texas. That’s one half of today’s holiday. The other half includes accounts of former enslavers choosing to die by suicide on the day of Jubilee. They couldn’t fathom living without the exploitation of African labor and perceived death as the comfortable alternative. Their decisions indicated the value of African bodies. Masters assessed slaves as priceless. If we co

Perspectives matter. Sometimes a shift in viewpoint is critical. A recent loss tested this theory. Last week, I drove my children to their swim practice, planning to run while they swam. To prepare, I wore running clothes, filled a water bottle, and packed my running pouch. We arrived at the pool, they met their team, and I strolled to a park to warm up. Near the pull-up bar, I placed my car key on a bench, drilled capoeira movements, and completed a set of mountain climbers.

What’s the formula to help your child excel in school? Books + sports + travel + love + prayer = academic prowess. I wish it were that simple. The commitment to fostering academic excellence is a full-time labor-of-love gig without vacations or weekends to recuperate. Responsibilities amplify in single-parent households. Parenting and helping children become scholars involves a combination of resources. During the school day, they need learning experiences with culturally res

This is your year! You graduate from the 8th grade, celebrate another birthday, end another season of soccer, and start high school. Only God knows what will happen in the rest of 2026. I am proud of who you are and what you’ve accomplished. You’re confident, intelligent, athletic, and handsome. You’ve also finished Mrs. C’s class, earned honor roll status, and attracted a girlfriend. Keep up the solid work! On another note, lately, it’s been hard to predict your mood. One mi

“Two percent of people will choose to take the stairs, when an escalator is also available.” That’s the opening statistic Michael Easton shares on his podcast, “Two Percent.” When we consider our desires for comfort and how AI impacts our lives, the percentage of people opting for escalators makes sense. Artificial Intelligence is here. Open Microsoft Word, and Copilot is there to rewrite. Search online, and Gemini appears. Built within this site and others are options to upl

Dear Student Leader, Is this your year? Will you graduate in May? Whether you choose to pursue a career or additional degrees, learning does not stop when you remove the regalia and join the celebrations. The application of your education to address societal problems is proof of proper schooling. You and your peers hold remedies to voting challenges, wars, and the anti-diversity movement. Thinking, acting, and consistently exploring ways to improve offers viable solutions

Dear Student Leader, During yesterday’s Big Day of Giving, non-profit organizations asked for donations to support programs and services offered throughout Sacramento County. The Giving Edge platform, hosted organizations, collected contributions, and distributed funds. Although the “Big Day” ended, you can continue to give. Contributing to a fundraiser is only one form of giving. Leaders can also give their energy, expertise, and empathy to causes bigger than their egos. Giv

Dear Student Leader, Tuesday started unlike any other day this week. Before my phone’s alarm had the opportunity to wake me, I shot out of bed. Eager to get the day started, I used the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and dressed in my running clothes. I completed my morning ritual, started a draft of this post, and warmed up while I waited to take my children to their swim practice. We arrived on time and split our ways. They went into the aquatic center, and I started to jog. On

Dear Student Leader, When collective leadership voices sit at the table, everyone eats. The self-centered leader cares only about their own meal or stake in the product, service, or mission. While independence is essential to initiating tasks, interdependence is critical to lasting success. If we embrace the connective components of leadership, we can go further as individuals, groups, and a nation. Unfortunately, in many instances, we’ve adopted self-destructive behaviors. T

Dear Student Leader, Ask yourself, "What am I learning?" Perhaps this week you learned about the importance of filing your income taxes early. With this week’s US tax filing deadline, the scramble to get your financial documents sent to the IRS can lead to stress. Adopting a better time management system might be a good look, to help with staying ahead of deadlines. It’s important to invest in resources that help you to develop your leadership knowledge and skills. Books, cou

Dear Student Leader, Prioritize learning. It’s a simple recommendation, but a complex component of sustaining growth and development. Reading books and taking courses that deepen knowledge and strengthen skills are crucial to achieving success in business, social movements, and education. Implementing the structure and maintaining the discipline to make time for learning are challenges. Set aside time and identify a quiet location to improve your ability to comprehend, evalua

Dear Student Leader, Say it ain’t so. As the administration engages in wars against diversity, we need Black and Brown unity. Yet, I can’t ignore the allegations against Cesar Chávez. His work to improve farmers’ wages, living conditions, and healthcare does not excuse sexual abuse. New York Times reporters revealed ample evidence that supports Chávez molested girls and had extramarital affairs with women throughout his leadership of the United Farm Workers. Chávez, like oth

Dear Student Leader, “You’ve got to see this.” That’s what she said. One week before the Modesto Marathon, my wife told me about the “Inside The Manosphere” documentary on Netflix. Louis Theroux and his crew created the film in response to an increase in online content reflecting the nuances of masculinity. A friend of mine had recently introduced me to the term manosphere and its characters’ patriarchal preachings of hypermasculinity. But, before my wife said anything to me,

Dear Student Leader, Is it Spring Break for you? Did you travel? I wrote this while on a turbulent flight from the National Council of Black Studies (NCBS) Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. If you’re reading this, either my computer or I survived the moments when my stomach plummeted, and the plane fell into air pockets. Before arriving at the airport, I heard about the travel delays across the country. I left the hotel early to avoid the stress of long lines. Thankfully, th