5: The Pipeline of Leadership

I wasn’t sure what the next move was when I returned home. I had just closed one chapter at Bowling Green, and I knew Wayne State was my fresh start. But fresh starts don’t always come with clear direction. That’s when I reconnected with a mentor in my corner since high school: Mr. Joe Bush.

We caught up, and in the middle of that conversation, he told me about the work he was leading with the Black Male Educator Alliance (BMEA). Honestly, I initially thought it was just another after-school program. Some tutoring, some mentoring, and that’s it. But the more I listened, the more I realized: BMEA wasn’t just a program. It was a mission. Mr. Bush allowed me to step in as a Site Coordinator, where my story with BMEA began.

Stepping Into the Work

My first site was a single school; I had to learn fast from day one. A “site” wasn’t just a classroom but an entire ecosystem. My role meant mentoring kids directly and training and guiding high school mentors who would, in turn, mentor elementary students. Together, we built something bigger than any single lesson plan.

After some months, I was trusted to take on a second site. That growth felt surreal. One school turned into two. One circle of students became two communities. And at each site, the energy was different,  but the goal was the same: help kids see themselves differently than the world tells them to.

At our after-school sessions, the room didn’t just fill with worksheets and books. It filled with energy—laughter, stories, and that unspoken bond between kids and mentors — the dap-ups after a hard math problem, the quiet confidence that grows when a student finally says, “I get it.”

For the elementary students, it meant having big brothers who believed in them. For the high school mentors, it meant stepping into leadership early, carrying themselves in ways they hadn’t thought possible. For me? It meant coordinating all of it, ensuring the lessons ran, the energy stayed high, and the mission was clear.

There are moments from those sessions that still stick with me:

-       A student who once stayed silent finally raised his hand.

-       A high school mentor pulled me aside and said, “I didn’t think I could lead, but now I see I can.”

-       The feeling at the end of the day was that everyone left the room a little taller, a little stronger than they walked in.

I didn’t know it at the time, but stepping into BMEA was one of those pivotal moments that would shape everything after. It wasn’t about me just finding purpose. It was about being part of a pipeline of leadership — one that stretched from nine-year-olds learning multiplication to high schoolers learning to lead, to coordinators like me learning to serve on a bigger stage.

BMEA showed me that representation isn’t optional. It’s survival. It’s success. And it’s overdue. And in that moment, standing in those classrooms, I knew this wasn’t just another stop in my journey. It was the beginning of a movement I wanted to help build. But building a movement required more than passion. It required trust that could break you or make you stronger.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

"Since joining BMEA, you’ve consistently shown up as a grounded, thoughtful presence for our guys, from site coordinators to our Black males across grades K–12. You’ve grown into a positive mentor, leader, and steady example in every community you support.

Your ability to quietly learn, apply new skills, and then step forward with confidence stood out. You weren’t always the most vocal, but over time you became a strong contributor whose thoughts and suggestions elevated the entire team.

Your presence and consistency have built real trust with the youth. The relationships you’ve developed with young Black males have helped create safer, more supportive spaces — and your growth has inspired other Site Coordinators and Fellows to lean into their own development.

Your journey shows that leadership isn’t about being the loudest — it’s about integrity, growth, and commitment. You represent the quiet excellence and community-rooted leadership that Detroit’s future depends on.”

— Joe Bush, Managing Director of Youth & Family Engagement, Boldly Moving Education Ahead