Living To L.E.A.D.: A Story of Passion, Purpose and Grit

This book is a story of Passion, Purpose and GRIT. It shares the struggle that revealed my life's purpose: molding Black boys into men of value and substance through baseball, starting in Atlanta. L.E.A.D. (Launch, Expose, Advise, Direct) is the gift God gave to me in order to live out my purpose on earth. We develop and position Black boys to live sustainable lives of significance by freeing them from the stereotypes that keep them bound. Imagine this scenario. Think of a crocodile infested river. On one side, you have zebra trying to cross to the other side to get to food on the lush plains. As the zebra enter the water, the crocs are ready and waiting to sink their teeth into them. Some of the zebra will make it across without incident; others will inevitably get caught and become entangled within the crocs' jaws. Some will die; some will manage to break free, yet with many scars. Some of those scars may never heal. The zebra represent Black boys in Atlanta. The crocs represent three evil barriers in life that are designed to destroy them: crime, poverty and racism. I have decided not to be a spectator on the sideline of this struggle. I am in a life boat in the river right in the midst of the crocs. I'm waiting to rescue any boy and young man that will grab hold of the baseball bat that I extend to them. If they choose to grab hold of the bat, I will pull them into my boat and take them safely across the river. I have survived this very same struggle, and as a survivor, it is my duty, my burden and my blessing to provide safe passage to others.