Wonderful To Share Ubuntu with Western Florida University - The Generations Continue to Grow

Yesterday, in the middle of Sports Writing and Young Adult Literacy Labs, I had the opportunity to present to several teachers attending a summer institute at Western Florida University through my friend, Dr. Susan James. Each years, she asks me not to put together anything formal, but to wing it - "you'll be fine!"

That's not how I role.

I spent a short time putting together a conversation, then asked Abu Bility, Ali Adan (Syracuse, and youth from my doctoral research in 2018), Max Sommer, a young writer who has been with our programs for a few years, and Robel, a student from Bassick High School in his 3rd year of Ubuntu Academy who is also working with us this summer, to co-present our programs to the teachers. We framed it, of course, around Ubuntu, and with the history from Syracuse to now, the story just flows.

It was great to set up a framework, and then to let the other boys take over the conversation. I just sat back and listened, hearing what they had to tell the teachers. I think they were utterly amazed to learn that Ali is one semester from finishing his own teaching credentials and that Abu is at a school working, thinking he wants to be an ESL teacher himself. Hearing them build up to this part of the story made me tear up a little. Robel, who has only been in the nation a couple of years, discussed how important it is for him to have leadership opportunities and experiences to enhance his English. Max, on the other hand, stole the show.

"Meeting Abu and Lossine a couple of years ago," he told the teachers, "changed my life forever." Max is leaving 8th grade and entering 9th grade, and because of the influence of CWP's programs, he wants to be a sports writer, but also wants to continue to think critically about the world. "Before I worked with CWP, I was a little naive about the way the world works," he continued. "Hearing Abu and Lossine's stories made me question how everything works globally. I told my mom that I've lived a very different life and I began writing and reading more." This year, Max completed a 15 page research paper on the importance of empathy in sports (with a full bibliography) and included a page on an interview he did with my cousin, Mark Crandall. "Learning about the experience of others expands one's horizon and puts everything into perspective. Meeting the boys make me a better human being."

It was a day of deep reflection for me, especially as the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of anti-immigrant/refugee legislation (which makes sense considering the politics behind naming the latest appointee). The dissent statements were brilliantly crafted and stated, but we are in a new era where up is down, down is up, lies are truth, and truth is a lie. I'm hopeful and positive these days will pass, but like a majority of this nation, extremely perplexed, disappointed, and sad by the turn of events over the last couple of years. Like Max, I know my life has been enriched in incredible ways by the young people I work with - youth, by the way, who are nationally excelling American-born peers in school and in college settings.

This is not reported. Instead, propaganda that parallels other nations is being sold to the masses. It's historical and it is what it is. I'd try to make sense of it, but that would be wasted thinking and time. It makes no sense and trying to position a reason for it, would just drive me bonkers. I will just let it runs its course and shake my head.

Meanwhile, I cooked the first batch of corn on the cob for the summer and I give a B/B+. It was good, but not perfect. The steak tips, pasta and sausage? Now that won.

Back to the vision and mission tomorrow. Strange to think that the work I do is despised, criticized and used as example for everything "wrong" with America, but this is a Democracy and with freedom of thought, so goes the rhetoric of the nation.

We have so so so far to go.