initiative-SavingOurSons

"Thus the black boy in growing up encounters some strange impediments. Schools discourage his ambitions, training for valued skills is not available to him, and when he does triumph in some youthful competition he receives compromised praise, not the glory he might expect. In time he comes to see that society has locked arms against him, that rather than help he can expect opposition to his development, and that he lives not in a benign community but in a society that views his growth with hostility."
. . . . . . . . . Black Rage, 1968

If Not Us, Then Who?
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The war zones are not abroad, but they exist in American cities, public schools, State and City jails/prisons, and in the minds of far too many policemen, public officials, and prison guards. We have lost far too many of our wonderful sons to street corners, cemeteries and prison cells. They are worthy of our time, our love and our protections. They deserve our undivided attention, our encouragement, our praise and our ongoing support.

Our sons, if we guide, love, protect and save them, will grow to become tomorrow’s community, religious political, education, civic and business leaders. If we do less talking and more teaching, less criticizing and more coaching, less blaming and more bonding, less putting down and more pulling up, less maligning and more mentoring, less punishing and more preparing and less scolding and more supporting, then and only then will we be able to save our sons from the many negative distractions that lead to emotional hardships, premature deaths and wasted lives.

The African American Male Leadership Institute has created the Save Our Sons (SOS) program to teach and instill in African American male children key values related to self-control, self-respect, self reliance and self-discipline. The SOS program consist of a series of activities, workshops and educational materials that are designed to provide our sons with both the knowledge and skills needed to prevent negative encounters with the police and unnecessary confrontations with their parents, teachers and peers.

If we are to save our families and our communities, then we must do everything within our power to Save Our Sons.

SOS Activities