How Do We Impact Young People In A Better Way? (with Jamyle Cannon)

Regan is sick this week, but we still have an awesome show for you this week as Jamyle Cannon joins Chesko to talk about his work founding the The Bloc in Chicago and all that they are doing to help enrich the lives of the next generation of youth.

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Transcript

0:00

Hey everybody, it's Chesco, a. k. a. Mr. Pick Me, who's already been picked. Where's Regan? You're probably wondering. Maybe you weren't, because I just started. She's not here. I'm at VidCon, and she's sick. And, uh, this is Mr. Pick Me and the Man Hater. I am so good at intros! Even though Reg is not here today, I have an amazing interview I did with Jamal Cannon, who is the executive director and founder of an organization called The Block in Chicago. And while a lot of us talk about the work that needs to be done in our society, he is a great example of someone that's actually doing it. doing the work. So we'll get back to our normal content next week, but I really think you're going to enjoy this interview and his insights on what it's like to work with young people who are hearing in the very videos that Reagan and I often talk about on this show. What's up, everybody. This is Chesco the speech prof. And today I'm here with one of my favorite creators. Uh, someone that I came across online when he had like, basically, I think like around a thousand followers, uh, had no idea that he was doing some amazing work in the real world, which we're going to get to, I thought he was a smart, interesting guy. Um, but how are you doing today, Jamal? I can't complain. So glad to be on here. Thanks for having me on. Absolutely. Uh, so first thing I like to ask people, you know, just to, uh, if, if, if someone is discovering you through my page, through my podcast, uh, if they were to go to one of your social media pages, what, what should they expect? Like, what, what are they, what's the package of Jamal Cannon online going to be for them? Yeah, I treat social media like my personal diary in ways. And a lot of what's going to go into my personal diary. Are going to be my reflections on how we make the world a better place with a particular eye on our Children. So everything that I talk about is going to be how do we impact young people in a better way? How do we raise our kids to make them stronger? How do we teach kids in school? How do we invest in our communities with an eye on our kids and building the next generation? So we're not continually answering the same questions that we've had to answer throughout the throughout the course of our history. It's about improving our world with an eye on the next generation. So did you Before we get to, I'm going to talk about what you do for a living. Cause it's, it's pretty amazing. We'll get to that in a sec, but I know you have two young children. Um, how since becoming a father, how has that impacted like your perspective? Cause you were working with kids before you had kids, right? So how has that changed yet? Kind of your perspective on this stuff. You know, I knew I was gonna be a different person, but I didn't know that everything that I think about is, is through the eyes of my Children. Like how, like, what is the world that I want my kids to live in? What is the impact that I want to have so that my kids gonna be proud of it? Every single perspective has shifted from my own to improving the world, improving life. For them and people like them. I don't want to take part in anything. I don't want to build anything, create anything that's not good enough for them. So if I'm doing something for your kids, it needs to be good enough for my kids. If I, if I'm building a program, uh, putting together a proposal, it needs to be something that I want my children to live in a world with. And I, I don't, I, I, it is raised my standard for everything. That's awesome. I remember. And speaking of which, when I, when I first heard your voice online, uh, let's talk about that real quick. So I remember I messaged you and I was like, Hey, can I post your video on my page? It was, I think it was on dyslexia, uh, if I remember correctly. I don't know. I'm going to, if it's not, I'm going to post it right here. So this will be, I'll post the video right here so people can, can hear it. It is right. That's the magic of editing. I'm going to tell you two facts that don't make any sense side by side, and then bring it back to this comment. First, people with dyslexia are more likely to become CEOs and the rest of the population, depending on where you look, anywhere from 25 to 40 percent of all CEOs are dyslexic. They can run complex organizations, but they can't succeed in schools because we set up schools in a way that disadvantages the second people with dyslexia also more likely to go to prison. About 48 percent of our prison population is dyslexic. They're more likely to be CEOs and they're more likely to go to prison. How does that happen? Resources. We structured our education system and society so that only rich kids with dyslexia can get the resources they need. In a lot of public schools, they actually don't even diagnose kids with dyslexia. They diagnose them with a specific reading disability, because as soon as you say a kid has dyslexia, it entitles them to a whole host of services and alternate ways of teaching. that are too expensive for the school. A lot of those schools happen to be predominantly black. But here's what really gets me about this, and I want you to pay attention because it applies across so many different areas, not just dyslexia. The methods used to teach kids with dyslexia are actually better for everybody. So if we catered our education system to the kids who are being dis served by our education system. Everyone will be better. So changing the way we talk about advantage and disadvantage is not only humanizing for the individual, but it may cause us to think about the ways in which our systems are disservicing people and spark us to make improvements that help everybody. Um, and, uh, but like I saw it and I asked, I was like, I was like, how does this guy not have a million followers? Right. And, and it was one of those things where I, you know, if you see a really, a video that you connect with, you go to their page and you expect. Other people to have, uh, to, to know who they are. Right. Uh, and so, uh, I, I just, I, I consider it cause I knew grown since then. Right. You have, you know, hundreds of thousands of followers now online. Um, but what's, what's that process of growth been like from that, from that moment where, uh, you know, you started out where I was lucky enough to kind of watch your, your journey online. Like how, how has that process been for you growing from, um, someone that was not, not, you know, not getting a lot of views online to actually getting this really big online audience. I look at somebody like you. It's like you have a whole real life that you're living, right? You have a job that's important. You know, you're shaping people. You have a family and still you have this time to put out this incredible content that is impacting people. Like I look, I look at folks like you. I realized one, I can do it. You know, it's a possibility for me. Um, and the growth I think has come with more of a sense of responsibility. You feel that responsibility. Like now I say something and people yeah. Change their beliefs. People act in different ways. People go and talk to other people about it. They share it. So what comes out of my mouth, it needs to be sound. It needs to be what I want put out into the world. I think the process of process of growth has been. It's been exciting, but he also recognized that there's there's a weight to it now, and there's now there's a responsibility to speak on things that might not have been before. There's a responsibility to, to fact check and do things that, uh, that to make sure that you are earning and keeping the trust of the following, uh, that that's come to trust your voice. Uh, so, uh, it's something that I take seriously. Uh, and I, I want to honor every time I open my mouth now, cause it's wild. I can talk to a hundred and something thousand people when I speak. It's very, it's very weird, right? I remember when I started, uh, that, that realization hit me, uh, where I started like second guessing everything. Cause I think everyone goes through a little block where when you realize whole, that's a lot of people. Like when, when you really come to terms with the fact that of how many people there are seeing your words, it's not like, it's not like, it's not one on one like this, right? It's it's there's, there's actual consequences to what you, what you're saying and what you're putting out there. Right. Right. I gave a speech. I gave a speech for about 2000 people and was petrified. I was so afraid, right? I got up there. My mind went blank and it's like you realize now like I'm afraid of what's I have this anxiety about what's happening with these 2000 people. I put a camera in my face. I could get a million people looking at what it is that I've said, right? The way can't even grasp the spread. Can't even grasp the enormity sometimes of And what happens when you put something online, so it can, it can make you freeze up, but it's not. And there's so much negativity online. Like one of the things I liked about your page, one thing I tried to bring on my own page is, was that you're, you're like you said, you're trying to make the world better for it, not just for your own kids, but just in general, right? You're trying to share your perspectives and trying to be like, this is, there is a better way. Right. There's, you don't have to be, you know, to, to, to be negative and, and to just be like, uh, controversy farming in order to get your voice heard online. Hey, but negativity is fun for, for a lot of, for a lot of people, like people, some people just like really wake up to that. And I think it's a, it's a slower crime crime. So it's a slower climb when you decided to be solutions oriented. Uh, when you want to be responsible in what you say, when you don't just want to trash somebody, cause nothing Nothing does better than a clapback video, you know, and I had to get myself away from that for a while because I realized That when I'm getting into it with people online, that negatively infects my mental and emotional health. Right. I, I, I, I, I know that there are some arguments that need to be had. I, I, I understand that. I don't shy away from that, but if I'm in the realm of controversy farming, uh, I, that, that's not good for my blood pressure. I've got to, I've got to exist in a way that I want to live on a day to day base and that exists that way online too. So I, I recognize now that when I see negativity, if I, if I see negativity online, if I just leave it there and going about my day, I never think about it again. But the moment I start responding to it, it can really consume me. I can think about, okay, what are they going to say now? How are you going to come back at me? Um, and I just don't want to, I, I, I got enough going on. Right. I haven't asked it. Cause I, I, I'll do, you know, I'll do, I was like joking that I do like kind of gentle parenting for these like toxic dudes that make these things where I try to approach it, like as if, if I was their father and how would, how would I want them to talk? And that's not always being nice. Right. But kindness and niceness, you know, are different things. Um, But I have to be in the right headspace for it, right? Somebody said, cause all those videos will always get me views, right? But, but you're right. It's, it's a matter of balancing that, that, um, what, what is okay. Cause at the end of the day, I still have to be a father. I still have to be a teacher, right? Those, those are, that's the, that's my life right there. And if it, if it's sorry, if I start taking some of that negativity away from social media and, you know, having that hang over me, then it's not worth it. Yeah. And with me, I work in a nonprofit field. I say something about the nonprofit field and a lot of her dogs are going to yelp. Right. And that doesn't stop me from saying things about the nonprofit field, but also needs to be like, I'm going to be in a room with these people, uh, within the next week. And we're going to talk about what it is. And I said, I need to say this in a way that, uh, I can have a starting place for a conversation. I think one of the things that happens online is we, we kind of draw our lines and we just, we're just picking teams of who we're going to fight with. As opposed to actually trying to influence the people around us. So from the, the way that we speak, the words that we choose, um, is not really aimed at influencing people to move 5 percent in your direction. It's aimed at saying, this is who I am. This is the, these are the people that I'm with their identity declarations that are happening online, but I think that we have to start loosening that up. It's a really start talking to one another because if we talk about we want to live in a world that's based on community, we have to be in community with a broader set of people than we're currently accepting online. We had to be in community with your literal neighbors. Like, do you know the people who live 3 or 4 doors down from you and have you invited them over for dinner? Have you had a conversation with those people the way that we are existing online as a whole? It's not conducive to that sort of world the way that we're existing online as a whole can only lead us to fight each other. So, in my view, I, I, I want to move in a direction that's going to allow me to live in community with more people while still pressing for a better world while still holding people accountable and still being a war with systems of oppression. Um, but not war with individuals and being in a war with my neighbors, uh, throughout the course of that. Well, speaking of which kind of the real world, uh, let's, let's, before I, I, I kind of asked you more questions about it. Uh, can you tell people about what the nonprofit that you run, uh, kind of what you do and just kind of just over, if this was, if somebody was like, Hey, what is this place? How would you describe it to them in an elevator? So if you're, oh man, how long are we going on an elevator? Okay. It's a big, it's a tall building, so it's, it's a slow element. So, uh, if you're a kid on the West side of Chicago and I say, Hey, do you want to join a mentoring and tutoring program? You're probably going with, no, it doesn't sound fun. It doesn't speak to you culturally. It's just not what you're into. Um, but if I say, Hey, do you want to join a boxing program? We're going to get a lot more yeses with that. And because we get yes on that initial outreach, we can then empower you. A value to resources, opportunities, and experiences that all kids deserve. But kids on the west side of Chicago are often denied. So, uh, when a kid comes to us, they come to us because they want to fight. Some of them are tired of being bullied. Some of them want to be better bullies. Some of them are just here to challenge themselves and prove something to themselves. And I think we need to be talking to all of those kids. Uh, when you enter the program, we assess you academically, social, emotionally, and physically. And then you work with a youth development professional to reach, uh, goals in all three of those areas. So, uh, you come to the block on any given day, And you will see kids in coding classes getting homework help and one on one check ins with adults. You'll see chess club. You'll see kids going off to rock climbing class. You'll see like, it sounds amazing, but it's really like the experience of a middle class kid. You'll see the experience of a typical middle class kid when you come to the block. And then we also have our boxing training. That is what young people come for. So every kid in our programs graduated high school and I've been accepted into college since 2016. Uh, we ended the last school year with a 3. 1 GPA. That's how we've ended. Um, just about every year. Uh, we have a community outreach services that pass out 85, 000 pounds of fresh produce to our community. Uh, throughout the course of the year, we want to put protective, nurturing, And, and community building factors in our neighborhood, uh, so that we have the conditions for young people and their entire community to live happy, healthy and hopeful lives. And that's what we do at the block. That's amazing. And I can tell you just 1 of the, I think 1 of the reasons I think I connected so heavily, I mean, I'm not a boxer. I'm not a fighter. Um, but I, you know, I grew up in poverty. I grew up in the middle of the city. And I went to the boys club, uh, was, was where I got to go every day after school. I'd be there from, I'd take the, the, you know, third grade. I'd be taking public transportation by myself to the boys club. And I'd stay there till my mom got off for work at her second job at 8 PM. Uh, and that's where she picked me up. And that gave me, I know. How important, how much that changed my life, right? I look at my friends that I grew up with in my neighborhood that are, are, are in very different places than I am right now. And I know having that, that program that, that was affordable, right? You know, it's like five bucks a month back then or so, or like something that I could go to and just give me something active to do, whether it was art programs or basketball or the library or, or, Getting to use computers that I never had access to, um, before I know, changed my life and set me up for the path I'm on. And I just think it's seeing someone that, that saw a need for that and put that program in place, just, I can't say enough how much I appreciate and how much I connect and how much I, I get emotional even just seeing that you're doing that for so many kids. I, you know, this was something I didn't want to do it. I, um, I was pressured into it by, by kids. I was a national champion, a boxer, and I started a basketball team. Uh, that was the first basketball team at this new school, and I cut 58 kids from that basketball team. And, you know, there are 58 kids who are saying, I want somewhere Safe and nurturing to be after school where I can learn something new with my friends and I can learn from you. And I just told him, no, you can't do this because you're not good enough. And that's, you know, the after school hours are incredibly important. You know, if you're any age kid that a lot of times you have parents and guardians who are still at work. There's this unsupervised time. And when you live in neighborhoods where there are not a lot of kids, Good options. It's not that you're choosing a bad option, sometimes there's just bad options for you. Uh, and, and we need to increase the number of good options for young people. So I started a boxing club in my classroom, uh, and first it was 12 kids and they just kept showing up. Uh, 12 kids, moved to 20 kids, moved to 40 kids, and then I started, um, inviting kids from around the neighborhood to come to school. We had 80 kids on our roster. As an afterschool program and the landlords of the school landlords, uh, made it shut down. They said there were too many kids coming to the program. So I, this is something that I think from the start has been led by the vision of young people on the West side of Chicago. They named the program. They decided the colors, they changed the logo. They, um, decided the layout of our facility. It's been, uh, I, I, you know, I get to be a person that says, yes, let's do these things. Tell them y'all figure out where the money comes from, I guess, but it's really been something that's been led and guided by youth. That's right. So, so tell me about that. So, all right. So, so you get shut down basically, right? This, this thing that is obviously getting way more successful than you would probably even imagined could be in the, in this program that you would not intended to make, how do you, how do you go from that to kind of where, where the block began or like where, where you are now? Yeah, so I put up a poll for kids like, Hey, I'm starting a nonprofit. It's gonna be a boxing program. What should we name it? I had some real bad names, some terrible names, but but kids like plucked out of there the block. And that's what we that's what we decided we're going to go with. And then I met with some other schools that there's a we got this program 20 year kids already coming to what they've been walking. Uh, a mile to get here. Let's just put it at your school right now. So we ended up operating out of two schools and working with about 120 kids by the end of the next year from there. We started recognizing. Hey, we need the kids need some more support. So, we started bringing in volunteer tutors, volunteer mentors going on college trips. I started bringing in extracurricular classes to those to those spaces to just be more supportive of kids and give them more full experience as young people. Then in 2020, uh, we got a grant to get a building. Uh, we pay a dollar a month, uh, for our building right now, which, you know, I'm not arguing with that. 10, 000 square feet. Um, and in West Humboldt park, Westside neighborhood, um, sort of, so from there, uh, I, I was, This 2020, um, you know, we had COVID shutdowns. We had the murder of George Floyd. And there was a reaction to that. Uh, the stores down the street got looted and I'm walking outside and Ms. Vernice comes up to me and says, Hey, I don't know where I'm gonna get food. My son's been laid off. I don't have any money. I don't have any transportation. I don't know what I'm going to do. Um, so I got on social media and I said, Hey, we're going to start a food pantry. Um, and I connected with the group one tale at a time. It was a, uh, it's an animal rescue group. They said, we'll get some people. We can bring some food by. So they brought food. They brought pet food for people's pets. I told everybody we're having a food pantry. More people will start bringing food and 450 people came through through that food pantry that day. And I realized that there was a real need in the community to maintain. So, um, we kept the food pantry. Started bringing in fresh produce, started working with more kids, uh, and, and just continually listening. What is it that you need? What do you want? How do we provide it for you? Or how do we help you get it? Um, that's just, those are just the questions that we, we, we keep asking and we keep moving in that direction. What's it, what's it like, uh, In, in the area of Chicago around the block. Are you like a celebrity walking around? Does everyone know you? Or is we, am I? No, the answer is no, but people who know, I don't know how to say it. How do I say this in a way that's recorded? It doesn't make me sound like people like, I, People really like me. I get it. You're a likable guy and you're doing good things. They should like you don't be surprised, but you shouldn't be surprised by that. It's okay to say that, um, the, most people have no idea who I am. I actually, when I walk around here, most of you don't even know that I run this organization. So I'll go to the food pantry. Like, I'm just like, Hey, how you doing? That's where they don't know that I'm like, The boss, but some people do. So I'm walking down the street and I'll hear what's going on in the neighborhood. Um, somebody asked me when I'm hiring, I'm, um, shuffling the man from next door, right from the building. Cause he wants to smoke right there. Like, you know, stuff like that. Um, so, uh, they, we, we've got some good relationships up and down the street, but people, the people who both know me, know the organization I get held in. I like, I get, um, Cakes sent to me randomly and stuff like that. My birthday is great. Uh, so yeah, it's, it's been, what's it like for you? Like, do you get recognized often? Never, never, no, no, I I've been recognized by twice. It's, I mean, it's a similar question to you. Like people, I think people assume that you have to, Oh, at least no one's coming up to me at least. Like, so if I'm being recognized, uh, there was the, the biggest, uh, celebrity moment I had was when I was at, uh, We at my daughter's, uh, birthday party, and, uh, about, uh, three or four of the parents came up to me, like on the side, and they were like, oh, you froze on me a birthday party, or or like, from that running ju or, or one guy was like, Hey, just letting you know, I, I don't agree with everything you say, but I, I really appreciate what you like most of what you do. And I was like. All right. That's I'll take that, but yeah, so it's, it's not, it's not very, you know, I think we, we live in this era, uh, with social media where it's not the same type of celebrity as it used to be. Cause I, I I'll give you an example of this. Back in 2009, I was in grad school, uh, and I started posting on YouTube and I posted this, uh, this one video that, that went viral at the time. And I got my, my face was on the front page of the LA times. That's a big, but you know how many views it had in my mind. I talked about this, by the way, for years, I told everyone about my viral moment that got me on the front page of the newspaper. It got, it was something like 16, 000 views. Ooh, but in 2009, that was it. Like that was the president saw that, right? That was a, it was a different, it was a very different area. It's hard to explain just how, but now it's like, we're so saturated with the, with social media that it just. It's a different, it's not a real celebrity, right? It's, I think there's a difference between having views and being known. And I kind of like it that way, to be perfectly honest. I don't, if I ever got to the point where I was known, I don't think I'd like this as much. I kind of like the, uh, the anonymity of it. Yeah. I think the, the hyper local focus that I have does put me in positions where people like, and it's most everywhere I go, nobody's gonna know who I am. That's right. Very happy with that. And I don't imagine that changing, uh, just because of the way social media is set up, but I'll talk about the nonprofit industry in the city of Chicago. So if I'm going to an event, like, you know, people are going to hear what I've said, have some thoughts on what I said. Um, but it's also been really cool. I was in an event, you know, last night, uh, and to have people come up and just show appreciation, uh, for, uh, things that I've said, whether it be controversial or not, but just to say like, Hey, I was thinking this for a long time. I didn't know how to say it. That's one of the, the, the favorite responses that I get is like, I get to speak in a way that the voices people's concerns or wishes and the things that they haven't found a way to say out loud and they can just hit share now and get across is that they felt. And that's one of my favorite things that happens as a result. As a result of social media, I feel like really grateful. And it's like, I don't think people realize like, you know, exactly what you said, people will apologize. Like, Hey, I don't want to bug you. Or I, or a DM or they'll send you a message. Hey, I know. I don't want to, I know you get so many DM. I'm like, no, tell, I love hearing that. That's so nice. That's something, a word that I said, or a story I shared. Made you feel better or helped you with something or helped you, you know, process some, some trauma or something. That's beautiful. They always tell me that incredible. Like, I wanna hear it out. Like there's a, somebody in my, in, in my comments, I'm getting now more fathers coming through like, Hey, I was really worried about fatherhood and then I saw this and I feel a lot better about it. Like, what? That, like I did that, I did just by sharing this, this anecdote. Um, you know, that, that, that really means a lot to me. That's what I didn't expect. That to be a part of it, but that's been one of my favorite things. It's like people come in and saying like, you really helped me. I, yeah, that, that, that'll put some wind behind your back. Right. Well, let me ask. So as someone that works with, with, uh, with young people, I hear a lot from my friends with like high school teachers about the influence of the Andrew Tate and Sneakos and these other really kind of Guys spreading these really toxic messages online. And I'd love to hear about like, what has been your experience with that? And how do you navigate that as someone that, you know, that does what you do? One of the things that got me online more was, Oh, we wanted to work out with a group of boxers and I'm talking about doing squats. And one of the kids asked me if I thought doing squats was gay. And there's a lot to unpack. There's a lot of something that I think it was like, I want to like, I want to go from everywhere from like, what's wrong with gay? Like, what does that scare you? Um, but also where did you get this idea from that, that doing an exercise would suddenly make you attracted to other men if you're not, or I, um, but they, they got it online. And I spent some time looking into like the type of people that they were, they were looking into. And it's like, they can be really convincing. Uh, if you don't know enough about the world, if you don't know how we got to this point today, uh, they, they are toxic in ways that most people won't understand are toxic. There's subtleties to it that if, if they can get you to believe this small little thing, um, then you're, you're in the rabbit hole at that point. So I was really convinced to start speaking up more on issues of masculinity, of homophobia, Yeah, of just about everything because of the experiences that some of the kids that I know and love we're having. There's this whole other group of people influencing young people that I had no idea about. And that was terrifying to me. Um, so, uh, the, it is, it's real, you know, the idea that young people are being. radicalized, uh, brought into, um, homophobia, misogyny, um, and, and kind of incubated in that way online, uh, it's something that's happening every single day. If your child has a phone. Um, and we need to counteract that. And we also need to, uh, to make them immune to it by, by front loading our own messages to them. And being aware of like, I know, cause my son is, uh, is nine right now and you know, we'll let him watch YouTube and stuff, but I know what's on there and how easy, cause I started a brand new YouTube account and literally within. Hours of, of like looking around and stuff. I'm being shown those exact videos when I'm not even, I wasn't even looking at watching videos. They're they're recommending it. And so it is that, cause they know they're outrage farmer. They want their views. They want the clicks and they don't, they're not really concerned with the damage it can be doing and what can be causing just accidentally to these. And that there's a reason why their target audience. Are these young men that, that don't have that life experience. It's because they hear this and these guys are passionate and they're living this life, you know, that, that they want to live, you know, they have their money and cars and women. And they're like, Oh, that must be the, how, how I get there. There must be no other way. Um, and that's, that's the scary thing I think is that it's, cause that's a very motivating force, especially with peer pressure and, and all that goes into that. And if that's all they're in. then that's what they're going to emulate. And then you have to, it takes an even longer process to break free from that. I, I, it drives me crazy. It drives me up a wall, uh, to, to listen to these guys and know that they're impacting young people. But also as I listen to them, I just think, you know, you don't like women. You just don't like women. If you think that women have to be a very particular thing, uh, and have one role in your life and they can't step out of that or they're useless and you don't like women, uh, you might like sex. Um, but you, you, uh, the, they, it is hard to even digest. You know, the confusion that I get like hearing these guys in the echo chamber build on one another, but also the sense of urgency that I have in counteracting those messages. And it's sad because I think they're, they're good kids, right. That are, that are hearing these and, and they might, they want a relationship. It's not even that they're like even seeking the things that these guys are selling, but it's, it's just that that's, if that's what you're seeing, you know, you're going to be, you're going to be sent down that path and it's, uh, and also, it's also goes back to why it's important to have like actual real world role models that they can actually interact with and see living a life that contradicts, you know, what, what these guys are saying you have to do. And it's going to take more and more of that in, in the young person's life because if I meet a kid when they're 12. You know, they they've had prepubescent experience with this type of messaging that needs to be counteracted and you see a robust set of examples in their lives that counters the messaging that they receive. So we can make 1, they're going to be happier when they're outside of that space. That's 1 thing that we need to realize, like, you're not going to be as lonely. You're not going to, you're not going to be self loathing. You're not going to think that you have to be a certain thing. If you stop thinking that women have to be a certain thing, and it's going to be a safer world for women. When we do that for girls and women. Um, so I, there's, there's a real, there's a real need. And, um, I, I'm glad that there are online voices like yours that, uh, that are putting those messages out there. And we also need. To echo that in the real world as well. Yeah. Don't just let it be something that's online. And then that was always my big, uh, I, I kind of, I moved, I was teaching, you know, I became a professor. My goal originally was to teach at a university. And the, one of the reasons I went to community college was because I got so tired of seeing all these people talking about doing stuff, but really they were just trying to talk to other people that. We're also just talking to other people that didn't do actually do any of the action, you know, so they're, they're studying things with no actual practice, no actual even intent to actually make any change with the people that are being harmed by the things we're talking about, but it feels good to talk in an echo chamber. It's like, I know where I'm saying it negatively and you're in your agreement, but like, there's an appeal to it. And I get it. You know, we, we really got to get out there, really got to get out there and make some things happen because we're going to live in a world that the next generation runs. Uh, and, and, and that should be exciting to us. You know, we should be thrilled about that. And the amount of people who are not thrilled about that lets you know that we need, we got some work to do. Well, speaking of, speaking of the next generation, like what's, uh, I, I actually hate this question, but I think it's, it's a relevant question for what you do. Like what's the future of, of like the block? Like what do you have planned? Like what's, what's the next step? What do you, what are you planning going forward? I want three things to happen at once. Uh, I, I want to expand so that every kid on the West side of Chicago can have a program, uh, like ours if they want it. Cause if, if you're looking for a fight, we need to be talking to you. Uh, we need to be talking to you. We need to be providing you resources. We need to be helping you figure out why you want to fight and we need to be giving you an outlet. So you're not taking it out on the world or taking it out on yourself. Um, so to expand the program, to make it so that every young person on the West side of Chicago has the option. To join the block, we're going to be moving into schools across the West side, um, empowering teachers in schools, youth, developing professionals in schools. So it's a run our programming and checking in with them along the way. 2nd, thing we need to do is get better, get better at the resources that we provide to get better in case management, make our facilities better, like, get better as we get bigger is a really important thing. And finally, I think we need to. To make it so that not so many kids want to be a part of this program, we need to do the advocacy work outside of our building. So young people have the resources and opportunities that they need. So that they don't want to beat somebody up. Why is it that we can walk into a school as who wants to fight and have 100 kids raise their hands? Why do 100 kids want to fight in this school? What's happening here? Where are the mental health services? Where's the compassion? Where's the sense of connection that they should feel? Where are the other options? They're going to make it so that they don't want to go and fight because this should be, we should have a small program. We should have a small program, uh, for the purposes that we serve. And we don't, uh, and, uh, we need to be looking at what's happening societally, uh, that's making it so that so many people need this as an outlet right now. So get bigger, get bigger, get bigger, get better, but also change the situation, change the conditions that are leading so many people into this program. I want you to go to an arts program and just that, go, go do some art. Uh, go learn some music, uh, you know, go dance. Uh, uh, let, let's, let's figure out how, how to make fewer people want to fight. I love that point. Like, I love your, your goal is to make it so you don't, you know, Need to exist, right? Like that. That would be the ultimate goal would be like, we're done. You know, it's not going to, unfortunately, it's not probably not gonna happen, but you know, but until that happens, having the resources available to anybody that needs it. That's great. Yeah. And, and, you know, there may be, there may be a cause for, maybe people don't want to fight, but they want boxing as an exercise outlet. I would love for that to be, I would love to not have to think about, you know, helping a young person manage their anger at the level that we're thinking about it right now. Um, putting safety plans in place so that people can get out of school safely. Uh, going to visiting schools, uh, to, uh, uh, to deescalate situations. Like I don't, I don't, I don't, that's not the world I want to be in. I, but I think I'm trying to make my life easier. That's what I'm doing. That's what we're working on. What's, what's next for you? Oh God, I have no idea. I thought I was done. Right. And this is the, uh, I don't know. I don't know, like how you grew up or anything, but like I have the, Yeah. The poor kid syndrome of like, I'm already, I didn't plan on any of this happening. Right. You know, like I've already achieved, like when I was a little boy thinking about what I could have one day, this w I'm already, I'm beyond that. Like I own a house right now. Right. That's, that's what, what else I have kids, you know, like I'm it's so, I mean, yeah, I don't, I just, I don't know. I mean, that's fair. That's fair. But in the same way that could also make you limitless, right. The idea that I can come from where I come from and own a house and have this beautiful family and do things that, uh, unfortunately, a lot of people around me, uh, didn't do that may also mean that, like, I don't have a lid, you know, there's like, if I, if I started from where I started, I got to where these people who started, you know, Before we got to them, you know, who's really, who's really messing with me? Like who's going to stop me? So I, you know, I, I'm, I'm, I am a, um, an interested observer. Well, I guess I have one last question for you cause I don't want to keep you. I know you're, you are one of the busiest men I know. Uh, so before, before I ask you that final question, I guess what, um, Two, two versions of this one. How could it be, how did people find you online? And if someone wanted to either get involved or like donate money or whatever with the, with your organization, how would they do that? Yeah, so I'm at Jamal Cannon on all my platforms. Uh, so TikTok, Instagram, TikTok, and Instagram. I need to get on YouTube. Not there yet. Um, you can donate to the block, uh, at the block chicago.org. Uh, you can also learn more about the block@theblockchicago.org. We're also on, um, Instagram, Facebook, um, and TikTok in way at the block Chicago. Um, great ways to get to know the organization. You can reach out through our website if you want to, uh, if you want to contact us, um, you should not DM me with because I, it's just going to fall away. But if you reach out to the website, Jade is going to get back to you and we'll start our conversation from there. Um, so, uh, we welcome all of those messages. Certainly welcome donations. Every, um, every donation is helping us reach another young person. Um, so that we can give them the resources and opportunities they need and deserve. 60 days is what it costs to serve your first day in the block and we don't charge anything, um, or for the people in our program. Uh, so, uh, that would be greatly appreciated as well. But, um, Look forward to hearing from you again and followers so you can see what it is that we're working on and connecting with you and invite you into our community. I'll be sure to put all those links in the, the show notes for this too. So people can check it out. Um, so I guess the last question I was like, you know, from, from meeting all these awesome people online. Um, and I've always. One of the things I like about this last question is just hearing how different these answers are. Um, and it's, I was asked, what would, what is something, what's some advice you've been given at some point in your life, and it can either be personally, professionally, whatever you want, but that has stuck with you. That kind of, that is something that you still think about and there's still kind of a guiding force in your life. Yeah, I also this, I think I was about 13 years old and I, it may not be the first time that you've heard it, but it is just stuck with me and it still resonates with to this day. And I think a lot of people don't start doing something that they think they should because they don't understand this point. And it's that nobody's thinking about you, but nobody and like, nobody's thinking about me right now, but you. Right? Because we're in this conversation. But the moment I leave the room, any mistake that I've made, anything that I might have said that was all mostly, it's just forgotten. Like, people are not ruminating on the stupid things I did or a dumb post that I put up or, um, or, or something that, um, or something that I said, it might have been off color and that's kind of free me from the fear of making mistakes and looking silly. And before I got started, I posted my mind. The biggest fear that I had was I was gonna look silly. Then I thought, what's the last post that I didn't like that I can remember you scroll past stuff all the time. You don't ever think about it. There are people who want to start businesses that are afraid is going to fail. And the fear of failure is not for their own well, being, but because of what it'll look like for them to fail, how they'll be embarrassed by their family and friends by the people who are close to them when a reality that 1. Starting takes a lot of courage and is commendable in and of itself, but we don't remember the failures of other people the way we remember our own failure. So the idea that like, people aren't thinking of me, people are not plotting my, my demise. People aren't ruminating over what I've done wrong in the past. People were just out living their own lives. And I should do the same with mine. That's been a really freeing idea for me that that. Uh, this, this stuck with me. It's funny. That's, that's almost exactly. I love that you said is I teach public speaking, uh, mainly for in my real world job and obviously people are terrified of, of public speaking. I literally, that's, that's what I tell them. I was like, people don't remember crappy speeches, right? You're going to walk out that day. It's gone, right? People do remember greatness. People do remember things that made them feel something, but if you're worried about giving a bad speech, it's going to be out of your, out of their mind, the second you walk out that door. And so, uh, you know, the, instead of, instead of worrying about the bad, um, spend more time thinking about how can I make, how can I do something that they're going to remember as opposed to how do I, how do I avoid being remembered? And so what's amazing to me is you can give that content specific advice. And that person could take that everywhere that person could take that into every aspect of their lives from that point. That's such a beautiful. That's why I love work with people who are experts in their field because they know these things, right? You know, these, these things about speech that if I wanted to, I could use in boxing or business or social media or in my relationships. I love that. What's the advice for you? Oh God, what's my, what's my best advice I've ever gotten? You know, so, oh God, I, you're the first person that's ever thrown that back on me. Uh, cause I'm a, you are, you're, you're, you're a man. What is the best advice that kind of sticks with me? I'm going to say the best advice is, is, was not words, but was actions. Um, and it was, it was in seeing my mom. Uh, and the strength that she had in giving everything that she had with no, with no hesitation for her kids, right? It was, it was in seeing that she was, she, she didn't, and it was, there was no, there was no regret, right? Her goal in life is to make sure that the things that unfortunately the father that, That she, uh, that she gave us, right. What was not the man that, that she had hoped he would be or that we, we could have had, but instead of letting that be the thing that stopped her, she devoted her life to making sure that we could not become that man. Um, and so I think that's, that would, my, the best advice ever got was my mom's life. Come on, man. That's beautiful. Now. So now we're not done. So we're talking about our moms and I got to talk about them. Yeah, I love it. Tell me about your mom. I love it. I, I've taken so much from watching her as well. It's never, it's never been what she said, but I remember every point in a way, no matter what happened. I can tell by her actions that we weren't done that we were not on our last stop that she was going to do what she had to do to get us to another level in life. You know, she had three boys when she graduated college, graduated college, bought a house, changed our lives to where now I'm looking at her. Like, Hey, dang, this is what graduating college did that. I'm going to do that now. But like, through all the hardships, like, kept her eyes on the On a goal for us and never really talked about it. Didn't fuss about it. Just woke up every day and did it just every single day woke up and did it. And I just, I just, I just can't imagine the strength. I can't imagine. That's all I talk about. I'm like, if I could be, I don't know. I don't, I can't, I couldn't do what she did. But she did it and it's the, the, just, just aiming to, to, to be, to have a part of that in me is, uh, it keeps me going. Keeps me knowing that there you go. That's the future for me is to, is to keep on trying to achieve, um, the strength with my own kids that she had for hers. Yeah. Yeah. And like living with that level of love, that love that becomes action, the love that becomes sacrifice, the love that gets you up every single day. That's a good reminder. That's a good reminder that there's no better way to end this podcast, man. This was great. This is, uh, the very fact that I do this podcast and actually get the chat with these, these amazing people that I get to meet online is awesome. Uh, cause I hate that, you know, you're, you're someone I absolutely, if we look close to each other that I know I'd be hanging out with and being friends with. And so, uh, it sucks that this is the only time we get the chat, but, uh, let's let's not let, let's do this again. Sometime, not let's get the last time we talk in person. Yeah, this was, this was a really good time. It's a really bright, bright spot in my day. I got to get back to the drudgery for a little while. And that was our show for today. Remember, you can always follow us on Instagram, on YouTube. If you want to actually see our faces or you can just keep on listening here on the audio, or unless you're actually watching this. On youtube in which case you can also bye everybody. Love you Okay, don't rhyme slinger good advice giver listen for a second Let me try and paint a picture raises coming up and you want your check bigger moving quiet Just won't get you seen your boss a clicker