Black Male Heroes

“no man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck.” – frederick douglass

 “he simply wishes to make it possible for a man to be both a negro and an american without being cursed and spit upon by his fellows, without having the doors of opportunity closed roughly in his face.” – w.e.b. dubois 

“we wear the mask that grins and lies, it hides our cheeks and shades our eyes.” – paul lawrence dunbar

“now i do not understand why god don’t protect a man from police brutality. being poor and black, i’ve no weapons to strike back.” – langston hughes

“we black men have a hard enough time in our own struggle for justice, and already have enough enemies as it is, to make the drastic mistake of attacking each other and adding more weight to an already unbearable load.” – malcolm x

“our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – rev. dr. martin luther king, jr.

“everybody’s journey is individual. if you fall in love with a boy, you fall in love with a boy. the fact that many americans consider it a disease says more about them than homosexuality.” – james baldwin

 “make me wanna holler/way they do my life/make me wanna holler/way they do my life/this ain’t living, this ain’t living.” – marvin gaye

“black men loving black men is the revolutionary action of the 80s. so i say to you: what have you done for us lately?” – joseph beam

“STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK MY BONES, BUT WORDS CAN DO PERMANENT DAMAGE.” – CHUCK D

“WHEN I WAS AT MY LOWEST POINT, I DIDN’T EVEN WANT THE MONEY ANYMORE. I DIDN’T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING. I COULDN’T EVEN LEAVE THE HOUSE.” – DARIUS MILES

“YOU HAVE TO HAVE SUPPORT. MENTAL ILLNESS ISN’T SOMETHING YOU CAN OVERCOME BY YOURSELF. . .I SPENT THREE YEARS DOING THAT – DIGGING MYSELF DEEPER INTO MY DEPRESSION. I WAS ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL, AND IT TOOK GETTING ARRESTED FOR ME TO WAKE UP. . .DON’T WAIT FOR SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN. TALK TO SOMEBODY. IT’S NOT AS SCARY AS YOU THINK. THERE IS HOPE. THERE IS LIGHT.” – GERALD MCRATH

“i WAS IN A DARK PLACE. I UNDERESTIMATED MENTAL HEALTH, HONESTLY. I HAD ANXIETY, A LITTLE BIT OF DEPRESSION. BEING LOCKED IN HERE (IN THE BUBBLE), I JUST WASN’T THERE. I CHECKED OUT.” – PAUL GEORGE  

“a LOT OF MEN ARE CONDITIONED AT A YOUNG AGE NOT TO SHOW EMOTION OR EXPRESS FEELINGS. THIS FOLLOWS MANY MEN INTO ADULTHOOD AND MANIFESTS ITSELF INTO VARIOUS PARTS OF OUR LIVES. THERE IS A SHIFT HAPPENING THOUGH, WHERE MEN ARE REALIZING THAT HOLDING EVERYTHING IN DOES NOT SERVE THEM.” – DARIAN HALL

“i WANT BOYS TO GROW UP KNOWING THAT IT’S OKAY TO ACCESS THE FULL SPECTRUM OF THEIR EMOTIONS BECAUSE THAT – ALONG WITH THEIR MASCULINE ESSENCE – IS WHAT MAKES THEM SPECIAL.” – ANTHONY DUNCAN 

“COMING FROM WHERE WE COME FROM, WE DON’T HAVE NOBODY TO OPEN UP TO. THAT’S WHY I’M DOING THIS PROJECT, GIVING KIDS THERAPY. . .WE HAVE A FACILITY TO PUT OUR RESOURCES BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, TO GIVE KIDS A SAFE HAVEN, AND DO THINGS LIKE GIVEAWAYS, AND BLOCK PARTIES. . .IT’S A BLESSING AND I’M GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF THIS.” – G HERBO 

“AS AN ADULT I BELIEVE MEN CAN BE INTERNALLY EMOTIONAL YET REMAIN UNWAVERING AS LONG AS THEY TRULY PROCESS THOSE EMOTIONS, BUT IF A MALE HAS EMOTIONS YET CANNOT IDENTIFY THEM, THEY ARE LOST.” – OSADEBA OMOKARO

“THERAPY CAN HELP YOU GET A FRESH PERSPECTIVE, WAYS TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION, AND HOW TO MANAGE YOUR EMOTIONS IN A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY.” – ARRON MULLER

“THE FEAR THAT MANY BLACK MEN EXPERIENCE AROUND EXPRESSING THEIR FEELINGS IS ROOTED IN MISTRUST, WHICH GOES BACK TO THE DAYS OF SLAVERY. BLACK MEN WERE TORTURED, ABUSED AND/OR RIDICULED FOR EXPRESSING THEIR FEELINGS. BLACK MEN HAVE BEEN CONDITIONED WITHIN SYSTEMS SUCH AS SCHOOLS AND SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS TO HOLD FEELINGS IN ORDER TO BE VIEWED AS STRONG AND MANLY. THAT’S TOTALLY WRONG AND DAMAGING TO THE PSYCHE OF BLACK MEN.” – DR. RANDY “DR. S.” SCONIERS