June, 2009
Hunk of the Month
Name: Elijah Watson Organization: STARS Math & English Academy - 9 years
Title: Executive Director
Photo courtesy of Kilby Watson
The first time Elijah and I met just over two years ago through a dear friend, he volunteered to help me move into my house. It was our first meeting, and I think Elijah worked harder than anyone else. I remember thinking how kind it was of him to volunteer to help out given he’d never met me before. Over the years, Elijah and I have become good friends, and I’ve come to learn that stepping to the plate is the essence of Elijah’s spirit! He not only talks the talk, but walks the walk. In my opinion, Elijah is the epitome of what is possible when a dream catches fire. He is a Morehouse man with a BS in Finance and also has his MBA from Strayer. What a Hunk of Black Man! In addition to working in banking, Elijah is the creator of STARS, a Math and English Academy that helps to strengthen the math and English skills of children. I invite you to learn more about my friend, and if you’re so inclined, shoot him an email to keep him encouraged as he commits his life to the future generation of young minds!
Tell me about STARS?
STARS is the ancrynom for Striving Together Achieving Real Solutions. It is a Math and English Academy that is a collaborative low-cost tutoring venture between Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Charlotte (BBBSGC) and the Morehouse College Alumni Association - Charlotte Chapter. I established STARS in 2000 as a way of providing free one-on-one and group tutoring sessions to young people between the ages of 6 - 14 who were enrolled in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Our mission is to improve the Math, English and reading skills of children in need of educational assistance by at least two grade levels.
Who helps you with the program?
I have talented and dedicated professional educators who volunteer their services every Saturday from 10:00am - 12:00pm, September through May. We have EOG bootcamp every Wednesday in March and April. We also have professionals in most every arena such as doctors, lawyers, politicians, the arts, etc. who come and share their expertise with the children.
What inspired STARS?
I was working with my little brother, Conderius Mason, in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program and I saw the impact it had on him. My gift to help him in math inspired me to want to work with other kids. When I was growing up, my dad stressed the importance of learning math, so I wanted to share the knowledge my dad imparted on me with other kids. I feel that English and math are foundation subjects, and once a child masters English and math, they can understand all the other subjects.
Tell me in your own words what STARS means to you.
STARS is an anointed program that came from God. It is a program to change the way our kids are being educated. Everything about STARS is for the betterment of our children. We don’t do anything just to do it. Everything we do we want it to be perfect. I want to create a spiritual academy that will enable our kids to go to college for free. That is part of the reason I put so much energy and passion into what I do. STARS is much bigger than me. It came from the Most High, and I want to honor what was given to me.
What is your motto in life?
I live by Ghandi’s quote, "Be the change that you want to see in the world." I believe anything you want to change in the world you have the innate power from God to change. A lot of people believe that you can’t change the world, however, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one man and he literally changed the world. Dr. King believed he could change the world and he did. If you have the God given wisdom to understand that you can change the world and that you can make a difference. So I really feel that I can change the world. If someone tells me something can’t be done, I say that it can be done. I never hear no. I am ignorant enough to believe that if you give me 24 hours and no outside distractions that I can change the education model in this country. Every morning that I am blessed to get up, I remind myself not to be afraid to be great and to be humble. It sounds like a contradiction, but it keeps me focused.
Who are some people that have had an impact on your life?
Dr. Michael Lomax, former president and CEO of the UNCC. He was a mentor of mine while I was in college. The program paired us with different prominent people in Atlanta, and I was paired with him. Many Sunday’s for about a year, I would go over to his house to have dinner with him and his family, or I’d hang out with him in his office and he’d tell me what he did. Through this experience, I really got a chance to see the personal side of him as he interacted with his family and co-workers, and that really impacted me. I remember the way he showed his wife and daughters so much respect. Another person is John Easton of Eastonweb Multimedia. He is a Morehouse graduate too, and we met when he was trying to get the Charlotte Morehouse Chapter up and running. I respect his professionalism, the way he handles his business, his organizational skills, and the fact that he is a man of his word. If he says he’s going to do something, he does it.
What are some of your personal goals in the next five years?
My main goal is to have a STARS Academy all over the country. I feel we have a model that other cities can easily implement without having to recreate the wheel. I want to establish STARS so that if I’m not around, the program will still be successful. I’d also love to get married and have kids.
What kind of music do you like?
Hip-hop and R&B. I like Lauryn Hill, Anthony Hamilton, Jay-Z, Tupac and Common.
When you have time to read, what types of books do you read?
At this point I am reading anything that deals with education. I like to read books that talk about what makes people great. In Michael Gladwell’s books, he talks about how true genius is not about being super smart but being smart by working hard. He suggests that if you work at anything for 10,000 hours, then you will have mastered it. STARS has been in existence for almost ten years now, so according to Micheal’s theory our program is a master program!
If you could meet two people from the past, who would they be and why?
That’s easy...Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays. He is the reason the civil rights movement got started. He was Dr. King’s mentor. He created the image of a Morehouse man. Dr. Mays said, and I paraphase - if you are going to do something, do it better than anyone who has ever lived and do it better than anyone who will be born. In other words, if you are going to do something, do it to the best of your ability. The other person would be Harold Washington. He was the first black mayor of Chicago. He was an extremely intelligent man and he believed in grassroots organizations. People would say anytime you saw him he had a book in his hand. He was always desiring to educate himself.
If you could talk with two people living today, who would they be and why?
Marva Collins because she saw greatness in every child and she did not believe that just because a child was labeled he/she could not learn. She believed that educators sometimes had to adapt their lesson plans for the children in order for them to learn and she wasn’t above doing that. She started the Westside Preparatory School in Chicago because she was dissatisfied with the education of her own children and she wanted to prove that all children could learn. I, like Ms. Collins, believe that all children have the capacity to learn. For me, there is no difference between me and the guy in prison...the only difference is he went left and I went right. One mistake can cost anybody, but that does not mean you can’t learn. The other person is the current mayor of Newark, Cory Booker. In my mind, I think there isn’t much difference between him and President Obama. When I need motivation, I go to Youtube and listen to one of Cory’s speeches. He is intelligent and passionate, and he believes in doing out of the box thinking. Some of the things he is doing in Newark, NJ is incredible! I’m not in awe of his intelligence, although I respect it, I am in awe of his passion. He is putting his life on the line for what he believes in. He is for the people. He inspires me to think that some of the ideas I have are not outside the box.
What is your hope for the future generation?
For STARS Academy, I want all the kids that go to our academy to go to college free, come out of college debt free and then be able to buy a house. When young adults come out of college with a lot of debt, it is hard for them to give back because they are so bogged down with debt. This way, they won’t have a whole lot of debt, and they can stimulate the economy because they have more to give.
May, 2009
Hunk of the Month
Name: Mr. Mason Curry, III
Organization: Boys and Girls Club – 19 years
Title: Unit Director
I had the distinct pleasure of sitting down to talk with Mr. Curry on May 1, 2009 for our interview. I was inspired to select Mr. Curry as my May, 2009 “Hunk of the Month” after meeting him just over a month ago. Immediately, upon our first introduction, I felt the warmth and genuine nature of his spirit shine through. It was if I’d known him forever. He embodies all of the traits and characteristics that qualify him for the very first “Hunk.” There is nothing more beautiful about a man than one who loves God, his family, children and the world. I invite you to read Mr. Curry’s interview; I am sure you will see why he is so special in my eyes!
What is your philosophy in life, what do you stand on?
My foundation is Jesus Christ, and I’ve prayed over the years that His will be done in my life. I believe you should show people you have love in you. I love people and consider myself a people person. I think I’d die if I were by myself. I want people to feel comfortable around me. When I come through the door, I don’t want people to say, “Oh Lord, here he comes.” I want them to say, “Here comes Mr. Mason!” At the end of the day, I want people to see the God in me.
How would you describe yourself?
I would describe myself as a person that is friendly, loving, giving. I’d rather give than to receive any day. I’m even like that during the holiday seasons. I don’t want you to get me anything, I want to give. I love kids and when I’m dead and gone I want people to say that I did all I could for the youth of today. I have a sense of humor, and I love to laugh.
How would others describe you?
I think they would describe me as self-giving. I think they would say I can appear at times too passionate. I think they would say I am hard on teenagers, but the foundation of love has already been laid.
What is the most important thing that you think should be instilled in the lives of children?
That there are adults who care and love them. All of us are not caught up in some new wave thing; it’s still old school mentoring still going on. Some of us understand them and we aren’t going to be so quick to judge them. I think that’s where a lot of adults go wrong, we turn teenagers off. Everybody didn’t come from where you came from, and everybody is not from that same mode. People react differently
to different things, you have to be understanding, you have to be sensitive, and you have to be versatile in your thinking.
Why the Boys and Girls Club?
I remember bringing some of my son’s clothes to school for a little boy when I was teaching, and I got in trouble for bringing those clothes in. The little boy had worn the same shirt and pants all week long. I would bring food in because I believe that children have a hard time concentrating if their stomachs are growling, and I got in trouble for that. So I was friends with a guy that was running the Boys and Girls Club, and he told me he had a position open if I wanted to leave the school system. I thought about all the things he said I could do for the kids that weren’t “by the book,” and that I was told was not “our” problem. At the Boys and Girls Club, if somebody drops off a donation and I know somebody needs something, I can help out. I have 137 children and I know all of them. I can meet the needs of the children and their families individually. Working at the Boys and Girls Club gives me the ability to have personal relationships with people and reach out to them without all the restrictions. As a matter of fact, we are coming up on our college tour, and kids that were not thinking about college all of a sudden realize after the tour that college can be a cool place, and it can be an option for them. The Boys and Girls Club “expose” kids to things they may not have ever experienced.
What impact has working at the Club had on your life?
It has changed my life. It opened up a new arena of young folk. I have the mindset at times that I’m twenty-two! On Fridays we have Freedom Friday, and after homework is all done, we cut the music on and have a good time. In Gastonia, I can’t go to the grocery store without seeing somebody I know. I have to always look presentable because people will say, “that’s Mr. Mason.”
What is something that most people who know you, don’t know about you?
Probably that I am more sensitive than they know. Little things might hurt my feelings.
If you could sit and talk to two people from the past, who would they be and why?
One would be Martin Luther King, Jr. because of his logic and what he stood for. I think he was misunderstood by so many people and it’s a shame. I think a lot of people thought they understood him and they really didn’t. He was a drum major for justice and that might have been all he was doing. The other person is Richard Pryor. I think he was so deep! A friend gave me his whole collection of every tape he’s ever made last Christmas. Richard told life stories in a humorous way and they all came back to logical points.
If you could sit and talk to two people from the present, who would they be and why?
There are so many, but one I can think of is Oprah Winfrey. I don’t think you achieve the level of success, fame and money that she has by making bad decisions. I remember when she was a news cast in the Baltimore area, and now she’s a billionaire. She had a vision and she had a plan to work it. She’s really been focused. You just have to be real passionate and driven to have reached the level of success that she has. The other person is Tyler Perry. I think sometimes things can happen in a persons life, like in Tyler’s situation where he was homeless and sleeping in his car, and that person says if God ever blesses me with anything, I’m going to make it work for everything in my life for the rest of my life. I am going to work hard and I will be passionate. I am going to create a level of consciousness where everybody around me is as passionate as I am. That’s what Tyler did in my opinion.
What inspires you?
God. If you’re in tune with God, he tells you what to do. God will wake me up at three o’clock in the morning, and it might start out with heartburn, but that’s just to get me up, and while I’m up, he’ll give me something. Next thing you know, I’m at the kitchen table writing out something and it becomes a tee shirt or a flyer, or a town hall meeting. All you need to do is ask and God will provide the answer. My favorite bible quote is, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge God, and He shall direct your path.” That says everything to me! You just have to acknowledge Him.
How do you feel about the next generation of children?
I think we have failed with an “F” two generations of kids because we didn’t pass on some things that were important for them to know, and then they grew up and had children. On top of that, the black dads stopped parenting. They went off and did things that landed them in jail, and you can’t teach a child from jail, I don’t care how many Saturdays and Sundays they visit you in that jail. My son is in Georgia right now, and wherever you see him, he has his pants up with a belt. He’s got a nice hair cut. He presents himself well in the community. Anybody he meets, he says yes sir, and no ma’am. I teach my daughters what they will see in a husband one day. I don’t mind hugging and kissing my wife in front of them. My daughter tells me she knows what love is because she watches me and her mother.
What type of music do you listen to?
I love all kinds of music! Oh God, from Willie Nelson, to Gospel, to Rock ‘N Roll, to Country. I learned to appreciate all kinds of music from all the ethnic groups that have been around me. They say, “Mr. Mason let me let you listen to this,” and I put the headsets on and then go, oh man, I like that!
What are your future plans?
I plan to open up a restaurant. I love soul food and I love to cook! I get orders at Christmas time for my cakes. My wife will tell you that I have done all the cooking for eighteen years. My kids bring friends home from college just because I’m going to cook a Sunday meal. Cooking is not a chore for me, I love it!
What do you wish for the world?
I really truly wish we could get rid of race problems. I think a lot could get done if we didn’t have race problems. A lot of people that voted for Obama would never tell their kin folk that they voted for him,
but they saw what you and me saw…a man that might be able to do what he said he could do. And not just for some, but for everybody. If we didn’t see race, we’d be a lot better off. I also wish we’d take care of the elderly better. There are countries where they don’t have much, but they give everything to the elderly and that keeps them around. When you can sit and listen to somebody that is ninety-six speak, you understand they have wisdom. You don’t live that long and not have something to offer. Our elderly have given too much; they were pioneers and architects of this country, and they deserve better care.