Community

SCHOOL BUZZ: “Young Men in Suits,” Shaping Teen Boys into Men

Published

9 years ago

May 26, 2015

Damian Mackey is a man that will never give up and always works hard to make a change.

As principal of James Logan High School, Mackey started a movement by organizing a group of African-American and Hispanic students, called FAMM.

This movement is dedicated to supporting today’s generation and allowing youth to reconnect with their history.

“FAMM is not an acronym, it’s a term of endearment used by my students as a way of saying we are in the same family together. In other words, ‘our family,’” said Mackey.

On Saturday, May 30, the group will present Young Men in Suits, a workshop for teen males in the greater Bay Area, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at James Logan High School, 1800 H St., Union City.

“We want to start running relationships with our families and offer a workshop for the teenage boys of our community,” said Mackey. “The data is clear. Our teenage boys are not only suffering academically, but they are losing the essence that makes being a teenager both fun and a rite of passage into becoming a ‘man’,” he said.

Professional individuals will speak to the group about important social issues that are relevant in the lives of young people today. The event will teach students on proper etiquette, code switching, dating, the history of the “n word”, family, college, and athletics.

Students will also learn the best way to persevere through difficult times.

The young men will be able to connect with each speaker as they share their stories, and also ask questions that students can then apply to their own lives and daily challenges.

“It’s essential that they hear the testimonies of people who sat in their seats and actually made it. It’s also extremely important for them to forge alliances with their peers, so they have ‘brothas’ to lean on who understand their obstacles. We also fully expect they will have a lot of fun,” said Mackey.

The challenge has been to create a forum that is both authentic and relevant to young men coming from all walks of life. Through Young Men in Suits, Mackey hopes to engage the minds of youth in Union City and local Bay Area communities by exposing them to concrete men of valor who are knowledgeable and real.

“We feel there is a serious disconnect between the skills and attributes necessary for the men of the future to be successful, the image they are projecting and their own perspective on how they will find success in the future,” said Mackey.

Young Men in Suits can become a positive outlet that will touch families and give young men valuable experiences that they will take with them throughout their lives.

By focusing our efforts towards young men, ages 13 to 19 years of age, “young men can shape their self image and create a picture of who they are as a ‘man’. We anticipate that and understand the positive consequences available if we tap into their personal lives,” Mackey said.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

24 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

5 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

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City Government

Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10. Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Published

5 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Beverli Marshall began her first day with the City on April 10. ICMA image.

Special to The Post

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10.

Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Current City Manager Michael Malone, whose official departure is slated for April 18, expressed his well wishes. “I wish the City of Vallejo and Interim City Manager Marshall all the best in moving forward on the progress we’ve made to improve service to residents.” Malone expressed his hope that the staff and Council will work closely with ICM Marshall to “ensure success and prosperity for the City.”

According to the Vallejo Sun, Malone stepped into the role of interim city manager in 2021 and became permanent in 2022. Previously, Malone served as the city’s water director and decided to retire from city service e at the end of his contract which is April 18.

“I hope the excellent work of City staff will continue for years to come in Vallejo,” he said. “However, recent developments have led me to this decision to announce my retirement.”

When Malone was appointed, Vallejo was awash in scandals involving the housing division and the police department. A third of the city’s jobs went unfilled during most of his tenure, making for a rocky road for getting things done, the Vallejo Sun reported.

At last night’s council meeting, McConnell explained the selection process, highlighting the council’s confidence in achieving positive outcomes through a collaborative effort, and said this afternoon, “The Council is confident that by working closely together, positive results will be obtained.”

While the search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, an announcement is expected in the coming months.

On behalf of the City Council, Mayor McConnell extended gratitude to the staff, citizen groups, and recruitment firm.

“The Council wishes to thank the staff, the citizens’ group, and the recruitment firm for their diligent work and careful consideration for the selection of what is possibly the most important decision a Council can make on behalf of the betterment of our City,” McConnell said.

The Vallejo Sun contributed to this report.