NEW ORLEANS — Young black male, those words can be received in different ways. It’s something several members of the New Orleans mentorship program, Son of a Saint, are keenly aware of.
“Perfect example: Let’s say you got your hands in your pocket, hands in your pocket like this. I’ve seen people walk away from me. If I was in a store checking out some snacks, they’ll be watching you if you have your hands in your pocket like that, the clerk will come around real quick,” said Quinten Crump.
On Friday, WWLTV's Thanh Troung sat down with Quinten Crump, Myron Taylor, Jamal Holmes and Jaedon Simmons at the offices of Son of a Saint. Every boy in this life building program has lost their father to incarceration or death. They could be seen as high risk, but the organization sees their high potential. These are their aspirations
“One option is a historian, another is journalism. I’m also interested in sports journalism,” said Myron Taylor.
“I want to be an aerospace engineer, and as a secondary thing I’ve also considered becoming a musician,” said Jaedon Simmons.
“I will be attending LSU this fall. I’ll be majoring in computer engineering and science with a minor in game design,” said Quinten Crump.
“Sports media, that is if I don’t pursue my dream of being a professional football player or basketball player,” said Jamal Holmes.
The nonprofit’s founder is Sonny Lee. He understands what it’s like growing up fatherless. His father, former New Orleans Saints defensive back, Bivian Lee, died at the age of 36. Well before Black Lives Matter became a movement, Sonny was proving black lives mattered to him. He founded Son of a Saint 10 years ago.
“We know it’s not an overnight thing. You have to build trust with the boy, it has to be preventative, it has to be 24 hours a day, it has to be holistic,” said Lee.
Through donations and grants, the Son of a Saint provides fatherless boys tutoring, scholarships, access to mental health, nutrition tips and so much more.
Last November the organization sent 15 boys to Ghana to learn about African culture. While the boys said some people in America fear them, they had a different reception in Ghana where many of the people smiled and welcomed them.
Sonny Lee said as the head of a non-profit, he sometimes faces challenges. Lee said some believe black nonprofits are less trustworthy. Instead of fighting constant ignorance, he chooses to find ways to give boys in the city a fighting chance. He said one of his goals is to mold his mentees into leaders so there will be more diversity in the upper levels of the community.
“We’re doing the work. We don’t need any more studies. We’ve got all the studies we could possibly find, to be honest. Let’s get back to basics,” said Lee.
Sonny said those basics include giving respect and dignity to people of color. For more information on Son of a Saint visit: https://sonofasaint.org/
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