Black History Today: C.J. Dancer and Willie Seals III, two men committed to the excellence in others

This post is part of an ongoing Black History Month series written by Marcus Harden, a truly unsung hero of South Seattle, as he honors the living legacy of Black history in his community and beyond, and recognizes the people who are shaping the future.

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My big brother was Big's brother

So here's a few words from your kid brother

If you admire somebody you should go ahead and tell um

People never get the flowers while they could still smell um

A idol in my eyes, God of the game

Heart of the city, Rockafella chain

Never be the same, never be another

Number 1 young Hov also my big brother

-Kanye West, Big Brother

Webster's dictionary defines the word Synergy as the benefit that results when two or more agents work together to achieve something either one couldn't have achieved on its own. It's the concept of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

One of the cultural earmarks of the black community has always been its ability to band together in times of strife, yet finding synergy to thrive beyond surviving, is often difficult. That is multiplied when it comes to African American males, many who spend much of their energy surviving the day in the workplace, education space and sometimes just in general.

Synergy, however, isn’t just acquired amongst humans, there is some natural chemistry that happens, yet much like any relationship, it takes trust, work and a belief in oneself, each other and a commitment to something greater than oneself.  CJ Dancer and Willie Seals, epitomize that synergy which radiates into energy that has affected the educational and life outcomes for young people across the state of Washington.

CJ Dancer a native of South East Seattle attended Cleveland High School and then the University of Washington. CJ’s demeanor and personality hide the still waters that truly are an evolutionary force, whether blazing the trail in college, revitalizing social organizations, leading statewide organizations and people of color toward the STEM Fields, leading the City of Seattle in a free college for all campaign or tutoring young men and women at the local goodwill to pass the SAT, CJ has found himself not just committed to but leading a life of service.

Willie Seals III is the definition of authentic servant leadership, a roll your sleeves up throwback, his journey began in the Central District of Seattle, WA. Attending Garfield High School and eventually graduating from Chicago State University, Willie has led a life of light and discovery that has helped shine into others. Whether as a student-athlete in track & field, dawning the infamous red city year jacket and timberlands, affecting policy change with the Puget Sound ESD or setting an example for healthy living, Willie is always moving and evolving forward.

While fulfilled with their individual success, they knew there was more. The casual conversation turned into an intentional conversation which transformed into purposeful action. In 2012 their synergy would turn into the energy that would become their Co-Founding of the Academy for Creating Excellence, an organization whose mission would be to create environments for African American young men to thrive and for African American men to feel a sense of worthiness and dignity, specifically within the educational space.

Now in its seventh year of existence, the vision of these two men has become a reality, serving across six schools in Puget Sound to better societal and educational outcomes for African American young men. However, what is most remarkable about both men, is their commitment to living their teachings. CJ, a proud husband of his supportive and inspiring wife and his two children, making sure that he is everything he had and didn’t have as a child is everything and more he gives to his children. His service to the community never outweighing his first commitment, which is his family.

Not to be outdone, Willie is one of the most committed and proudest fathers you’ll meet. Raising three sons (alongside an awesome mother of their children), Willie serves as coach, friend, confidant, bowling partner and true role model for what he wants his sons to be. Whether at his sons' school, the soccer field, basketball court or spelling bee, Willie is often not only father to his sons but surrogate to those fathers who can’t be present.

These two men model the phrase they often have all of their young men repeat, not just as a mantra but as a statement of fact when they ask the question, “Who Am I?” and require the response, “I am Excellence”. Cj and Willie have utilized their own triumphs and more importantly their triumphs as educators, social servants, sons, brothers, fathers, husbands and as men to create space for young men and other men to stand beside them and seek their own excellence, no ego, no jealousy, just brotherhood and a commitment to excellence.

Cj Dancer and Willie Seals bring the energy of synergy into any environment they enter, they are truly making an impact in the lives of hundreds of young men and their families, they are excellent and they are Black History, today!

To learn more and support CJ and Willie, please visit: www.ACEAcademyWA.org

Upendo!

-MLH

Bree Newsome reminds us that modern activism demands 'radical faith' in confronting age-old problems

Two years ago this week, Bree Newsome climbed a flagpole on the South Carolina state house grounds and physically removed the Confederate flag that still flew more than 150 years after the end of legal slavery.

It was a brave thing to do, inspiring in its simplicity and its directness. I’ve thought of it many times since when problems have started to seem overwhelming. Is there a way to cut the crap, climb the flagpole and just take down the problem?

Newsome came and spoke at a UW event called “Tearing Hatred from the Sky: An Evening with Bree Newsome” back in February, and I was lucky to be in attendance. Here are three memorable lessons from that night:

“In the biography for social change-makers, you’ll find that there’s probably some moment in their life where they had a shift in their consciousness. If you’re an activist, you can probably point to that point in your life.”

I think this is an important, rarely discussed truth that most activists have in common. Something along the way wakes you up — a moment in time, an event or series of events that literally activates you. It’s a personal thing, an individual transformation on a fundamental, often spiritual level. Afterward, nothing is the same.

“I was on my sofa just trying to figure out, can I go down there and just hop the fence? I didn’t know how to climb. I had no climbing skill yet at that time. That’s just how strongly I felt that the statement needed to be made of how unacceptable it was for this flag to fly.”

This represents another universal truth of activism: that it’s often driven by an irrepressible urge to do something impossible. The key here is that Newsome knew what needed to be done. She knew that flag needed to come down, so she set about to figuring out how to do it. It’s within each of us to do what needs to be done. We just have to decide to do it.

“There was a time when the idea of a United States without slavery was inconceivable. You have to understand, that’s part of why our nation had a civil war over this issue because it was the economy. There were people who could not conceive of how you could have a prosperous United States without chattel slavery. And the only reason that we are sitting here today in this lovely space with all these lovely faces as we are, is because there were people at that time that had faith that things could be different. In order for the future to be better than it is now, we have to have that same kind of radical faith today.”

There was a time when not enslaving people for financial gain was a radical idea. What about our time will people look back on with disbelief?

The truth is that we may have to change everything to solve anything that’s plaguing our nation right now. But don’t lose hope. Remember that the economy is an idea, but people are real. Capitalism is a concept, but liberation is a state of being.

Be brave. Today’s radical is the leader whose courage we honor tomorrow. Have faith in your vision for the future.