Destiny of HOPE, Inc.

04/13/2026

The P.E.A.C.E. and H.O.P.E. Center is structured on progress and development. This summer, like all others is going to be one to remember. There are limited spaces left. Limited scholarships are available.

04/08/2026

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe signed a major crime bill (SB 888) into law today, focusing on stricter juvenile justice, increased "truth in sentencing" requirements, and higher penalties for violent offenses. The legislation allows juveniles to be tried as adults more easily and requires inmates to serve more of their sentences before parole eligibility. What does this mean?

It means that minors will be tried as adults for serious or repeat offenses (three felonies in six months). It also enables more youth to be held in detention centers, while expanding on a prior "catch and release" policy. To our young people, this bill was written for you! One of the most effective tools ever utilized against “Black and Brown” youth is incarceration. This is never said to negate crime and/or disparage the victims of crime. However, it is said to say that “the 13th Amendment” is carrying out its intended purpose.

According to the renowned criminologist, Stanton Samenow, most crime is conditional. But what conditions? He is not primarily talking about poverty, environment, or upbringing in the way many people assume. Instead, he is pointing to the internal conditions of the individual—especially their thinking patterns and choices.

Samenow’s work (especially from his book Inside the Criminal Mind) argues that crime happens when certain psychological and situational conditions come together. In other words, when these degradations come together, it creates a mindset of self-victimization. This is true! What is also true is that, conditions shape your mindset and personality. As a man thinketh so he is. The mindset has to change, and those who understand should be in the business of shutting down the prison industrial complex. Just like our behaviors are the screws that fasten the doors and walls of each prison, it is the same behaviors, if correctly applied, that will destroy these systemic plantations.

“Thought is the cause of it all.” Our thinking is what gives life (meaning) to all things.

04/03/2026

It’s that time CoMo!

12/15/2025

Coming into the 2026 new year, we have a lot on the horizon for Columbia Missouri. One of those things is the H.E.A.T. for H.E.R. Training in March, on the 18th, 19th, and the 20th. This, I believe, is a necessary training here in CoMo, because it actively promotes healing amongst our young ladies. On many levels, adolescent males are targeted for this type of programming. This is an attempt on the part of Destiny of H.O.P.E. to encourage our women leaders, who may not have this training to have the opportunity to be a part of it. See our attached flyer!

Hope to see you there! Deadline for registration and payment is March 1, 2026.

11/23/2025

I feel compelled tonight to say a few things concerning the human condition. I had a conversation with a brother and he was really open about his struggle. I thank him for that, because as Julian often points out, “you cannot heal or change what you do not acknowledge.” But on the flip side, when you are emotionally arrested in your development, how do you evolve? Trauma and circumstance can cause one to become stuck at a particular level of psychological development, and through that process, no matter your age, you still function on the level that you stop growing. The question is, how do you “Retrain” your brain to mature with current times and conditions?

10/04/2025

Male Breeder is a deeply personal work, inspired by my own experience as the child of one. This book confronts the lingering shadows of slavery and the generational habits it has imprinted on the Asiatic (Black) community. It asks the hard questions: Why do so many of us feel compelled to jump from bed to bed, creating children without creating homes? Why do we leave our offspring to be raised by someone else’s father, repeating cycles of abandonment and disconnection?

Through honest reflection and unflinching truth, this book seeks to spark a real conversation about responsibility, healing, and breaking free from destructive patterns handed down through centuries of oppression.

09/14/2025

The struggles of the Prison Industrial Complex was filled with a number of extraordinary life lessons. Some of which cannot be told in words. Nevertheless, we attempted. Since we were children, even before our introduction into the prison system, Jabar TheAuthor and myself shared a common bond through neighborhood politics and trauma. Here we are all these years trying to inform our youth that there is a better way. Check us out!!

In the 1990s, Missouri, like much of the United States, embraced a “tough-on-crime” philosophy that treated children as adults in the eyes of the law. Juveniles who made mistakes—or were in the wrong place at the wrong time—faced sentences meant for hardened criminals: life without parole.

12/10/2024

The past few days have been exceptionally tough on Columbia, with the pain of recent losses being beyond words. Although we have faced this misfortune, we appreciate the comfort of each other's presence during these tumultuous times. We encourage our team to join us in discovering healthy avenues to manage our collective pain.

11/11/2024

Destiny of H.O.P.E., is thrilled to introduce "Visions of Freedom", a new facilitated men's group that invites men from all walks of life to come together to address real-life issues impacting their lives and communities. In a time when many men feel isolated or without support, Visions of Freedom offers a platform for open discussion, vulnerability, and mutual growth.
Visions of Freedom provides a safe, judgment-free zone where men can express themselves openly and build meaningful connections through conversations on relationships, love, trauma, addiction, trust, guilt, shame, financial empowerment, and community building. Our group is rooted in three core elements:

1. Social Media Outreach - We will live stream group sessions on Facebook, podcasting platforms, and other social media outlets. By doing so, we're creating accessible spaces for more men to benefit from these conversations, whether they can attend in person or engage online.

2. Safe Space Sessions - Held in person, these sessions allow men to engage face-to-face in a supportive, non-judgmental environment. Here, men can share their experiences, seek advice, and connect with others in pursuit of healing, growth, and empowerment.

3. Monthly Public Forums - Once a month, the group will open its doors to the broader community for a public forum, facilitated by local leaders, on topics that resonate with men and their unique challenges.

These forums aim to extend insights from group sessions to the wider community, fostering a collective vision for a stronger, healthier society.
Visions of Freedom is more than just a support group; it's a brotherhood where men can grow, learn, and build together--an essential force for change in our community.

11/10/2024

10/13/2024

Today, I am filled with gratitude and blessings for where I am in life, surrounded by a loving family, fulfilling work, and supportive people. The challenges we face in pursuit of our aspirations teach us valuable lessons that enhance our appreciation for our accomplishments. A special thanks to the brothers who have made the Visions of Freedom Men’s Group what it is!!

09/19/2024

Make sure to bring the children out on "All Saints Eve", commonly referred to as Halloween.