Impact -1 Elite Leadership Academy

Impact -1 Elite Leadership Academy IMPACT-1 Leadership Academy exists to develop disciplined, accountable, high-performing young men prepared to lead in college, career, and community.

💙💛 DEAR BLACK BOY | BEFORE YOU REACT, PAUSE.One moment. One decision. One opportunity to choose differently.Every day, o...
10/08/2026

💙💛 DEAR BLACK BOY | BEFORE YOU REACT, PAUSE.

One moment. One decision. One opportunity to choose differently.

Every day, our boys face situations that challenge their emotions, patience, and decision-making.

A disagreement. A frustrating moment. Feeling disrespected.
How they respond in those moments matters.

That's why we created the Dear Black Boy PAUSE Pocket Cards — a simple, practical tool to help boys slow down, understand their emotions, and make better decisions before reacting.

Emotional regulation is a skill. And like any skill, it must be taught, practiced, and reinforced.

💛 NOW AVAILABLE — $4.99
✅ 10 printable PAUSE Pocket Cards
✅ Printing and cutting guide included
✅ Instant digital download

Perfect for parents, educators, and mentors committed to helping boys grow.

The card is a reminder. The conversation is where the growth happens.

🛒 Get your PAUSE Pocket Cards today:
https://linktr.ee/Impact1Academy

DEAR BLACK BOY
Developing Boys. Building Men.

DEAR BLACK BOY: CHANGING THE NARRATIVEBlack boys are leading, creating, serving, and making a difference. Changing the N...
10/08/2026

DEAR BLACK BOY: CHANGING THE NARRATIVE

Black boys are leading, creating, serving, and making a difference. Changing the Narrative was created to ensure their positive stories are seen, heard, and celebrated.

Meet Orion Jean, a young change maker who turned kindness into action. Through his Race to Kindness initiative, Orion has helped distribute toys, meals, and books to people in need. His story reminds us that Black boys are not simply the leaders of tomorrow. They are making an impact today.

Learn more about Orion and support his mission:
https://www.racetokindness.com

If you know a Black boy doing something positive in his school, home, church, or community, send his story to [email protected]. Original submissions involving minors must include permission from a parent or guardian.

Visit the Dear Black Boy Resource Hub:
https://linktr.ee/Impact1Academy

Let’s change the narrative by intentionally sharing stories that reflect the greatness already living within our boys.

In too many schools, a v**e has become almost as common as a notebook.It can be found in backpacks, pockets, and restroo...
10/07/2026

In too many schools, a v**e has become almost as common as a notebook.

It can be found in backpacks, pockets, and restrooms, and passed between students throughout the day. What may begin as curiosity, stress relief, or an attempt to fit in can quickly become a ni****ne addiction.

But combating va**ng is not only a school responsibility. This is a problem we must confront in our homes, neighborhoods, and communities.

I recently spoke with a young man who told me how easy it is to purchase a v**e or gain access to one in the community. That means suspensions, confiscations, and school consequences alone will not solve the problem. If access remains easy outside of school, our boys will continue bringing the problem back inside.

Dear Black Boy, a v**e does not make you mature, confident, or accepted. Real strength is thinking for yourself, resisting pressure, and protecting the future you are working to build.
Parents, educators, coaches, mentors, and community leaders, we cannot wait until a boy is caught to begin the conversation.

Ask what he is seeing, where the v**es are coming from, and what pressure he is facing. Teach him the truth, hold him accountable, and give him a safe place to ask for help.

A notebook gives a boy space to write his future. A v**e should never be allowed to take control of it.

https://linktr.ee/Impact1Academy

Someone recently asked me, “What is your secret to building positive relationships with young men?”My answer was simple....
10/06/2026

Someone recently asked me, “What is your secret to building positive relationships with young men?”

My answer was simple. I do not have a secret or a superpower. I simply recognize that our Black boys want to be seen, heard, and valued.

The picture below shows the place where I stand each morning as young men enter the school building. I greet them with a fist bump, a handshake, or a simple “Good morning.” That small gesture says, “I see you.”

The greeting has become such a habit that many of the young men now greet me before I can greet them. Sometimes that greeting becomes a conversation about school, home, sports, or life. That conversation says, “I hear you.”

I also remember what they share, follow up on their goals, recognize their strengths, and help them develop those strengths. That consistency says, “I value you.”

Mentoring does not always begin with a formal program or a perfect lesson. Sometimes it begins with a handshake and an adult who chooses to be present. Before we can guide a young man, we have to build a relationship with him.

Men, use the Dear Black Boy Connection Card as a guide when spending time with a young man. Choose one or two questions, listen carefully, and allow the conversation to develop naturally. The goal is not to conduct an interview. The goal is to build trust and create a space where he feels safe enough to talk.

Never underestimate what a greeting or meaningful question can become. Sometimes changing a life begins by simply letting a young man know, “I am glad you are here.”

One Boy. One Man. One Relationship.

https://linktr.ee/Impact1Academy

Before the streets offer our boys belonging, protection, and opportunity, our communities must provide them first.Our bo...
10/05/2026

Before the streets offer our boys belonging, protection, and opportunity, our communities must provide them first.

Our boys need healthy relationships with men who consistently show up. They need safe spaces with trusted adults. They need opportunities through education, mentorship, leadership, employment, entrepreneurship, and exposure.

The streets should never be the first place a boy experiences brotherhood, purpose, protection, or the belief that he can become something greater.

Black men, identify your one, get the Street Life lesson, and schedule the conversation. Our boys cannot afford for us to wait.
The Street Life lesson is a ready to use, 60 minute mentoring lesson for Black boys ages 12 to 17. It helps boys examine the real cost of street life, rethink strength and respect, and commit to choices that build their future and strengthen their community.

The digital bundle includes a complete lesson guide, facilitator guide, and student discussion handout.

Visit the Dear Black Boy Resource Hub to get the lesson:
https://linktr.ee/Impact1Academy

One Boy. One Man. One Relationship.

Muggsy Bogues stood 5’3” and played 14 seasons in the NBA. Every night, he stepped on the court with men who were bigger...
10/02/2026

Muggsy Bogues stood 5’3” and played 14 seasons in the NBA. Every night, he stepped on the court with men who were bigger and taller than him, but he never allowed what looked like a disadvantage to determine what he could accomplish. Taller players tried to post him up thinking it would be easy to score, but Muggsy fought and used his size, strength, and low center of gravity to make it difficult. On the perimeter, ball handlers had to be careful because his quickness and instincts made him a threat to steal the ball at any moment. Muggsy didn’t spend his career wishing he were taller. He learned how to maximize what he had.

There are so many lessons our Black boys can take from his story. People will sometimes look at what you don’t have and decide what you can’t become. Don’t accept their limitations. Use what they call a disadvantage as an advantage. You may not always be the biggest or the strongest, and you may not have everything someone else has, but you can develop your gifts, prepare, compete, and refuse to back down from the giants standing in front of you.

Your giant may not be on a basketball court. It may be something you’re facing at school, at home, in your neighborhood, or even within yourself. Whatever it is, you have to recognize what you have, develop it, and use it.

Dear Black Boy, never allow the size of the giant to make you forget the size of what’s inside of you. Find your advantage. Develop it. Use it.

DEVELOPING BOYS. BUILDING MEN.

The more I hear about the situation in the Houston area where two young men, just 15 and 17 years old, lost their lives,...
09/30/2026

The more I hear about the situation in the Houston area where two young men, just 15 and 17 years old, lost their lives, the more personal this conversation becomes.

I lost a friend to gun violence growing up, so these situations hit differently for me. I understand that behind every headline is a life cut short, a grieving family, and a community left trying to make sense of what happened.

It also brings me back to a thought I believe deserves more attention:

Gun violence is part of the crisis. Emotional regulation is part of the solution.

When a young man has access to a gun but lacks the ability to regulate his emotions, a temporary moment of anger can lead to permanent consequences.

We have to recognize that boys who are never taught how to manage their anger, frustration, embarrassment, and disappointment can grow into men who struggle with those same emotions.

This is why our work must begin early.

We cannot wait until a boy becomes a man to teach him how to PAUSE before reacting. It is our responsibility to intentionally teach our boys how to process emotions, think through consequences, resolve conflict, and understand that walking away does not make them weak.

Emotional regulation is not a soft skill. It is a life skill. In some situations, it can be a lifesaving skill.

We cannot undo what happened in Houston or what has already happened in our neighborhoods, but we can be intentional about what we teach the next generation of young boys.

Every conversation, every lesson, and every relationship is an opportunity to equip a boy with the tools to make a different decision.

The work starts before the moment of crisis, not after another life is lost.

DEVELOPING BOYS. BUILDING MEN.

For the men who have identified their one, here is how I prepare for a Dear Black Boy session:Pray: I ask God for wisdom...
09/29/2026

For the men who have identified their one, here is how I prepare for a Dear Black Boy session:

Pray: I ask God for wisdom, direction, and the ability to give each boy what he needs.

Prepare: I review the lesson, organize the materials, and develop questions that create meaningful conversations.

Pour: I show up fully present to teach, listen, encourage, and build a meaningful relationship.

You do not need a complicated plan to begin. Start with prayer. Prepare with intention. Pour into your one. You do not have to walk this journey alone. The Dear Black Boy Resource Hub was created to equip men with practical tools, lessons, and resources to help guide conversations, build trust, and support the boys they mentor.

Resources include:

- The Dear Black Boy Book
- The Build Our Own Lesson Bundle
- The Before You React, PAUSE Decision-Making Workbook
- The Street Life 3-Piece Mentorship Bundle

Visit the Dear Black Boy Resource Hub:

https://linktr.ee/Impact1Academy

Prayer centers us. Preparation equips us. Pouring into our boys transforms purpose into impact.

500,000 Black men. 500,000 Black boys. One relationship at a time.

When I started the Dear Black Boy Experience, I had no idea how it would unfold. I set the vision, created a plan, and d...
09/28/2026

When I started the Dear Black Boy Experience, I had no idea how it would unfold. I set the vision, created a plan, and developed the strategy on paper. To now see that vision coming to life is truly a blessing.

We are still in the early stages of building a program that will uplift, guide, and support our boys, but each session reminds me why this work matters. The support from the parents has been incredible. Just as the boys are learning from me, I am learning from them.

This past weekend was powerful. We took a deeper dive into the Dear Black Boy PAUSE strategy, which teaches our boys to slow down, think through their choices, and make better decisions before reacting. The boys were locked in, engaged, and gave great examples of how they can use PAUSE in every area of their lives.

Each boy left the session with a pocket-sized PAUSE card to carry as a daily reminder that he has the power to pause, think, and choose his next move.

The vision is coming alive, one boy, one lesson, and one decision at a time.

Keep Showing Up for Our BoysOne of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as a parent is this: our boys can struggle and still...
09/24/2026

Keep Showing Up for Our Boys

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as a parent is this: our boys can struggle and still become something great.

My son had behavior challenges from the time he entered daycare through middle school. My wife and I received countless phone calls when he was in pre-K. The challenges became so difficult that he was removed from two different schools before he was even five years old.

Those moments were hard. There were times when we questioned what we were doing wrong, and there were moments when it would have been easy to focus only on the behavior instead of the boy behind the behavior.

But we made a decision: we were not going to give up on him.
We had to look at ourselves as parents, make adjustments, provide more structure, and continue holding him accountable. At the same time, we made sure he knew he was loved, supported, and capable of more.

Because the truth is this: a challenging season does not define a child’s future.

Fast forward to his junior year of high school, and the same young man who once struggled with behavior is now discovering his leadership potential on his campus. He serves as a lead manager for the football team, photographs different sports teams at his school, participates in an Xplore Academy with a local police department, and was recently selected to be part of a leadership group with other students on his campus.

His story is still being written.

The message is simple: our boys will face challenges. They will make mistakes. They will have moments when they test our patience. But those moments cannot be the reason we give up on them.

Sometimes the behavior we see today is connected to the leader they are becoming tomorrow.

Our boys may not recognize it right now, but the challenges they overcome can become the foundation of a powerful testimony.

Keep showing up. Keep loving them. Keep holding them accountable. Keep believing in who they can become.

Because every boy deserves someone who sees the greatness in him, even when he is still trying to see it in himself.

Address

0000 Lane
Dallas, TX
75013

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Impact -1 Elite Leadership Academy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Impact -1 Elite Leadership Academy:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category