08/24/2026
We believe the earlier, the better. 💙
Youth development isn’t just about correcting behavior when something goes wrong. It’s about getting in early, creating the right environment, and surrounding young people with adults who model structure, accountability, consistency, respect, and intentionality.
That’s why we’re excited to introduce the Oakland Leadership Labs, a new partnership with Oakland Elementary designed specifically for a selected group of 5th-grade students.
Through weekly sessions, our students will work alongside mentors and facilitators who can relate to them, challenge them, and create a safe space for honest conversations and real growth. We’ll focus on leadership, emotional regulation, decision-making, respect, teamwork, goal-setting, accountability, and becoming the young men they are capable of becoming.
One thing I continue to learn in this work: young people listen differently when they know the person in front of them genuinely respects them. They respond to people who show up consistently, hold them accountable, and still see their potential regardless of the circumstances in which they met them.
Our goal isn’t perfection. It’s progress, exposure, relationships, and planting seeds early enough to make a difference.
Because the impact we have on a child today can outlast us by decades.
Oakland Leadership Labs — let’s pour into them early.
