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Every week, 25 young men gather together at a local spot in Inglewood, California. But, unlike most teen guys, they're not meeting for a sports game or party--they're here to upkeep a garden that's revolutionizing their community.
D'Artagnan Scorza, a young African-American educator and ex-Navy officer, is responsible for the get-togethers. He started the Black Male Youth Academy (BMYA) in his hometown five years ago, hoping to promote leadership, education and confidence among a new generation of Inglewood's black males.
The curriculum isn't exactly textbook-heavy; instead it centers around creating links between culture and education. The weekly gatherings address topics ranging from self-esteem to physical health, such as why diabetes is an issue in the black community and how locally grown foods like those in the garden curb its prevalence. Scorza's goal for the Academy is to increase the group's literacy, which he believes "isn't just learning to read and write ... literacy is knowing yourself."
"[The Academy] helps me to be a stronger black male in school," says 16-year old Tykeem Brown. "It's helped me raise my GPA in school, yes, but it's also created a great environment for black males overall." No matter what the activity, Scorza continues to challenge the youth to focus on their identity, their social condition, and the influence they can have on their community.
Scorza and his group of young leaders broke ground on their community garden just over a year ago, and it's already become a hit. The vegetables grown in it make their way onto the plates at local homeless shelters, as well as into the homes of the youth themselves, where information on the benefits of locally grown foods is passed on to families.
Since the creation of BMYA, Scorza's seen the GPA of his students rise, their confidence soar and their influence grow within the community. The Inglewood-native believes the model for BMYA is scaleable but he's not ready for vast expansion yet. "I believe I need to bring something sustainable [to Inglewood] first. There's so much work to be done, that's what tempers my pride." Next up? 100 gardens around the city, all started, in part, by these 25 black males. To Scorza, that's no hoop dream.
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Learn More About BMYA
Learn about Scorza's mission to foster black leadership in his community.
