Montréal Is a man’s character truly his destiny? Heraclitus was a Greek Philosopher who thought so. The statement could also be conveyed as a man’s character is his fate, and even further a man’s character is his god. I think a lot about this when you begin to meet and interact with someone. Asking myself why do they do what they do or think how they think? I suppose at the end of the day it is Character the drives us to make certain choices.

http://hiperduct.ac.uk/cheap-thesis-proposal-writing-site-canada I saw a post on IG today that said “Character is what someone does when there is nothing they are hoping to get in return”. This makes sense to me as so many times we do things because of what we get in return. Let’s face it; most of us are at a job 40 plus hours a week, not because we are expressing our characters or our passions, but because we are getting something in return for our time and labor. I wonder what that says about our society as a whole. And if it’s not OUR character then whose is it.

“Who’s Your Brother” is a nonprofit organization in Pittsburgh that is definitely changing the game. Their mission and what they believe is a new way of thinking, is to have people helping people in any given community without the exchange of money. Nothing in return! At least that’s the mindset we must go in with. We all see communities riddled with violence, low income/single parent homes. Communities with people hurting and in need. But what about the next door neighbor, can they help out? Lend a hand. Or are they so focused on the varying aspects and issues (we all have them) in their life to see that someone needs them. Ask yourself this question, have you helped in some way at a minimum 5 people in your community? “Who’s Your Brother’s” goal is to help you think about that, and if you want to do something about, they can help. (www.whosyourbrother.com)

When was the last time that someone challenged you in regards to your character? I believe that someone’s character can shift at various times in someone life. I know it has for me. Does this mean I have entertained different destinies, fates, or gods throughout my life? I believe it does. I have seen these things play out in my life. But I think being tested to ask yourself who your brother is, is something that has helped me in that shift. A brother treats another brother with love and respect. A brother is family! And family is something that many people have sacrificed for and an idea we can all get behind/understand. That idea seems to fade away when it comes to the neighbor who needs help cutting their grass, could use a couple bags of groceries, or whose son benefit from being tutored in math.

What destiny do you are long for? And are you willing to recognize someone as a brother and serve them to achieve it?

At the end of the day, I guess it is about is finding multiple ways to engage children. In a community where there is so much pulling you in so many different directions, helping a child find something that is worthy of being called a passion is not an easy task. In doing the story for the Ozanam After School Program I found that there are people who really care about that. They have found a passion of making a young person attracted to something other than what the streets have to offer.

The Hill District in Pittsburgh is where I spent a lot of time growing up but it’s not where I lived and I never called it home. I lived in an area that was just about a suburban as you can get. An area called Sewickley. Sewickley was where many of the men who accumulated wealth in the mid 1800’s from the steel industries in Pittsburgh would have their summer homes. So that what many people think about when the town is brought up. But for a black adolescence growing up in the early 1990’s, the Hill District was where I had to go. I began to excel in basketball and I found the city players gave me stronger competition than anywhere else. But they had something else too. A grittiness that I couldn’t quite understand. They played the game with almost a “joyful anger” that I could not relate to but felt I needed as well. I desired it. I begin to understand it was because of this life they lived. Basketball was a means to get away from it all and let it out. It kept them sane and away from other dangerous outlets. Basketball “saved” them.

Programs like Ozanam Basketball league and their After School Program creates a place for young black man especially to do this. I recently began to understand how important it is to show black men who care. Men who are willing to put in time to tell the younger generation that they have a choice. They have a choice in a neighborhood where the statistics are stacked against them. It has been extremely beneficial to work in the role of a storyteller for this kind of work. Finding where the true message lies and fleshing it out is somewhat of an honor from my perspective. As a Game Changer, we are giving the pen, pad and the lens to bring that life.