Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. J. A. Rob, Jr.
Hi Dr. Rob, Jr., it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Mentoring became a part of me as a child in Montgomery, Alabama, when my Neighbor, the late Mr. William Kidd Franklin, noticed a small group of (10) African American boys didn’t have fathers, mentors, or role models in a deeply segregated south (Montgomery) and needed them desperately to succeed and become men. Leaders, learners, community-oriented teachers, preachers, businessmen, etc.
Mr. Kidd Franklin set out to develop in us a way of life that was rooted in character, built on teaching values, and molded in high self-esteem through leadership. That leadership became a way of life for me as a growing male student in the classroom as well as the child in the church throughout my life. Today that is the foundation for my giving back to others for more than 25 years.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The struggle is real and comes with many trials, too, too many ups and downs. Total commitment is lacking on the part of parents, teachers, churches and community leaders in most black and brown communities, not enough men/women willing to commit without monetary compensation. Day school and after-school programs today are offering fewer in-house mentoring programs for underage boys & girls of color ages 6-17 in grade 1-12. This makes the burdens tremendously tough in terms of growing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today. Schools are cutting programs geared toward building leaders, readers, learners in and out of the classrooms. Homes are struggling places to live, and the cost of living is pushing more and more of our kids into alcoholism, drugs, gangs, homelessness, jails, and street crime at an early age as a means of survival. PBMAH Mentoring Programs will continue to be on the front line! Boothes in the streets under the bridges where our youth are, getting them up off of sidewalks and curbs fighting for our children, placing them into HBCUs”s and PWIs all across America wherever we can enroll them. Developing college tours, creating vision retreats, summer camps, feeding the hungry, and introducing seeking new partnership as a way to Grow and Go. Dreams are full of hope, for dreamers’ children are full of dreams. HOPE is defined as (helping other people evolve) that is the PBMAH way. No matter how tough the obstacles and challenges become, we will succeed with God’s help and giving from your readers and donors who care about children in this nation living in poor conditions.
As you know, we’re big fans of Positive Black Male Association Of Houston. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
PBMAH is a 501 (3) c non-profit organization that guides, teaches, and directs others, both males and females, as a means of engaging, enhancing, and highlighting developmental growth. Our mission is to impact achievement, promote success, and develop character by giving back to children in homes, schools, churches, and residential centers throughout the surrounding communities in the Houston and Harris counties, Texas metropolitan area.
PBMAH mentoring program allows various professionals, mentors, policemen, doctors, recovering addicts, parents, and children to come together to discuss a variety of subjects and topics. Mental Health, teen pregnancy, addiction, dropout, illiteracy, HIV education, abandonment, personal failures, success, social emotions setbacks, entrepreneurship, etc. Creating new goals, building & developing character, teaching attributes, constructing better personalities in children along the way, shedding hate, demonstrating love, and caring for one another in greater ways regardless of race, past, social status, or who your parents may or may not be. None of that matters. It is the child that matters at PBMAH…
As founder and CEO, I specialize in growing others. As an educator/mentor for more than 40 plus years, I have seen a lot of good and bad, mostly bad things in the inner-city streets and public school systems. There is a lot of good but also an awesome amount of bad… I am known for caring about others more than myself. I was a homeless child growing up in an alcoholic home with a mother that did her best with very little money. Hungry often cried a lot, raised my mother’s four kids, and cared for her as well. Stayed out of trouble and on the Honor Roll, a teen parent. Today, I am a true overcomer and a very proud and humble man. My life lessons along the way have shaped me, my character, thinking, my drive, and desire to help others.
I would like for your readers to know we are 100% youth-oriented and totally involved in growing and developing strong boys and girls for the future today. We believe in leadership… “If you raise a Strong Son, you don’t have to fix a Broken Man someday.” We offer direction, spirit, life, success, boldness, independence, audacity, completeness, and a future for all at PBMAH.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I see mentoring in an awful lot of trouble going forward people don’t care as they once did children are at a greater risk than ever. Six- to ten-year-olds are Rasing themselves more than ever. Technology is too loose, and they see and do way too much that lead to inappropriate outcomes daily. The shift is on money not values, not a quality of life and a genuine lifestyle. Trends are way off the charts! We live in trendy society today.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pbmah.org
- Instagram: pbma_logp
- Facebook: Positiveblack Maleofhouston
- Twitter: @pbmahouston
- Other: positiveblackmale@pbmah.0rg
