This morning as children across the nation began their
journeys back into developing their minds Roosevelt Elementary School
to welcome the children to their first day. Principal Sharonda Alleyne and many
of her stuff where elated at the idea and pleased beyond recognition on the
smiles that came across the children’s face.
they were treated to something
unexpected but undoubtedly sufficient. Several black men ranging from various
ages and walks of life had gather into the halls.
What took place next was part of a movement brought on by Commissioner Cory Neering. The call of action
inspire a group of diverse males to come together cheering and giving the youth
“Hi-Five” as they begin the school year. A project community activist/leader Ricky Aiken would later go on to explain.
Ricky Aiken, founder Inner City Innovators was one of the
many men who accepted the call. Being a product of this very environment,
growing up with a troublesome past in Dunbar Village. Aiken stands as a testimony
to Tupac’s ‘A Rose that Grew from the Concrete’. Aiken has a very strong
sense of investment in his community. So it was only fitting that he spearhead
the project taking place in Roosevelt Elementary School where he once upon a
time attended.
We spoke to Ricky about what took place, the future goal and
more.
Exhibit Treal: How do you feel today went?
Exhibit Treal: What inspired this today?
Ricky Aiken: “Commissioner Cory Neering has a project called “Ties That Bind” where he builds relationships with older gentlemen and the younger
generation to give them skills needed to grow into adulthood. So this is just
an extension of that. We wanted to get into the schools and really impact the
young people on their way in.”
Exhibit Treal: How do you think this impacted the youth? If you were a
child; how do you think this would have impacted you?
Ricky Aiken: “If I was a kid growing up and I look up and I see all these
successful men waiting for me at my school to great me, it would’ve sent me a
very powerful message about myself. I’ll see that I don’t have to settle to be
a drug dealer or a gang-banger, but that I could be an artist like my man JaFleu
or I can be a community activist like myself… there are so many other things I
could be. There was a quote that I saw that I liked and it said that ‘Our
children will be what they see”. So I’m proud that they saw us".
Exhibit Treal: What are you hoping for next year?
Ricky Aiken: “This group, I call ‘The Faithful Few’. You’d of thought we
had 100 men in that hallway but there was just 12 of us. Next year man, I want
to see this halls decked with 50 to 100 guys waiting to introduce and greet our
students because there’s power in numbers man. If those kids felt good about us
greeting them, imagine if we had a whole army of guys with us. So I want this to
grow and become revolutionary. I want it to a new school year tradition that we
start in the black community.”
Exhibit Treal: What message would you like to leave with the people?
Ricky Aiken: "My number one slogan is this ‘Be the change we want to see
in our community. And if
