The following was submitted by Edward Joyner II of the organization Men Achieving Leadership, Excellence, and Success.
In 1997, Edward Joyner II founded a men’s organization called M.A.L.E.S at Eastern Connecticut State University under the late David Carter, the school’s President, and Dr. Stacey Close, a young professor of history at the institution. The acronym stands for Men Achieving Leadership, Excellence, and Success. Joyner, who is now the Youth Development Coordinator at Hill Central School, developed the organization to help young college men deal with college challenges, build brotherhood, and be of service to the Eastern campus and the surrounding communities. His friend, Marvin Moore of Bridgeport, was a co-founder. Joyner and Moore wanted to create an organization that would welcome any male student who shared their values about personal responsibility and the responsibility to address issues of social justice on and beyond Eastern’s campus. One of their first projects at the university was working with Dr. Carter and Dr. Close in a Habitat for Humanity project in Hartford and providing recreation and social skills development for disabled adults.
M.A.L.E.S.’s Justin Ramirez, Edward Joyner II, and Nick Diaz.
Twenty-three years later, the organization has chapters throughout the country and continues its mission to build strong young men committed to improving themselves and their communities. The group has a diverse membership that reflects the broad diversity of American males.
On Saturday, the M.A.L.E.S undergraduate chapter from Eastern Connecticut State University were at Hill Central School to help Eddie Joyner, and Principal Jaime Ramos initiate a green project at the school as part of their community service. They cleaned up the school garden and worked with the school students to create an organic green space that will yield food and flowers for the Hill Central Community. The project is the first of a broader school beautification initiative that Joyner hopes to pitch to Principal Ramos and Dr. Iline Tracey to inspire students to take more responsibility for their learning environment and be more ecologically minded about the need for improvements in the neighborhood and beyond.
“The recent California fires and hurricanes have driven home the need for immediate actions by youth and adults to do something to save our planet,” Joyner noted. He further stated concern with the high rate of murders and other negative statistics among urban males and believes that projects like this can bring young men together and show them how they can work across their differences and build their futures while helping others. “I was fortunate to be born into a family of wise and educated elders who believed in me, my sister, and the young people in our extended family and our community.” My ancestors made tremendous sacrifices for our family and our country so that I could live in a world better than the one they lived in. I owe it to them to do what I can to uphold the family tradition of service, sacrifice and courage.”
Joyner expressed a particular fondness for his colleagues at Hill Central and the children in the school. He is especially pleased with the dedication of principal Ramos and assistant principal Nicole Brown to create a family-like environment. He believes that this project is the start of a movement to have children take more responsibility for their lives and living spaces. He already has a bike ride to benefit cancer patients. Stay tuned. This group has plans to do as much as they can to improve the lives of young men.
Isaiah Singleton lending a hand.
We need more programs that support positive experiences for young men and guide them into adulthood with a sense of community and activism and responsibility. Thank you to Mr Joyner and Mr Moore for stepping up and creating an organization dedicated to doing just that.