"Rebuilding Families, Repairing Relationships, and Reconstructing Broken Lives for Newly Released Inmates."

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There is no doubt in any one’s mind that the young African-American male in the United States is in trouble. Comprising more than 50% of the prison population whilst only representing 12% of the population as a whole. Factoring in the addition of high degrees of incarceration, death, homelessness , and joblessness. In addition to the early high school drop-out rate, lack of job training and education, and far too many times being a father with the lack of a positive male role model in the life of young African American males has far reaching, generational impacts.

 

RIZE UP!, Inc. recognizes that young men need to be taught by their fathers, uncles, and older brothers what it means to be a man. In far too many single parent homes that role model has been non-existent. Due to the lack of positive male influence, young men are often doomed to seek influence from peers, or worse; losing hope in becoming anything at all.

 

Men are hunters by nature and competitive in spirit. An overriding factor in growing into manhood is integrity and resilience. Author, John Gray said it best when he stated the following: "If a man doesn’t feel that he can do something well, he just won’t do it at all.” This fully explains absent fathers.