Community Link: Supporting educational development in young people

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Each week on Community Link, Carolene Mays takes a look at an organization or business that is making a positive impact on the community.

This week, Mays was joined by Robert Jackson, an Indianapolis native and best-selling author of seven books, including his latest, “Mothers Raising Sons.”

Jackson travels around the world, speaking and presenting a curriculum to help schools and organizations, aid and support the youth.

Jackson reflects on his upbringing in Brightwood, noting his observations of how educators engaged with children, particularly Black and Hispanic boys, and how he found those interactions troubling.

“I saw educators interacting with our kids, especially our black and Hispanic males who are the most suspended kids in the school systems across the U.S. and Canada. So, I decided to be a part of the solution Instead of the problem,” he said. “I wanted to put some workshops together to try to teach educators how to educate, activate, and motivate our kids to be great. And it just turned into this big conglomerate of doing keynotes and speaking all over the world now. So that wasn’t my plan, but I embrace it.”

Before becoming a best-selling author and speaking globally to educators, Jackson briefly played in the NFL. In the mid-90s, he found himself “limping into a classroom” at Arlington High School to begin his teaching career.

“Here I am broken, just got cut, and now I’m teaching kids who are coming from broken backgrounds and you know, a person giving you advice has their own set of shortcomings, but it doesn’t mean they can’t give you the piece that you’re missing,” he said. “So I started teaching and coaching at Arlington and I just went as I was and you know, started connecting with kids and started building from there and started going around and working with schools in the Indianapolis area.”

Jackson developed a curriculum called “No More Excuses,” founded on the belief that every problem has a solution.

“I just wanted to put some curriculums together. It’s gonna teach educators how to connect with kids, but also how to connect with yourself. I believe self-care is extremely important, and educators have to connect with yourself before you connect with anybody else. The best love is self-love,” he said.

Jackson also discusses his latest book, “Mothers Raising Sons,” which explores various strategies mothers can use to connect with their sons during challenging times.

Watch the full interview above to learn more.