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Charles
S. “Roc” Dutton
and Experts Ignite
EMBODI Initiative
by Michelle Brown and Deborah Cuffee
The Fort
Worth Alumnae Chapter
embraced Delta’s new EMBODI initiative by inviting
actor, producer and director Charles S. Dutton to join
local experts in a discussion of the ever increasing
crisis of African-American male youth. Panelists
representing the education, faith and the criminal
justice communities included Dr. Ernest Thomas,
president of Tarrant County College South Campus; Rev.
Maverick Gayden, Fort Worth pastor; and Sean Colston, a
Tarrant County Assistant District Attorney. The panel
discussion was a major highlight of the chapter’s 20th
Annual Sisterhood Luncheon on Nov. 7, 2009.
Dutton’s
life story was compelling, and the perfect example to
epitomize what EMBODI must address. Reared on the tough
streets of East Baltimore, the actor recalled, “In my
neighborhood, more guys went to prison than school.”
That became his reality when at 17, he was sentenced to
prison for manslaughter. In a dramatic turnaround, after
spending a combined 12 years in reform school and
prison, he graduated from an Ivy League drama school and
from there achieved stardom on stage and screen. His
odyssey gives hope to youth that struggles can be
overcome and lives can be saved.
The
chapter’s Sisterhood Luncheon was host to hundreds,
including a large male contingent. Parenting, mentoring,
early intervention and faith-based involvement were
repeated themes voiced by the panelists. Rev. Gayden
admitted “the church must be more transparent” to meet
the needs of youth today. Dr. Thomas challenged guests
to “begin within your own community, and work outward to
enrich all.” Tarrant County ADA Colston agreed that
youth diversion programs are proven deterrents. But
Dutton credits his success to reading the works of
playwright August Wilson while in prison and advocates
theater arts as an after-school alternative. Using the
charter school concept, Dutton also recommended radical
changes in how the black community educates its youth by
creating African-centric, gender-based boarding schools.
He told the audience, including young boys from the Men
of Umoja Mentoring Program, they would find “no one on
the planet who has achieved anything by not being
educated.”
Fort
Worth Alumnae and Tarrant County College collaborated
with Dutton in bringing his autobiographical play, “From
Jail to Yale,” to Fort Worth following the luncheon that
evening. “What I want to do is shed some light into my
early life before I found the theatre. This show is my
personal journey, how certain events in a prison cell
changed my life and thoughts,” said Dutton.
Fort
Worth Alumnae used the
luncheon forum and the positive reception of the EMBODI
initiative as springboards to action. The chapter’s new
EMBODI committee met with several male mentoring
organizations for a think-tank to discuss pertinent
strategies. As a result, Fort Worth Alumnae recently
partnered with UMOJA, which serves African-American
males ages 7-15 years. Dr. Deborah Cuffee and
Doris Culver served as luncheon chair and co-chair,
respectively; and Denise Dobbins serves as EMBODI
Committee chair. The president of the Fort Worth Alumnae
Chapter is Barbara Cager.
Pictures (Click to view):
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FWA-EMBODI-01 – Collage
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FWA-EMBODI-02 – EMBODI PANELISTS
Dr. Ernest
Thomas, Charles Dutton, Rev. Maverick Gayden, Sean
Colston
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FWA-EMBODI-03 – FWA Group with Charles Dutton and
actress Erma P. Hall:
Seated:
Actress Erma P. Hall
Middle Row
L to R: Melvylyn
Pace, Jannis Dilworth, Yolanda Walker, Michelle Brown,
Charles “Roc” Dutton, Ernestine Cohee, Bevelia
Curley, Deborah Cuffey, Doris Culver, Kaye Vann Anderson
Top Row L
to R: Elrita
Rogers, Patricia Clark, Annie Dobbins, Carla Moore,
Talemah Jones, Angela Smith, Barbara Cager (Chapter
President), Carol Everhart, Shirley Coggins, Joy
Thomas
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FWA-EMBODI-04 – Men of UMOJA Mentoring Group with
Charles Dutton, Erma P. Hall and Dr. Ernest Thomas,
President TCC South Campus
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