Black History Today: C.J. Dancer and Willie Seals III, two men committed to the excellence in others

This post is part of an ongoing Black History Month series written by Marcus Harden, a truly unsung hero of South Seattle, as he honors the living legacy of Black history in his community and beyond, and recognizes the people who are shaping the future.

---

---

My big brother was Big's brother

So here's a few words from your kid brother

If you admire somebody you should go ahead and tell um

People never get the flowers while they could still smell um

A idol in my eyes, God of the game

Heart of the city, Rockafella chain

Never be the same, never be another

Number 1 young Hov also my big brother

-Kanye West, Big Brother

Webster's dictionary defines the word Synergy as the benefit that results when two or more agents work together to achieve something either one couldn't have achieved on its own. It's the concept of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

One of the cultural earmarks of the black community has always been its ability to band together in times of strife, yet finding synergy to thrive beyond surviving, is often difficult. That is multiplied when it comes to African American males, many who spend much of their energy surviving the day in the workplace, education space and sometimes just in general.

Synergy, however, isn’t just acquired amongst humans, there is some natural chemistry that happens, yet much like any relationship, it takes trust, work and a belief in oneself, each other and a commitment to something greater than oneself.  CJ Dancer and Willie Seals, epitomize that synergy which radiates into energy that has affected the educational and life outcomes for young people across the state of Washington.

CJ Dancer a native of South East Seattle attended Cleveland High School and then the University of Washington. CJ’s demeanor and personality hide the still waters that truly are an evolutionary force, whether blazing the trail in college, revitalizing social organizations, leading statewide organizations and people of color toward the STEM Fields, leading the City of Seattle in a free college for all campaign or tutoring young men and women at the local goodwill to pass the SAT, CJ has found himself not just committed to but leading a life of service.

Willie Seals III is the definition of authentic servant leadership, a roll your sleeves up throwback, his journey began in the Central District of Seattle, WA. Attending Garfield High School and eventually graduating from Chicago State University, Willie has led a life of light and discovery that has helped shine into others. Whether as a student-athlete in track & field, dawning the infamous red city year jacket and timberlands, affecting policy change with the Puget Sound ESD or setting an example for healthy living, Willie is always moving and evolving forward.

While fulfilled with their individual success, they knew there was more. The casual conversation turned into an intentional conversation which transformed into purposeful action. In 2012 their synergy would turn into the energy that would become their Co-Founding of the Academy for Creating Excellence, an organization whose mission would be to create environments for African American young men to thrive and for African American men to feel a sense of worthiness and dignity, specifically within the educational space.

Now in its seventh year of existence, the vision of these two men has become a reality, serving across six schools in Puget Sound to better societal and educational outcomes for African American young men. However, what is most remarkable about both men, is their commitment to living their teachings. CJ, a proud husband of his supportive and inspiring wife and his two children, making sure that he is everything he had and didn’t have as a child is everything and more he gives to his children. His service to the community never outweighing his first commitment, which is his family.

Not to be outdone, Willie is one of the most committed and proudest fathers you’ll meet. Raising three sons (alongside an awesome mother of their children), Willie serves as coach, friend, confidant, bowling partner and true role model for what he wants his sons to be. Whether at his sons' school, the soccer field, basketball court or spelling bee, Willie is often not only father to his sons but surrogate to those fathers who can’t be present.

These two men model the phrase they often have all of their young men repeat, not just as a mantra but as a statement of fact when they ask the question, “Who Am I?” and require the response, “I am Excellence”. Cj and Willie have utilized their own triumphs and more importantly their triumphs as educators, social servants, sons, brothers, fathers, husbands and as men to create space for young men and other men to stand beside them and seek their own excellence, no ego, no jealousy, just brotherhood and a commitment to excellence.

Cj Dancer and Willie Seals bring the energy of synergy into any environment they enter, they are truly making an impact in the lives of hundreds of young men and their families, they are excellent and they are Black History, today!

To learn more and support CJ and Willie, please visit: www.ACEAcademyWA.org

Upendo!

-MLH

Black History Today: Reflecting on our collective greatness

---

---

“Love is always new. Regardless of whether we love once, twice, or a dozen times in our life, we always face a brand-new situation. Love can consign us to hell or to paradise, but it always takes us somewhere. We simply have to accept it, because it is what nourishes our existence. If we reject it, we die of hunger, because we lack the courage to reach out a hand and pluck the fruit from the branches of the tree of life. We have to take love where we find it, even if it means hours, days, weeks of disappointment and sadness. The moment we begin to seek love, love begins to seek us. And to save us.”-Paulo Coehlo

I firmly believe that God is LOVE, so I want to first give honor to God for hopefully manifesting that agape love through me to others. Secondly, a big shout out to Matt Halverson at RiseupforStudents.org for his belief in all children, his belief in me and allowing me to join his platform to share about the dopeness that I’ve been blessed to encounter. Lastly to my Mom, Dad, my nephsons, young lives in the Batcave, friends, and family, just love, just love!

Now with all the mushy stuff out of the way, LOL, the dope thing about writing these has become that I learn so much more about people that I’ve been able to encounter in this journey we call life. We have so many local heroes/heroines that go in and out of our lives daily, we have to slow down sometimes and just say, I see you and all that you do.

The best part of Black History Today is the moment one of the articles are posted and you get to see all of the likes and comments from other people, sharing their appreciation for folks who don’t always get to hear how much they matter. Conversely tied for the worst part, is these being surprises to those being written about because I feel like I leave so much on the table about them and there only being 28 days in the month!

Writing these teaches me a few things, all things are lessons that God would have us learn. These are a few of the lessons learned:

1. Writing daily gives me great respect for anyone who writes for a living, as the process of writing is daunting in and of itself, coupled with making sure that to those who don’t know these people their essence is properly conveyed. You never truly know how much you use the word, embody until you’re writing every day, lol.

2. There are so many Black People, who are doing amazing things, some in synergy and some in silos. The collective impact is astounding, it makes you wonder what could be, even in a city like Seattle (where most of the folks are) if there was an opportunity for collective impact of all these incredible efforts and talents.

3. People who live lives of service, rarely ever take pictures by themselves. Amongst all of this year's Black History Today showcases, the hardest thing to do was to find a picture of them, alone. That common trend made me realize that being with, being near and loving on others just isn’t what these people do, it is indeed who they are. In a culture of selfie sticks and look at me, they are selfless and look at us.

4. To steal a quote from a great influence of mine, coach Walter Kramer down in San Antonio, “I am but a shallow reflection of the reflection of life that have shined into mine”. I would often have to take breaks from writing some of these and truly be grateful for the fantastic people that I have been blessed to encounter, whether in Seattle or LA, Atlanta or the Bay, in a world that doesn’t showcase ordinary people doing extraordinary things, it is not lost on me that I am indeed blessed to know them!

I truly am honored to be able to share about these people, please know the original list is much more than I can ever write about, which means there will be 27-30 more folks next year (and years to come) for us to learn about and honor. My hope is though that we don’t wait until February, or birthdays or the holidays to truly celebrate those in our lives that do amazing things.

My greatest lesson came in the same form through three of the features, Mrs. Jones, Justin Cheadle, and Jamal Crawford. Mrs. Jones is in the form of giving people the flowers while they can still smell them because she deserved that and I missed an opportunity to tell her the last time I encountered her, ironically, she teaches me one last lesson I won’t fall short on again.

Jamal, in the form of as the universe having it, me seeing him a couple of weeks after writing his and him saying, “We’ve known each other 20 years, I never knew you looked at me like that” which was striking to me, because I say what I wrote about him to everyone, but I’ve never said it to him, so sometimes we assume people know, even those who write articles to inspire us to share more gratitude, (message!).

Lastly with Justin, who I communicate with about fitness and life almost daily, who I never knew despite his success (Cal, NFL, Dope Father/Husband/Trainer) what the affirmation in the identity in being “Black” let alone “Black History”  meant for and to him, his response moved me emotionally as at times in my life, I’ve felt that same way of not being “black” enough.

It speaks to affirming life into those who are our history, today. I truly thank you all for going on this year's journey with me, I hope you stick around for the bi-weekly blog, support RiseupforStudents.org other content and most importantly, love each other authentically and intentionally.

Each and every one of us is here for a purpose, somebody somewhere sees you! Keep showing up in spaces, keep making history in your office, classroom, kitchen, barbershop and just by being, you! Live today and every day with purpose and on purpose, as we’re all truly, Black History, today!

Upendo!

-MLH