Ujamaa Place: A Black Man’s Sketch

S3, E6: Can’t Put a Price on Freedom

Underground vs. mainstream music? Ujamaa Men J. Cole, Maurice, Antino, Kylan and Wes weigh the pros and cons of a $20+ billion industry, in which artists in record numbers are choosing not to go the major label route in order to retain creative control.
About Ujamaa Place
Ujamaa Place provides holistic transformation opportunities for young Black men experiencing inequity at the intersection of race and poverty and helps them achieve brotherhood, stability and personal success.
A Black Man's Sketch is a social enterprise under the Ujamaa Place Theory of Transformation Employment training and development program.  The men earn an above living and sustainable wage while learning valuable skills in media training courses.  The classes are taught by Monique Linder of OMG Media Solutions. The program is funded in part by @SharedInfluence.  Learn more at: ujamaaplace.org
An OMG Studios production.

S3, E5: Knowledge is Power

Ujamaa Men Bryant, Antino, Wes, Kylan, and Joe share their personal experiences with the education system in various cities across the US, and discuss ways to improve outcomes for Black students. 
A Black Man's Sketch is available everywhere you listen to podcasts.
Executive Producer: Monique Linder, OMG Studios
Learn more about Ujamaa Place: https://ujamaaplace.org/
 
 

S3, E4: Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome

Ujamaa Men Bryant, Antino, Kylan, Wes and Maurice deconstruct post traumatic slave syndrome and discuss ways to move beyond it.   
Listen to A Black Man's Sketch everywhere you listen to podcasts.  Learn more about Ujamaa Place at: https://ujamaaplace.org/.
 

S3, E3: Fatherhood with Guy Bowling of The Father Project

A Black Man's Sketch Season 3, Episode 3: “FATHERHOOD”
Ujamaa Place brothers Bryant, Maurice, Kaylan, Antino, Julio and Wes discuss “Fatherhood” with Guy Bowling, Senior Manager of THE FATHER Project About Guy Bowling Guy Bowling is the Senior Manager of the FATHER Project, a program of Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota. In that role, he has overseen the successful implementation of 3 federally funded grants. Including a five-year $2.5 million annual grant project in 2012 funded through the federal Department of Health and Human Services, through the Office of Family Assistance (OFA). His specific area of focus is working with low-income, non-custodial, never married fathers and their families in culturally specific, multi-racial, multi-ethnic and rural communities. He received his B.A in Individualized Studies from Metro State University. He received his Master of Public Affairs degree (MPA) at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. He received the Outstanding Individual of the Year Award at the 2014 Minnesota Fathers and Families Network Annual Conference. Born in Chicago, Illinois Guy grew up in North Minneapolis, MN where he annually hosts the Festival of Fathers & Families event, the largest fatherhood convening’s statewide focused on building relationships, co-parenting, connecting, celebrating fatherhood and providing resources for Fathers, Men, Boys and Families. He was selected as a 2020 Bush Fellow through the Bush Foundation Fellowship Program. For more information about the Father Project, go to: https://www.goodwilleasterseals.org/services/family-stability/father This episode is dedicated to all Ujamaa Men who strive to be a good father and put in the work to connect with their family under the connect with family Theory of Transformation program requirement.

S3, E2: Community Harm Reduction - BHM Edition

A Black Man’s Sketch podcast is brought you in part by Shared Influence.
Season 3, Episode 2: “COMMUNITY HARM REDUCTION”
Ujamaa Place brothers Bryant, Maurice, Kaylan, Antino, Julio and Wes discuss ways to reduce drugs and violence in all forms plaguing the community.  They also share what Black History Month means to them.
This episode is dedicated to the loving memory of all our Ujamaa brothers lost to violence.  Rest in power.
Music credits:
“On A Mission” by Ujamaa Music Group
“Young, Gift and Black” by Nina Simone performed by Thomasina Petrus
Listen everywhere you get your podcasts!!!
 

A Minute in Black History (Replay)

Recorded in 2018, A Minute In Black History was produced to honor Black History leaders, voiced by leaders in the community.
This year's Commemorate Black History & Culture theme of cultivating the BELOVED COMMUNITY is supported by Ujamaa Place, Saint Paul Public Library, MN Humanities Center and Public Art Saint, in partnership with The City of Saint Paul, MN Arts Council, Young Rembrandts and produced by OMG Studios.
For more information, go to: https://ujamaaplace.org/commemorate-black-history-culture/
Community Leaders:
Monique Linder, Booker T. Washington (founder/CEO OMG Media Solutions)
Otis Zanders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (former CEO of Ujamaa Place)
Dr. Charles Morgan, Emmit Till (former CEO of Union Gospel Mission)
Bukola Oriola, Frederick Douglass (Entrepreneur/Talent)
Kaseem Abdul, Mass Incarceration (CEO at Abdur Razzaq Counseling)
Johnny Allen, Jr., Poor People's Campaign (owner Johnny Knuckles, Inc.)
 
 
 
 

S3, E1: Addiction with Wellness Coach Rashad Hameed

A Black Man’s Sketch Season 3, Episode 1 “ADDICTION” with special guest Rashad Hameed, Ujamaa Place Wellness
Coach Guest Bio: Rashad is a native of Harlem, New York and a recovering addict in long term sobriety. He has served the Twin Cities and surrounding areas for more than 30 years through his work as a Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor (LADC) and Manager in a culturally based treatment organization (African-American Family Services) and as a Supervisor in Adult and Juvenile Probation in Dakota and Ramsey counties respectively. Rashad holds a BA and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management & Communications from Concordia University. Through the lens of his work, Rashad brings a culturally specific perspective and a clarity of vision, empowering clients to reach needed milestones for their personal growth and development. Rashad is passionate about social justice and repairing the harm that institutional and systemic racism has created in the community he serves.”
If you have a question or a topic that you would like us to cover, please contact us at: ABMS@ujamaaplace.org
Ujamaa Place is partnering with @SharedInfluence to spread the word about how harm reduction programs can keep communities healthy. 
 

S2, E9: Reflecting on Otis Zanders’ Career of Service with Commr. Harrington

A Black Man's Sketch Season 2, Episode 9
Reflections on Otis Zanders' Retirement with Commissioner of Public Safety John Harrington
About Commissioner John Harrington
John Harrington was appointed commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety by Gov. Tim Walz in January 2019. Prior to his appointment, Harrington served as the Metro Transit Chief of Police for the Twin Cities area, overseeing significant growth of the agency and increasing diversity of the department from 5 to 50 percent. In 1977, Harrington began at the St. Paul Police Department as a patrol officer, working his way up the chain of command. He was selected chief of police in 2004 and served in that role until 2010. As chief, he addressed some of St. Paul’s most difficult problems. This resulted in numerous successes, including the development of innovative programs that have greatly reduced domestic violence and gang involvement. Harrington served as a Minnesota state senator from the east side of St. Paul from 2010 to 2012. Harrington has been on the faculty at Metropolitan State University, Saint Mary’s University, and the University of St. Thomas​, where he has taught Leadership, Demographics, Community Oriented Policing, and Gangs. Harrington is a founding member of the Asian-American and black police officer associations. He helped launch and currently chairs the board at Ujamaa Place, a non-profit agency that works with African-American men to transition them out of prison and gangs to become productive community members. Harrington was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth University and master’s degree from the University of St. Thomas. He is the father of five adult children and has 16 grandchildren, and currently resides in the Twin Cities.
About Otis Zanders
Otis Zanders retired from his role as CEO of Ujamaa Place on September 30, 2022.  Otis Zanders was raised during the Jim Crow era in Mississippi. He was the first in his family to graduate high school. His mother insisted he attend college, to which he obliged and was awarded an academic scholarship to Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, MN.  Zanders credits his mother who instilled a value system based on his African ancestry of love, strength, determination and courage to fight for the most marginalized populations in society.  Zanders’ internship with the Minnesota Department of Corrections during his final semester at Gustavus Adolphus College in January 1977, ignited his passion to serve his community by getting proximate to men involved in the criminal justice system and helping to transform their lives.  During his nearly 35-year career with the Department of Corrections, Zanders served at various locations around Minnesota and retired as warden of the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Red Wing, MN at the end of 2011.In 2012, Zanders decided he was not quite ready to give up service altogether and accepted the role as President/CEO of Ujamaa Place.