wfn.org | The Simba Circle -- Changing the Lives of African American Boys

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

September 14, 2000

THE SIMBA CIRCLE -- CHANGING THE LIVES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN 
BOYS AND MEN FOR THE BETTER
00-FE-06-BW

     Strawberry Point, Iowa (ELCA) -- "Too Black, too strong!" was the
daily chant of about 150 African American boys and men from 22 cities
across the United States who came here to participate in a two-week
program, The Simba Circle.  Sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA) Division for Church in Society, The Simba Circle is
now in its seventh year.  It provides activities, programs and events
that promote education, cultural clarification and spiritual development
to benefit the young men, their families and their communities.  In
Swahili "Simba" means young lion.
     "After the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles in 1992, we realized
that an entire of generation of African American males were either
forgotten about or written off," said Gaylord Thomas, ELCA director for
community development services, Division for Church in Society.
     "It was this turn of events that made some of us realize that
something had to be done.  After participating in a number of meetings
where the topic of discussion was the young African American male, a
group of us came together in a meeting of the minds and The Simba Circle
is the result," Thomas said.
     "Early on we realized that this was a never-ending work in
progress.  With all the tools and all the experiences we've incurred
over the last seven years Simba is still very much a Spirit- driven,
day-by-day venture," said Thomas.
     Thomas provides leadership and direction to The Simba Circle.
     Simba blends The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa, The Nguzo Saba --
the gospel of Jesus Christ -- and the cultural richness of Africa and
African American people to reach African American males and those who
journey with them.
     Kwanzaa is a non-religious celebration of the oneness and goodness
of life during which African Americans are called to reflect upon and
honor their past, evaluate and understand their present, and dedicate
themselves to a fuller, more productive future.  The seven-day
celebration starts Dec. 26.  Each day focuses on one of the seven
principles: Umjoa -- unity; Kujichagulia -- self-determination; Ujima --
collective work and responsibility; Ujamaa -- cooperative economics ;
Nia -- purpose; Kuumba -- creativity; and Imani -- faith.  All seven
principles are biblically based.
     "The spiritual aspect of the Simba process is critical," said
Thomas.
     Simba camp participants are organized in groups.  They are
"Simbas," "Nation Builders" and "Elders."  Nation Builders act as
mentors to the young men.  They are ages 19 to 35 and range from former
gang members to college graduates.  Nation Builders are expected to
relate to the young men on their levels and lead them through the
process of self-discovery.  They share personal experiences and stories
of their faith and life journeys.
     Prior to the camp Nation Builders are interviewed by the council
of elders who consist of ELCA staff, members of ELCA congregations,
community leaders and other professionals.  Four- to six-day training
sessions are conducted to determine strong points and to identify areas
of potential weakness.
     Nation Builders are presented with a series of situations that
they may encounter during the camp, environmental training and training
on African culture and rituals.
     "On the final day of training the Nation Builders lead a ritual to
affirm who they are and their completion of training.  During this
ritual I was choked up with tears," said Thomas.  "They were tears of
sorrow and tears of joy.  Sorrow because after seven years I can fully
anticipate the struggle we are about to partake.  Tears of joy because
of what comes out on the other side," Thomas said.
     The Simbas, ages 10 to 18, are organized in "tribes" according to
age.  They come to the camp from a variety of home lives.  Some are in
foster care or live with relatives, and some live in single-parent or
two-parent homes.  Their experiences range from abandonment to living
"the American dream."
     Dr. Lewis Dodley, Columbus, Ohio, heads the Outward Bound program
at the camp.  Outward Bound programs use the outdoors to teach people
about themselves, their relationships with nature and other people, and
how they can use these experiences at home, in daily life and in their
professional careers.
     "We try to help these young men to unravel the message of what it
takes to be a real man.  They have all these myths of what a 'real man'
is, so we try to dispel those myths," said Dodley.
     "Those myths limit you from crying, showing your real feelings.
They limit you from having fun in a lot of ways.  The role-play we do at
the camp, dispels some of the myths that a man is not supposed to cry,
that a man is supposed to take care of everything and that he has to be
strong at all times," he said.
     "Weaving my own experiences along with academics has helped me to
be able to deliver the message to these young men that those are all
myths -- that men can and do cry, that you do not have to be strong all
the time and that it is okay to be yourself," Dodley said.
     Dodley helps to facilitate the training of the Nation Builders and
supervises the high-adventure sports.
     During Nation Builder training the council of elders observes and
evaluates potential Nation Builders.
     "First, we are looking for someone who is spiritually grounded,
not necessarily religious but spiritual.   We are looking for that
person who has a passion for working with children, a person who knows
or understands the trauma or the things that they [the boys] have dealt
with," said Dodley.   "If one had negative feelings toward his father he
must have dealt with those problems before he can help any of these
young men," he said.
     "We need to know where they [Nation Builders] stand on drugs and
alcohol.  We are looking for people who are consistent and are willing
to make a commitment.  We are looking for young men who are eager to
learn, energetic, and who can dry a tear if there is a need.  We are
looking for someone who has gifts to share, and we all have gifts even
if that gift is simply talking or listening," said Dodley.
     The curriculum for Simba "comes from a wide range of sources, from
people who have worked with youth, and/or have developed self-help
material," said Venus Williams, director of the Kujichagulia Lutheran
Center and SeedFolks Youth Ministry, Milwaukee Lutheran Coalition, a
ministry of the ELCA Greater Milwaukee Synod.
     Williams sits with "The Circle of Wisdom," a planning team, that
meets two or three times during the year preceding the camp to evaluate
the previous camp and identify needs for the upcoming camp based on
hometown needs.
     "If we identify a need to work on the effects that domestic
violence has on children or gang recruitment, we can plan to deal with
these situations," said Williams.
     "Our curriculum covers everything from conflict resolution and
anger management to goal setting and life planning.  African and African
American history, health and nutrition, safety, and male, female, peer
and family relationships are also key areas covered in the curriculum,"
she said.
     "I appreciate the peace of mind that I get when I come to Simba
camp," said LaMar Baker,  Chicago.  This is the second year Baker has
attended Simba Camp as a Simba.
     "The Kuumba [creativity] principle helps me to come up with
creative solutions to problems sometimes.  Some of what I've learned at
camp helps me to get along a little better with my younger brother," he
said.   "We still argue, but we don't fight like we used to.  We have
better respect for each other, and I think we learned that here," said
Baker.
     "It's important that, as a Nation Builder, you establish a
relationship as a leader without jeopardizing the relationship of trust
and respect with these young men," said Joseph Duncan Williams III.
Williams attended his second camp as a Nation Builder.
     "I know the struggle of some of these young men.  I've been
there," he said.
     "I grew up on the streets of Chicago, not because I didn't have a
home.   It was the lure of what was forbidden that attracted me to the
street.  I can relate to their struggles on their level.  I
understand,"said Duncan.
     "Simba can change your life because it gives you a spiritual base.
A lot of young men do not like religion," said Jerard White, Chicago.
White was a Nation Builder attending his third Simba camp.
     "Simba helps you with spirituality and helps you establish a
relationship with God.  It teaches you how to handle your anger and how
to deal with life in general," said White.  "It teaches that just
because you're young you are not always wrong."
     "Simba helped to teach me to be in contact with what was paining
me -- what was wrong in my life -- and to realize the good things as
well.  This camp is a comfort zone.  You don't  really have any worries
here.  Once you have this knowledge and apply it to yourself it works,"
White said.
     "I am no longer intimidated by other men.  I've learned what a man
is and how to act like a man, what to listen to and what not listen to.
After my first camp I utilized what I learned to help me make it
through.  Now look at me, I am able to lead another young man to a
positive place in his life and help him make it through," he said.
     "The message here is learn who you are, and not be ashamed of who
you are.  Violence is wrong.   You need to open up and realize that you
cannot do everything by yourself; you need help.  Take what you learn
here and apply it to yourself.  Allow others to learn from your
example," said White.
     White is a senior at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale,
Carbondale, Ill.
     "I grew up without direct contact with my father, so I understand
what some of these boys are going through," said Kamal Haatim Gyenyame,
Columbus, Ohio.  "There are a lot of young Black men out here in the
system [juvenile centers, foster care, etc.] who do not have strong,
positive male influence in their lives.  What they are looking for is
someone to allow them to vent and show them that they are loved.  I try
to provide that," he said.  Gyenyame is a foster-care provider and
third-year Nation Builder.
     "In my home I make sure that the boys are involved with positive
programs such as Simba and involved with other positive youth in the
community.  I try to get them interested in reading and studying and
improving themselves," he said.
     "My experience at the first camp was overwhelming.  It was the
first time in my life that I had been exposed to an entire group of
positive Black men," said Brandon Sands, Chicago.  This was Sands'
seventh year at Simba camp.  He participated for five years as a camper
and for  two years as a Nation Builder.
     "Just seeing young men from the ages of 17 to 25  who are focused
seriously changed my attitude about a lot of things.  It gave me a new
light and vision about life.   Before the camp I thought that my life
revolved around the South Side of Chicago.  After coming here my eyes
and mind were opened to the fact that there is more to life than just
the South Side," Sands said. Sands was recently accepted to Clark-Atlanta 
University, Atlanta.
     "As a Nation Builder the torch is in my hands, and I have a
responsibility to pass it on.  I've got an advantage over a number of
the other Nation Builders because I've been on both sides, first as a
camper and now as a Nation Builder, and I've been here every year since
the beginning," he said.
     "I have my own personal struggles, but the struggles are lessened.
By coming to this camp I've been equipped with the weapons to fight the
battles and deal with the struggles of everyday life," said Sands.
     "Simba camp saved my life.  My mind and the way I see the world
has totally changed.  What I want to do now is deposit what I've learned
here into the kids that are coming to camp now and to future camps," he
said.
     "There are kids all over this country who believe that their
neighborhood, circumstance or situation is 'it.'  They believe the state
that their lives are in is not going to get any better.  My job is to
show them that it can and does get better and that life does not revolve
around Kansas City, Milwaukee, New York or Alabama," Sands said.
     "If we had a program like this year-round that teaches us about
our history, had positive role models and could teach everything that's
taught here in two weeks, the results would be remarkable," he said.
     "When you get results like Brandon and others turning their lives
around and coming back consistently to share and give back, that makes
it all worth while," said Thomas.
     Simba camp is funded by the ELCA Division for Church in Society,
ELCA Domestic Hunger Funds, Division for Congregational Ministries,
registration fees, donations from ELCA congregations and other
denominations.

     News photos to accompany this story are available on the Web at
www.elca.org/co/news/images.simbacircle.html

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html