Leadership Roundtable – Images and Insights

L.E.A.D. Ambassadors and Community Leaders participate in Inaugural L.E.A.D. Ambassadors Leadership and Community Roundtable Discussion October 18, 2020 – Galleria314 – Atlanta, GA

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Why the Roundtable Discussion

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L.E.A.D.’s mission is to empower an at-risk generation to lead and transform their city of Atlanta by using the sport of baseball to empower Black youth to overcome crime, poverty, and racism. L.E.A.D. added an event to the Safe at Home Game program in 2020 – the Inaugural L.E.A.D. Ambassadors Leadership and Community Roundtable Discussion.

Kelli Stewart, L.E.A.D.’s COO and Co-Founder, provides insight into how L.E.A.D. empowers its Ambassadors to overcome crime, poverty, and racism: “You have to be put in situations where you can talk about those things and not just talk about them but talk about them with some very powerful people.”

To find the powerful to fill the role of facilitator, L.E.A.D. CEO and Co-Founder, CJ Stewart had this to say: “Systemic racism is a real thing and when I think about racism; before it’s about people, it’s about power. Actually one of the things that I was considering when I was interviewing people was I was saying if the people that we’re bringing here to be facilitators if they do something wrong will it make national news?”

To that end, on October 18, 2020, L.E.A.D. presented its Inaugural L.E.A.D. Ambassadors Leadership and Community Roundtable Discussion at Galleria 314 where community leaders – Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, Retired MARTA Chief of Police Wanda Dunham, Georgia’s Own Credit Union General Counsel, Matt Havice, Fulton County Sheriff-elect, Patrick Labat, and Chief Judge Fulton County Superior Court, Robert McBurney – served as discussion facilitators “to pour into our Ambassadors and to guide them and to mentor them.” Kelli Stewart said.

Facilitators: Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan; Retired MARTA Chief of Police and Becoming Chief Author, Wanda Dunham; Georgia’s Own Credit Union General Counsel, Matt Havice; Fulton County Sheriff-elect, Patrick Labat; and Chief Judge Fulton County Superior Court, Robert McBurney

“The kids in this program are obviously God-given leaders and whether or not they lead their communities, they lead a city, they lead a company, a church or some sort of organization throughout their life these are the building blocks I think that are going to help them lead those efforts.” ~ Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan

“I hope that they use this opportunity and expand on it. Because not everybody will have the opportunity to have people to come pour into them and use that. I told them I would like to take them all home with me and that they should all use the opportunities presented to them through the L.E.A.D. program.” ~Retired MARTA Chief of Police and Becoming Chief Author, Wanda Dunham

“I had some scripted questions that were provided. I very rarely had to go to them. The conversation flowed really naturally so it was nice to see the ambassadors start to open up, realize the opportunity they had to talk to some of the folks here and then play that round Robin off each other speaking.” ~Georgia’s Own Credit Union General Counsel, Matt Havice

“We have a responsibility. Anything we can pour into these young men is what we all are committed to. So, it’s a wonderful program and certainly want to continue to pour into these young men.” ~Fulton County Sheriff-elect, Patrick Labat

“It was an amazing leveling experience. These young men who have dealt with a whole lot of troubles that I read about but haven’t experienced and are triumphing in the face of that were talking with the voice of power and they’re talking face to face, voice to voice, about what life is about, acknowledging the unfairness that’s going on out there and confronting that adversity. So, I think it’s the kind of thing they’re going to remember.” ~Chief Judge Fulton County Superior Court, Robert McBurney

L.E.A.D. Ambassadors – Thomas and Jaylen

“For me today it was amazing. I had a lot of fun. I got to interact with a lot of people. My favorite person was the sheriff. He is a really great guy. He just taught me a lot to just be myself and just go out there and connect with people and learn more because you’ll never know what these people may know or who they may know.” ~ L.E.A.D. Ambassador Thomas

“My favorite experience of today was the former police chief. She encouraged me to, because her son started a business so she encouraged me to stay and believe in my business, stick to it, be a good citizen and always do right when nobody is looking.” ~L.E.A.D. Ambassador Jaylen

Special Guests – Chairman, Atlanta Board of Education, Jason Esteves and L.E.A.D. Board Member, DJ Huyck

“We need more people like these young men in the rooms where decisions are made. And at the end of the day the reason I love L.E.A.D, the reason I love Coach Kelly and Coach CJ is because they are molding young men that will ultimately be in rooms where decisions are made.” ~ Chairman, Atlanta Board of Education

“It’s about relationships and getting to know these young men. I hope as other board members in other organizations, non-profit, that you take the time to get engaged and not just be the individuals that just write checks. It helps an organization, it helps your cause, it helps your mission by getting engaged.” ~ L.E.A.D. Board Member and Founder, The MAC Group, LLC, DJ Huyck

Kelli Stewart summed it up at the end of the event: “Many thanks to our facilitators who are here today and many thanks to our Ambassadors. We hope that they see how much we value them and how much we are looking to them to be the future leaders of this city, this nation and this world.”

Thanks to our sponsors: The MAC Group, LLC and Esquire Branding Agency. Catering was provided by Cajun Cousins Catering Services. PPE and other supplies from Office Depot 1801 Howell Mill Rd, Atlanta, GA 30318