KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A barber and mentor from Knoxville said people in Black communities face a set of issues that can be difficult for most agencies to approach. Young people may not have a chance to learn about their identities, and they may end up feeling isolated.
So, Robert Williams started a nonprofit to help young Black men learn more about who they are. It is named YOVEMENT, an acronym for 'Youth Obtaining Valuable Empowering Mentorship Encouraging New Thinking.'
"Born and raised in Knoxville, Lonsdale," he said. "It was rough, poor, grew up with a single mom who had a sixth-grade education."
After persevering through obstacle after obstacle, Williams now owns Kutting Kings Barbershop located near the University of Tennessee campus. Around 8 years ago, he said one of his customers was shot and killed.
So, he wanted to make a change in the community. He didn't just want to prevent people from becoming victims. He said he wanted to do something to stop people from becoming shooters, too.
"For whatever reason, this time it hit me different," he said. "Normally, when someone gets killed, we think about what can we do to protect the next victim. What about how can we protect a shooter before he becomes a shooter?"
YOVEMENT helps young men overcome a variety of life's challenges. It helps give them skills in financial literacy while teaching them about Black history. It also helps them learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics following a curriculum for lessons.
All the while, the nonprofit connects them with male role models who act as mentors to help guide young men through whatever their lives challenge them with. Most of the mentors are connected with the community while studying at UT.
The nonprofit is set to launch on Jan. 24 in partnership with UT and the City of Knoxville. Anyone interested in participating in YOVEMENT can reach them online.