Generation Now: Black Male Leaders Pour Into the Future
- CUBNSC
- Sep 20
- 4 min read
By Javar Juarez | CUBNSC | September 20, 2025
Richland County, SC - This morning at Bible Way Church of Atlas Road’s Youth Center, a different kind of Sunday spirit filled the room. The event, called Generation Now, was not about entertainment or ceremony—it was about Black men pouring into Black boys, standing in the gap at a time when systems in America too often target them instead of nurture them.
Moderator Elder Eric “Freeze” Cameron set the tone immediately. With his signature energy, he called the young men to their feet and declared, “When I say team, you say Jesus!” It was more than a chant; it was a charge to be awake, present, and engaged in the conversation that followed.
On stage sat a panel of leaders whose collective influence spans law, government, education, housing, and community development.
Sam Johnson, former Chief of Staff to Mayor Steve Benjamin, shared how he once dreamed of becoming a professional basketball player until reality forced him to seek new role models.
“I didn’t understand what success meant or what it looked like,” he admitted, before crediting mentors like Dr. Baron Davis for showing him a path forward.
“I knew that I wanted to help my community, but I didn’t understand how it all worked… Proximity is key—being able to see who’s done it before you, how you want to do it differently, how you want to do it better.”
Rep. Kambrell Garvin, who has served in the South Carolina House for nearly eight years, spoke about the power of writing down goals early. As a teenager, he outlined a roadmap for his future and followed it step by step—from graduating high school to becoming a student government leader, then earning multiple degrees and entering public office.
“The Bible says to write the vision and make it plain,” Garvin reminded the audience. “It’s good to have a plan, but it’s also good to stay flexible to God’s will.”
Columbia City Councilman Tyler Bailey told a different kind of story. Unlike Garvin, Bailey admitted he had no clear vision as a boy. What he did know, however, was that he wanted control over his destiny. Watching his father lose a job pushed him to avoid placing his future in anyone else’s hands.
“Even if you don’t know exactly what you want to do, keep yourself on the right path,” Bailey advised. “Don’t close doors on yourself before God has a chance to reveal your vision.”
Richland One School Board Commissioner Jamie Devine recalled growing up as a preacher’s kid in Aiken. For him, church life instilled discipline and leadership from an early age. “I knew I wanted to lead,” he said, describing his long trajectory through student government and community work. His message to the youth was simple: exposure matters.
“Our church took us places that broadened our view of the world. That made the difference.”
“Repeat after me. I am valuable. I am smart. I am an African American male. I can do anything I put my mind to.”
Finally, Richland County Council Vice-Chair Derrek Pugh gave perhaps the morning’s most raw testimony. Growing up in public housing, he admitted he had no structure until his father intervened. Moving into his father’s home meant new discipline and responsibility—from cutting neighbors’ lawns to absorbing lessons about hard work.
“My dad lived in the suburbs, but he was a hard-working man. He worked at a sawmill, and that’s where I learned my work ethic from,” Pugh recalled.
“My job is to facilitate exposure and help eliminate roadblocks, and I live by it.”
Later, he said bluntly, “Benedict College saved my life.” His journey from the projects to public office embodied the message that no beginning is too small to grow into leadership.
Throughout the discussion, common themes emerged: set goals and write them down, surround yourself with the right people, and stay disciplined enough to avoid the pitfalls that ensnare too many young men. The leaders challenged the youth not only to dream but also to take action, reminding them that instant gratification is a myth.
“It takes sacrifice, patience, and persistence,” Cameron said, summarizing the panel’s lessons.
At the close of the event, organizer Daniel McKelvey spoke to the heart behind Generation Now. His intent was clear: to carve out a space where Black men could affirm one another, pour wisdom into the youth, and build continuity of leadership across generations. “This is about making sure our young men see themselves in us,” McKelvey said.
“We want them to know that their value, their future, and their power cannot be defined by a system built to break them.”
In a society where Black men are too often caricatured or criminalized, Generation Now offered a different picture—one of brotherhood, accountability, and hope. For the boys who filled the Youth Center this morning, the message was unmistakable:
you are valuable, you are smart, and you can do anything you set your mind to.
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