Planting Seeds of Greatness: Raising Thinkers and Leaders Through Young Saviours Academy & Bravo Zulu Chess Academy

BLXCR EDITORIAL | FEATURE STORY

Raising Leaders and Thinkers — Not Followers: The Powerful Mission of Young Saviours Academy & Bravo Zulu Chess Academy

In a time when our youth need guidance, structure, and vision, Young Saviours Academy and Bravo Zulu Chess Academy are stepping forward to shape disciplined minds, strong character, and future leadership. Through strategy, mentorship, and community unity, these brothers are proving that real change begins with teaching our children how to think, not just follow.

When too many conversations focus on what’s wrong in our neighborhoods, it was refreshing—and necessary—to sit with brothers who are actually doing the work to make things right. Brother James Muhammad of Young Saviors Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Brother Shaka of Bravo Zulu Chess Academy in the Washington, D.C. area, joined BLXCR for a profile conversation rooted in one central truth: our people need structure, our children need guidance, and our communities need builders—not spectators.

This wasn’t just an interview about two programs. It was a reminder that marginalized communities cannot afford to wait for rescue. We must create what we need, protect what we build, and train the next generation with intention. As the brothers made clear, the crisis we see—violence, hopelessness, academic decline, poor decision-making, and mental health struggles—doesn’t come from nowhere. It grows where discipline is absent, where consistent mentorship is missing, and where children are left to raise themselves in environments flooded with confusion and pressure.

Brother James and the FOI Muhammad Mosque 36 Charlotte NC

Brother James Muhammad shared that Young Saviors Academy is more than a Saturday program—it becomes a source of stability for young men who may not have steady support in the home. He described what many community workers already know: the work often turns into fatherhood, mentorship, and emotional covering. Not because it’s easy, but because it’s needed. He emphasized that young men must develop love of self and knowledge of self—not as slogans, but as a foundation strong enough to withstand a world that tries to define them through limitation. When a young man understands who he is, he becomes harder to mislead, harder to break, and more prepared to build.

Brother Shaka and Students

Brother Shaka, a seasoned educator and community leader, added important context that pushed the conversation deeper. He challenged the popular narrative that Black men are absent, reminding us that involvement isn’t the real issue—the larger issue is that too many of our youth are growing without consistent discipline, scholarship habits, and daily reinforcement of what excellence looks like. He spoke plainly about what he sees in education: many students lack foundational study skills, focus, and critical thinking—not because they are incapable, but because they have not been trained to value mastery. They are surrounded by “fluff,” but starved of real development.

From there, the conversation expanded into the broader reality of life in many underserved neighborhoods: children are being influenced all day, every day, and too often by the wrong forces. With economic pressure and rising costs, many parents are stretched thin, and the “village” that once helped raise children has been weakened.

The brothers highlighted how, in earlier generations, children had more mature adults in their environment—people who corrected them, protected them, and redirected them when danger was near. Today, too many young people are left exposed to the streets, harmful media, and peers who are still trying to figure life out themselves.

That’s why these programs matter. They are not “extras.” They are not “nice ideas.” In many communities, they are lifelines.

The brothers also addressed education directly—whether removing children from harmful school environments is part of the solution. Brother Shaka made a strong case for independent schooling and protecting children from agendas that confuse identity and weaken moral development.

Brother James reinforced that even when good teachers are present, if the curriculum is not ours, and the institution is not built by us, the results will always be limited. The message was clear: we need our own institutions, our own curriculum, and our own systems of development, because we cannot expect a system we didn’t design to prioritize our children’s future.

At the same time, the conversation carried balance. It wasn’t just about separation—it was also about strategy. The brothers acknowledged the importance of having strong men and women positioned inside public schools as well, serving as steady examples “behind enemy lines,” so children can see discipline and righteousness lived out in real time. The solution is not always either-or. The solution is presence, structure, and intentional leadership in every place our children are.

When asked what message should be given to parents—especially single parents looking for help—the brothers didn’t offer empty motivation. They offered practical direction rooted in reality. Brother Shaka spoke about providing scholarships and safe spaces, especially for at-risk youth, because every child deserves a protected environment where they can simply be children while still being guided toward excellence. Brother James emphasized the importance of unity and networking—how community workers cannot carry this burden alone, and how reaching across organizations, faith groups, and community circles reduces pressure and expands impact.

A key theme that kept rising to the surface was this: the work is hard, but we cannot give up. Brother James spoke with honesty about the stress community leaders carry—how sometimes you want results immediately, but change takes time. Yet he reminded us that someone is always watching. If a builder quits, it can take hope away from someone who was finally inspired to believe again. That is why persistence matters. Not for ego, not for recognition—but because the work is bigger than us.

BLXCR proudly commends Brother James Muhammad and Brother Shaka for their sacrifice, discipline, and commitment to our youth. Their programs represent what real leadership looks like—consistent, principled, and rooted in love for the people. These are the models that must be highlighted, supported, and multiplied.

Because in the end, the future won’t be changed by what we post. It will be changed by what we build.