From the parents and players on Connor's team

As I got to Connor's first big football scrimmage, I was reminded of my upbringing. We were out in Chisago Lake MN. And as I drove out there it brought back memories. All white, very homogeneous and very competitive. Not very friendly. That is where I grew up in Minnesota and it does not bring back good memories. I was always or almost always the only one and that is why my kids grew up in the city where being a child of color is not an anomoly but a way of life. Connor's team is white, black, latino and multiracial. The parents and the kids come from all walks of life. We are brown, black, white and in between! And we were good!!!

We were the only inner city team at the scrimmage. The fields were beautiful, the teams were 60 kids deep and we had only 22 on our freshman squad and not much more on JV or Varisity. While our kids were at first initimidated by all the parents, team jersey's, bags, stuff because we were out there and clearly looked like we did not belong...poor, multicultural and our bench was slim...And we won every game! We showed that what you have and how you present is not more important than the heart you have, how hungry you are and how good, black male leadership in the coaches can make all the difference in the world. After the games the coach talked to the kids and he thanked the parents for being there. He told the kids that no matter what you have, and how deep your team is, it does make up for having heart and playing as a family! There are only 11 players on the field at one time and all of them need to have heart! It was exactly what football, team sports and bonding should be. It is not about what you have in your material possession but what you have as a young man, who comes from little or nothing but holds his head high and moves ahead!

I also learned from the mothers on the team that when you love your sons that even though we do not come from "traditional family" backgrounds when we come, we love, we respect and are proud of our kids, we can make a difference. I also learned from the fathers on the team that you, yes all you men, matter as much if not more than all the love we mothrs can give and those kids with fathers present were so proud and confident, our kids need and deserve both! So a special shout out to the men and fathers in our community who showed up. Showing up is half the battle!!!

When inner city schools work, they prove that being truly multicultural can work, and we as parents show that even though our kids come from so many different backgrounds we can move together as one and succeed! You will be hard pressed to find more dedicated, open and loving parents and yes god damn it...we live in the city!!!I am proud to be part of something so big and yet so simple!