Voices from TBtC: Coach J.B.

The Dragon Drop is proud to share some of the inspirational speeches made by staff and community members at this year's annual Take Back the City event. In this installment, administrative support team member and varsity boy's basketball coach John Brown talks about "family" in an unexpected way...

The word COMMUNITY is described as a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage. From this description, ‘Common cultural and historical heritage’ are what stand out to me most.

Twenty-five years ago, at the young age of 24, I along with my sister, sat in the front row of our family church, and said goodbye to our mother who passed away at the tender age of 41 from brain cancer. Fourteen years later, I would sit in that same row, and say goodbye to my maternal grandmother.

I was raised by these two amazing and strong women, who were the most influential people in my life. Not only mine, but my entire family. They taught all of us the value of caring for and helping people. So naturally, when they passed away, my life was filled with a void, that up to this day has never been filled.

So as I tried to figure out how to function in this world without them, I constantly thought about the common cultural and historical heritage they instilled in me and started to rely on them with my family. All of us did. We struggled and were in a lot of pain. So what we did was lean on each other more. Love each other more and treat each other with respect and formed meaningful relationships. We became a stronger, close-knit and more caring family because we realized, we were all we had. So when people identify my extended family, they use all of those characteristics I just mentioned. Now I’m not saying we’re perfect. We have problems, issues, and challenges just like every other family. But because of the values instilled in us-we learned how to co-exist.

Now if someone on the outside was to do a survey of the Freire Charter High School Campus, what would they say about us? Would they say, “That’s a community I want to be part of” or would they say, “I don’t want any parts of it.” (Click below to continue reading...)


Yesterday I received a phone call from a parent who submitted an enrollment application for her daughter. She called and asked us to discard the application because while she was walking down Chestnut Street, she noticed four of our students acting inappropriately. And she didn't want to be part of our school. I brought that up because you all, we, this collective body, may be the only reference some people may see. And how we present ourselves—is important. But more importantly, how we treat one another on the inside matters. And all it takes is love. We need to be courteous and kind to one another. We need to be patient with each other. Some of us snap on others because we’re having a bad day. But you never know what’s going on with that person. Take time to care and demonstrate love—not just in lip service but in action. And finally we should be more affable. Speak to one another. Say good morning! Say hello! Ask someone how their day is going! We can change this community with one random act of kindness at a time. All of us come from various and different family backgrounds. But our differences matter. There’s the (use examples of last names) Family and etc. But there’s one family we don’t want in our community. And that’s the Tator Family.

THE TATOR FAMILY! You know the Tators!

Miss Spectator – in everybody’s business but your own, always looking for the next piece of juicy drama to hit Twitter, KIK, Snapchat and Instagram! You show up but you ain’t never gone get involved to make this community a better place—just a spectator!

In the house with Miss Spectator is Mr. Hesitator – well I’m gone join the Cooking Club, I’m gone join Student Government, I’m getting ready to be faithful in my school attendance, I’m getting ready to be consistent in being a good student—you been getting ready to do something since you got here and haven’t done anything yet! Always talking but ain’t never—walking! Mr. Hesitator!

And then they have their son; Mr. Agitator! Always coming and stirring stuff up! Always carrying stuff from one to another! Always getting foolishness started! Always getting somebody upset about something!

Got his little sister; Miss Imitator! Not wanting to be conformed to the culture of school! Always acting like somebody else! Not realizing that you are an awesome person with a lot to offer the community!

And then there’s little brother; Mr. Dictator! Mr. Dictator—the one who wants to tell everybody everything—but can’t nobody tell him nothing! Always wanting to be in control! Always wanting to run everything but can’t receive direction—without offense! Always telling everybody—want to do! Mr. Dictator!

And then you got baby sister; Miss Rotator! Always joining this group! In a new relationship with this one! In a new relationship with that one! This my best friend this week! This my best friend next week!

Then there’s the little baby brother; Amputator! Always walking around cutting everybody off—who tell him something he don’t wanna hear!

Look at the person beside you and say, “Please—leave the Tator Family out!”

Bill Clinton said in his book, ‘My Life’, “We all do better when we work together. Our differences do matter, but our common humanity matters more.”