OWNING OUR OPPORTUNITY: REFLECTIONS FROM A TALK WITH DAWOD THOMAS, FOUNDER OF MY FATHER'S PLAN
Photo Credit: My Farther’s Plan
There are thousands of stories unfolding every day in the city of Baltimore. We are no strangers to the stigma that lives against Baltimore’s culture and history. But there are also thousands of inspirational stories that make this city an opportunity goldmine.
Wide Angle’s Owning Our Opportunity blog series is a platform to honor the trailblazers, the unsung heroes, and the compelling tales that highlight Baltimore's rich diversity.
My Father's Plan is a non-profit organization in Baltimore City dedicated to teaching youth of all ages skills to spark personal growth and ultimately enhance their community. Founder Dawod Thomas is also my uncle, and I wanted to highlight his leadership and learn from him, particularly as I think through what impact I want to have on future generations. He spoke with me about what it means for him to continue his dad's legacy in Baltimore City.
As a first-generation college graduate, the idea of a legacy has been on my mind since deciding to go to college to receive a 4 year BA degree. I felt immense pressure to do something that had not been done before by previous generations of my family. I often hear about the stress of students overwhelmed by their parents' expectations to continue the tradition of attending college. However, growing up without a distinct legacy model caused me to apply pressure on myself. I often hear from family, "I wonder how successful I would be if I had the opportunities you had," or, "Everything we have done is so that you can live a life different from mine." This amazing sentiment caused me to admire the hard work I grew up around, but it made me wonder how I could be as successful as possible. Thinking about having to do something with the opportunities so many other people have not had, often leads to extra pressure as I take my next steps into college and my career afterward. The question, "Am I living up to everything I can be?" is one that my peers and I discuss as we think about the opportunities a college education grants us that many of our family members did not have the opportunity to attain.
In my interview with Dawod, we explore how he found his path and how to nourish the garden of dreams that our loved ones have planted. In this interview, he shared about his journey to carry on his dad's legacy. His dad, Charles Thomas, had a plan to unite the Black youth in Baltimore. He wanted a boys group that would allow boys across the city to be acquainted with one another without living in the same neighborhood. He talked about having a brotherhood that would decrease the need to feel threatened by another black man on sight. Dawod aimed to also include young women as well as the economic impact on the community. In this blog, I will highlight three things Dawod shared that led me to realize carrying a dream does not have to be a weight, but a vigor to push us in life.
1. Discover Your Best Self
"You must find the best version of yourself and then monetize it," was Dawod's response when asked how he was able to turn his father's dream into reality with his organization. He told me it must be something that you do intentionally. Dawod said, "Once you find out who the best version of yourself is, then the rest comes to you… It is a lifetime quest." I found this to be something important to highlight because I don't usually think of my career as being a part of an ever-growing process. I thought it was one event that you simply do and maintain. His insight inspired me to know that no matter what stage of life you're at, once you set the intention to become the best version of yourself, you have already begun the path to becoming the person you aspire to be.
2. Embrace the Journey
“There will be days that you are the best version of yourself and the next day you gotta start all over again.” When asked what the hardest part of being your best self is, Dawod said it was, “Embracing the pain, the difficulty is not a sign of falling behind.” Dawod was sure to emphasize that it is not easy to find your best self - it is a long journey that he still partakes in every day. The struggle to find your purpose or to even maintain motivation and productivity is a vexation for many. Still, the notion that struggle in your journey is not a weakness but a testimony of your strength is one of the many pieces of wisdom that Dawod has gained over the years.
3. Own Your Dream
When asked what advice he would give to someone who feels like a dream has been implanted in them he responded “I don't know if I believe a dream can be implanted in someone… your dream is yours.” This answer deeply resonated with me as I thought about how Dawod explained how he came to carry his dad's legacy. “[My father] planted seeds when I was 12 and I didn't see the manifestation of those seeds until I was 38.” Even though Dawod had dreams planted in him, he did not start his journey to being his best self until he was 38 years old, when he set the intention to do so. Reinforcing his point, as you begin to figure out what the best version of yourself looks like, “the rest comes to you.”
The purpose we find in life is a journey that can bring fulfillment within itself. I hope hearing the learned tales of wisdom from Dawod allows you to rid the stigma of where in life you must be to satisfy the high demands of our communities. After speaking with Dawood, I've embraced the power of moving forward with uncertainty, knowing that with intention, I'll grow as a person, one day at a time.
If you are interested in learning more about how Dawod Thomas became who he is now, check out his in-depth interview with Erica Kane for WMAR-2 News.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Ali Thomas is a multimedia creative dedicated to using her love of storytelling to uplift and educate urban communities about arts education. Ali has worked with the Baltimore office of Promotional Arts as a youth leader and directed short films and poems with Towson University's black theater Union, her writing has been recognized in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards while attending Baltimore City College high school. Now attending Morgan State University, majoring in theater Arts Ali aims to use creative storytelling to unite the urban community and uplift her peers.