Brotherhood Crusade hosted its 18th Annual Brother to Brother Retreat at the beautiful Bob Waldorf camp tucked away in the hills of Glendale, California. From Friday, May 16 through Sunday, May 18, young people from South Los Angeles came together with mentors for a transformative two–night, three-day experience themed “Authentically Me.”
For many of these young people, this retreat marked their first time traveling beyond a five square mile radius of their home. The location provided not just an opportunity to play outside freely in a refreshing environment, but a sense of adventure and renewal surrounded by tall trees and the greenery of the campgrounds.
The retreat opened Friday night with a Healing Circle for the older students, while the elementary school youth participated in a session titled “Authentically Me: My Story.” Each session was intentionally designed using trauma-informed practices to help young people begin to address and release internal barriers or “anchors” that hold people down, preventing them from moving forward in life and hindering the ability to be true to self.
On Saturday, Brotherhood Crusade began the morning session with mindfulness that introduced breathing techniques and a guided mediation. This activity aimed to help youth reconnect with self, develop a technique to control emotions, and strengthen self belief.
Later that morning, youth attended a Financial Literacy workshop where they learned about creating a savings account, building credit, and understanding the concept of generational wealth, which empowered them with tools to equip them for the future.
Also, the weekend provided the young people with more opportunities to learn from executives who volunteered their time to engage with the young people. The executives included Karim Webb, entrepreneur activist; John Ackerman, CEO of Los Angeles World Airports; Dennis Powell, retired major league baseball player and author; Dr. Cornell Montgomery, director of BLOOM Alliance; Dr. Steve Tarver, a licensed clinical psychologist and board chair of Emmada Institute; and Jerrold Smith, retired marketing executive and podcast host on KBLA 1580.
Sharing their experiences from provided the young men with a real-life perspective along with encouragement and foresight for what is possible with dedication, consistency, and purpose.
Despite the rain on Saturday, the retreat remained full of life and full of community. The youth were still able to enjoy the outdoors by participating in rock climbing, archery, and high ropes courses – activities designed to build confidence and strengthen peer encouragement.
“Watching these young people cheer each other on during the rock climbing, and high ropes was truly a moment of unity, and resilience to what is possible for their future by being resilience and showing some grit, it was a reminder that in community there is power, and a belief in each other,” noted Stacy Hill-Williams, vice president of Brotherhood Crusade.
To conclude the retreat, the young people participated in a talent show where a ten-year-old garnered the attention of the crowd by signing “Die with a Smile” by Bruno Mars.
“The talent show truly showcased their creativity and confidence, from dancing, to spoken word, to comedy, and a little bit of a magic. Each performance was captivating that was met with a roaring cheers and heartfelt support from their peers,” Hill-Williams said.
“It was truly inspiring to witness the courage, talent, and them being ‘Authentically Me’ on stage.”
Describing the 18th Annual Brother to Brother Retreat as more than just a camping trip, Hill-Williams explained, “It was a weekend of healing, learning, development, and celebration of life.
“Brotherhood Crusade, founded in 1968, remains grounded in providing safe spaces where young people can be seen, celebrated, heard, and supported in becoming their most authentic self as they transform to becoming ‘Authentically Me.’”
