What does “manhood” mean to you? This question was posed to the students of the Pit Crew when they were visited by actor Malik Yoba earlier this week. Malik generously donated his time to visit the students of Automotive High School as part of the mentorship program. He is a Brooklyn native who has created many years of success in his field as an actor, but also has experience teaching in various environments. His interest in sharing his insights with our youth and his appreciation of fast cars brought him to the program.

The discussion of manhood actually began outside the school as we walked up the steps toward the entrance. Looking up at the building Malik noticed the carving that reads “Manhood Service Labor Citizenship.” After we settled into the auto shop with the Pit Crew and introduced our guest to the students, he asked if they knew what the inscription said. The teachers in the room knew the answer but most of the students were stumped by the question. This sparked a conversation about what manhood means to these students, a discussion that yielded a variety of interesting and thoughtful answers.

We also talked about the possibility of the Pit Crew’s work being filmed for TV…so far this is only an idea, but it was great to hear what the students and teachers thought of this opportunity.

The Riding With Us Foundation appreciates Malik Yoba taking the time to visit Automotive High School, and we look forward to bringing more guests to this great group of students.