Meet Black Teens for Advancement |

We had the good fortune of connecting with Black Teens for Advancement and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Black Teens for Advancement, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Since its inception in 1989 Black Teens for Advancement (BTA) has always been a student self-directed organization. The purpose of BTA was to stop black-on-black rivalries within the schools, in-between the schools, and within the communities of the schools – initially within the Atlanta Public School system, but also Fulton and DeKalb County Schools. Young black males became increasingly aware of other problems in their communities such as gang affiliation, juvenile delinquency, sexual promiscuity, and the illicit usage of drugs. Since black males were labeled an “endangered species”, BTA being self-aware and determined to defy the daily so-called self-fulfilling prophesies being pronounced on every news channel and outlet, BTA decided to concentrate their efforts on this group to circumvent the school-to-prison / school-to-graveyard pipeline.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
BTA was founded by 12 high school students in 1989: FOUNDER HIGH SCHOOL
Kwanza Hall Mays (City of Atlanta)
Khobi Hall Mays (City of Atlanta)
Kwesi Elder Mays (City of Atlanta)
Tony Ringfield Douglass (City of Atlanta)
Timothy Murray Mays (City of Atlanta)
Tony Caldwell Douglass (City of Atlanta)
Shun Reynolds Douglass (City of Atlanta)
Michael McFadden Douglass (City of Atlanta)
Roderick Stovall Douglass (City of Atlanta)
Feiji McKay Banneker (Fulton County)
Markus Butts Avondale (DeKalb County)
Edward Cleveland Therrell (City of Atlanta)

Over 14,000 students from 34 Georgia high schools have participated in BTA meetings and programs which have provided a platform for the issues facing their demographic, reducing violence, and improving academic standards.
BTA was quickly embraced as an emerging and much-needed community resource and soon became inundated with invitations to attend all manner of community, state, regional & international planning processes – including an invitation to attend the adult portion of the 1990 Peace Conference in Switzerland titled, “Healing In The Hearts of Cities.” That year BTA would also spearhead the entire youth potion of the conference; this was a dynamic that would continue for several consecutive years presenting even more opportunities to be active on the world court.
Once their second year’s participation at the International Peace Conference concluded, they were invited by a Mayor of Erfurt, Germany to travel back to Germany to tour their school systems. The German mayor shared his viewpoints while also describing other factors at play with German youth at that time. With the fall of the Berlin Wall, a certain sense of newfound freedoms, and ever-increasing trends towards westernization and democratization among German youth, it seemed appropriate to welcome the transformative movement of BTA to Germany, summon them to the Reichstag to be provided with everything needed for a specific challenge – to include two dedicated drivers and a Mercedes Mircobus. The drivers would accommodate their transportation needs to Erfurt, Leipzig, Weimar, Ettlingen, Mosquitodorf, The Black Forest, two Social Worker Facilities, Berlin, the personal home of a prominent Catholic Doctor, a radio station interview attended by local professors and a newspaper reporter, a strategy session with some Guardian Angles, a very tense encounter with some Skinheads, and several additional places along that journey.
After accepting the Mayor of Erfurt’s offer, touring East and West Germany, obliterating one of the local soccer teams, enjoying some Kabobs and Honey-Roasted Almonds, visiting Auschwitz, and the site where Martin Luther studied, someone suggested that BTA hold an Atlanta-style meeting at the last school at the last school they were scheduled to visit. For the benefit of the student body, BTA agreed to do a meeting. The students were told to assemble in the gymnasium, all adults were dismissed, then the doors were locked and chained from the inside. BTA members Feiji McKay, Floyd Woods, III., and Jamal Tandy went to work… Once the doors were unchained and reopened, a countless crowd of students descended upon their School Master’s door which stayed locked until he was able to make sense of the student chanting outside the door to his office. He soon found out what his student population was demanding…they wanted their very own BTA Chapter that day! BTA was an official 501c3, founded by teens, now operating internationally within a year of its inception, with zero debt, and unfortunately zero grant money, just basic funding from students, their families, and other well-wishers. That accomplishment alone is worthy of tremendous recognition.
Upon returning to Atlanta, BTA began to work closely with a Senior Atlanta Judge (Judge Jack Ethridge) to develop an accredited Conflict-Mediation and Resolution Program which would provide BTA participants with high school and collegiate credits for their vital contributions to society. Many of the males have participated in international youth camps in countries such as Kenya, Egypt, Russia, Norway, and Sweden, which successfully broadened the mentality of certain youth who had never ventured outside their zip code. These positive young males have received widespread support from the SCLC, and NAACP and have received the M. L. King Drum Major for Justice Award, the NAACP Emancipation Award, and State and National proclamations from other groups like the Atlanta-based Moral Rearmament, Incorporated International (MRA). Currently, the members of BTA have become involved in positively impacting their communities as educators, activists, founders of their own youth initiatives, clergymen, politicians, attorneys, law enforcement officers, and many other professions.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Many schools here in Metro Atlanta have been renovated or built new from the ground up, which is a great thing for the community and students. However, the schools where the rivalry started that birthed BTA, Mays and Douglass High School, don’t look the way they did 30 years ago. But these are two locations worth visiting for BTA nostalgia, as well as Banneker High School where we had our largest meeting in the early 90’s, and where Mr. Edward Johnson gave his best speech in 1989. Also, we’ve fellowshipped many times during the 90’s at The First Afrocentric Temple on Ashby Street and Pascal’s Restaurant downtown. At one point we used to be headquartered off Cleveland Ave., but our 94-year-old mentor, Mr. Edward Johnson, has since moved from that location. Our original headquarters was located in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward at 551 David T. Howard Plaza in Zone 12. This is where the Administrative Offices for the City of Atlanta Schools were located as well as J.R.O.T.C., basically the leadership of the school system. This is where we developed the official BTA Handbook which was used as a boilerplate for several other similar organizations to apply for and receive multi-million-dollar grants. A lot of organizations owe a debt of gratitude to BTA for preserving the city long enough for them to still have a city to come and make their mark in. We need to find a person in Georgia who can give us a Sprinter Van the same way the German government did for us during our visit so many years ago. It is also worth noting that BTA used to meet at the original Pascal’s location near the Atlanta University Center, the very same Pascal’s where the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King personally held many of his meetings. In fact, our First Annual Leadership Summit was held there. Our second one was held at the historical Booker T. Washington. Krystal’s on Old National was a popular spot to visit following any football game regardless of what school you attended.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
BTA is here to provide resources to those most at-risk and has built new collaborations with Favor Academy of Success Tutoring Center, Speaklife Organization, DIVAS Mentoring Program, Men of Westlake, and SMART (Sisters Motivating and Restoring Together), and many others. Not only has BTA assisted in feeding the homeless, and providing continued mentorship to the youth, but we are also planning many new BTA Chapters in conjunction with a youth jobs package with the assistance of the City of Atlanta and other key stakeholders across the globe. The Feiji Foundation was started by one of our very own Co-Founders, Feiji McKay who is forming strategic partnerships and collaborations with educators, innovators, content creators, civic & community leaders, humanitarians, private sector organizations, and a host of non-profit entities, in order to drive positive change and make a lasting impact in the lives of individuals and the communities we serve.

Other: jonesa9@fultonschools.org