Issue #19: Starts Right Here

This issue hits home and it hits deep...you will learn more about Starts Right Here and Will Keeps and the tremendous work that occurs there.

You will also learn of tragedy that struck on 1/23/2023, with another shooting involving children and Will himself.  Beware this article will speak about death, speak on gangs but more importantly how we get through tragedy and dedicate what we do to getting through it.  WE ALL HAVE TO DO BETTER TO HELP THESE KIDS, CHOOSE LIFE over the streets!

What is "Starts Right Here"

Starts Right Here (SRH) is busy inspiring at-risk youth in the Des Moines Public Schools and motivating youth through speaking events. Will Keeps, SRH President, performs empowering songs to inspire and speak the truth. Among the songs that he has released over the last several years, his hit song "Wake Up Iowa" is the song that means the most to him and the song he spent the most time on. Wake Up Iowa sends a message to people that violence and hate are not the Iowa way, and instead, we need to learn from other cities' mistakes, so we don't end up being ravaged by violence and crime.

Many leaders around the city and state are becoming familiar with SRH and Will Keep's music and the passion for helping youth, and his overall huge heart and amazing spirit. He has been in the press countless times for the SRH movement and is the first to have city officials in his music videos. SRH has strong relationships and has collaborated with Governor Kim Reynolds, Police Chief Dana Wingert, and Pastor Al Perez to make a difference and fulfill our mission.

In a world where violence and hate are far too common, it takes individuals like William Holmes (Will Keeps) and organizations like SRH to help rid the world of these atrocities. However, one thing is for sure. Will cannot continue his mission of empowering youth to make positive life choices through music, sports, education, or whatever their dreams may be without all of our help!

We need the help of a community that owes it to our children to create a world where they don't have to grow up as Will did. It's on our community to maintain that world for future generations to come and support change-makers like Will.

At the end of the day, you can tell when someone has a good heart and is doing things for the right reasons. Helping our youth is Will Keeps' purpose and legacy, and it Starts Right Here with all of us together.

What it Means to Me

I first met Will, about 5 years ago. We got connected due to social media and joint connections who knew our mission to change our society, from an education standpoint.  Will taking the direct to kids approach and getting them on the right path and my path obviously being on #financial education.

Our backgrounds are vastly different but similar all at the same time, I will not dive into his background you can do that by reaching out to him or going to his bio.  This man has gone through it and keeps going! Overtime our relationship grew close, I went to his classes at the local alternative school for high risk kids, started consulting him on his Non-profit and eventually became the VP of Starts Right Here.  The work we did over those couple of years that I was apart of the board was tremendous, we got a building, curriculum going, Will gained major relationships with some very powerful people and is truly making a difference in kids lives.  Quick side note, my job of getting the board to a point ran it's course, so I could focus on my vision and passion.  Does not mean I am not close and do not support everything just a natural progression in boards.

Tragedy Strikes (1/23/2023)

What seemed like a normal ass Monday after a long weekend turned into a situation that took the lives of two boys at the facility of Starts Right Here.

Will being the Hero he is, attempted to grab the gun and step in to save these boys life but was also shot in the hand and the hip, I spoke to him yesterday and he is recovering and will come back strong just like we all knew he would, his quote that sticks with me in tough times is "It's not about what we go through its how we get through"  Take that one with you, we all will be in this situation.

Our hearts, prayers and thoughts go out to these boys families, as a community we are doing all we can!

What Can YOU DO?

I'll start with what I am going to do.  I have been involved with Rev. Rob Johnson, Will Keeps, and many more organizations to fight their fight as much as I can. However it always ends up going in a direction that isn't in my wheelhouse.  So instead I am going to start doing weekly/biweekly "townhall meetings"  Most likely once a week, changing locations every week.  I am going to be utilizing their movements to get in front of more people utilizing my skillset, which is MONEY and growing #wealth.

Why?  Well it is my calling but the reason gangs are successful is the feeling of a "family" and money/materials.  How can we compete? We need to allow another outlet for this.  For generations, families have been rundown and not able to get ahead in life, if we can change that narrative that would allow more cohesive family units, which would solve that "family" aspect, but cohesive family units occur when their is money in the family...thus we need to change the #moneymindset so we can start to grow wealth, turning the tide in our communities!  That is what I am going to do...

What you can do is be involved, grow your community, don't be afraid of the situation and step up the best way you can.  If you are a small business, how can you help utilizing your skillset, if you're an individual, how can you do the same?  

This situation effects us all please do not hide behind the feeling of well it didn't effect me, so it's whatever or that is Gang related, so it obviously happens.  That is BULLSHIT!  Yes gangs will always be around but not at these numbers and not with this amount of death.  Get up and do something, or just be loud for us that are! LOUD BE LOUD PLEASE!!

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