Shout out to RZA from The Wu-Tang Clan for being the solution he seeks in the world. Instead of sitting around complaining about what isn’t right with the world or the black community, he is putting his money, time and energy where his mouth is and creating a program of change. Something more of us should be doing, but aren’t.

This week, the admiral of one of the dopest hip hop groups of all time, found his way to St. Louis, Missouri to give what is being reported as a sizeable donation to the Hip-Hop Chess Federation (HCCF).

The donation will create a program to help teach the game of chess to juvenile hall inmates. The aim is to bring “Chess and Life Strategies” to St. Louis at-risk youth, aka black and brown youth in the area…including Ferguson, MO.
Known to be a hands on type of person, Rza will sit on the board at the nonprofit organization and have a direct impact on the program’s future and reaching their objectives.

Rza has a deep love and affinity for the game of chess. He believes it was chess and an appreciation for liturature and reading that turned him around from the street life, violence and non-critical thinking decisions that held him captive early in life…..and he wants to bring this gift to others.

In early October, RZA spoke to more than 400 high school students in the St. Louis area and even had time to play some chess with the area’s incarcerated youth before donating to the found ofer HHCF, Adisa Banjoko.

“Y’all are in here for not controlling your energy, yo,” RZA told told those gathered at the juvenile hall. “You are here now for not being analytical about the results of the actions you have taken. I’m the last one to talk in some sense. I’ve been through the same system…Me and my brother got our first gun, when I was 11 or 12…Riding NY city busses looking for what they call, a ’vic.

’”

“It’s a game of chess in one sense, but in another it’s a study of life. We in the Hip-Hop Chess Federation are striving to bring awareness to American’s, to Black youth, but to the whole of American youth… That chess study, along with martial arts, along with music- is the best way to help develop your mind and body and protect you from pitfalls in life that will surely come at you.”

As an advid chess player myself, i’d love to play RZA in a game or three to test my abilities, but deeply respect what he is initiating here on multiple levels. I believe the game of chess is wonderful for youth development, but also respect the fact that he isn’t talking about it…

he is being about it!

Source: OkayPlayer.com