A Different Kind of Yellow Brick Road.

This morning, I had the honor of speaking with the Young Black Men’s Association at Reagan High School.

And today, we did more than have a conversation about success.

We took a journey.

We reimagined The Wiz through the lives, dreams, and possibilities of young Black men who are still discovering just how powerful they are.

Dorothy became Dorian.

Because every young Black man deserves to see himself as the hero of the story.

Not the background character.
Not the afterthought.
Not the one waiting for someone else to open the door.
But the one chosen for the journey, equipped for the road, and worthy of everything waiting on the other side of fear.

We talked about the yellow brick road, not as some magical path already laid out perfectly before us, but as something we build step by step, decision by decision, lesson by lesson.

Success is not just one destination.

It is life, learning how to keep going when the road gets heavy.

It is knowledge, understanding that wisdom becomes power when you use it with purpose.

It is courage, choosing to move forward even when doubt is loud.

It is heart, remembering who you are, where you come from, and who you are becoming.

Too often, young Black men are handed narratives that are too small for the size of their calling. They are told what they cannot be before they are ever asked what they dream about becoming. But today, we chose a different narrative.

One rooted in imagination.
One rooted in purpose.
One rooted in possibility.

I reminded them that the journey will not always be easy. There will be moments when the road bends, when the signs are unclear, when people misunderstand the dream, and when the weight of becoming feels heavier than expected.

But none of that means they are lost.

Sometimes, the road is teaching you.
Sometimes, the delay is developing you.
Sometimes, the challenge is revealing the strength you did not know you had.

My message to them was simple: don’t let anyone shrink your dream to fit their comfort. Don’t let anyone place limits on a life God designed to expand. Don’t let fear, circumstance, or the expectations of others convince you that your yellow brick road is not worth walking.

Walk it bold.

Walk it with purpose.

Walk it with your head lifted, your heart open, and your vision clear.

Because everything you need for the journey is already being formed within you.

The mind.
The courage.
The heart.
The purpose.

And when those things come together, a young Black man does not just find his way.

He becomes a waymaker.

Today reminded me why this work matters. Because when young people are given language for their dreams, mirrors for their identity, and permission to imagine beyond limitation, something powerful happens.

They begin to see that success is not somewhere far away.

It is already calling their name.

And the road ahead, no matter how long, is theirs to walk.