October 24, 2025 • 23 mins
One mentor can reset a life’s direction—and sometimes an entire community’s. We celebrate Make a Difference Day 2025 by telling the story of Rosemary Davis Kelly, the woman who turned teen volunteers into leaders and taught us to live service as identity, not a task. With my brother-in-purpose, Houston educator Dr. Bryan Williams, we revisit the Octagon Club years where food drives, senior visits, and real leadership training formed a blueprint for adulthood rooted in empathy, presence, and courage.
You’ll hear how Ms. Kelly’s “role motor” philosophy demanded motion, not perfection. She put us in rooms that stretched us—running meetings with Robert’s Rules, taking minutes, chairing committees, and mentoring middle schoolers. We explore unlikely growth engines like NYPUM mini-bikes, where adult riders taught us mechanics, discipline, and pride as we rolled through city parades. We also unpack Natural Helpers, the peer-led program that used skits, raps, and poetry to confront drugs and alcohol, pulling shy kids to the mic and turning them into confident communicators.
Our civic awakening arrived when she pulled us from school to walk with Jesse Jackson’s get-out-the-vote tour, proving that democracy is a classroom too. That day knit together service, citizenship, and the belief that youth deserve proximity to power and a reason to use it. Through laughter, gratitude, and honest reflection, we trace how a surrogate mom filled gaps with love and high expectations, then stood close while we failed forward. The throughline is clear: mentorship multiplies impact, and service becomes who you are.
Stay for the preview of part two, where we bring the SALT model into action and show practical ways to mentor, organize, and lead with heart. If this story sparks a memory of your own role motor, share it with someone who needs the nudge. Subscribe, leave a review, and pass this along to a friend who’s ready to make a difference today.
The SALT Talk with Jermine Alberty
Service. Affirmation. Love. Transformation.
Thank you for tuning in to The SALT Talk, where we inspire transformation through honest conversations about faith, healing, and purpose.
Be sure to subscribe, rate, and share this episode with someone who needs encouragement today.
To learn more about the SALT Initiative or to book Rev. Alberty for training or speaking engagements, visit www.jerminealberty.com.
Until next time, remember:
Serve with humility, affirm with compassion, love with courage, and live a life of transformation.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
Hello everybody, welcome to the Talk Talk where
(00:02):
we're seasonal life withservice, affirmational, love,
and transformation.
I'm your host, Jermaine Albert.
And today we're gonna dotwo-part series in honor of Make
a Difference Day 2025.
A day when people across thenature of their sleeves and
serve.
This year's thing is helpinghands change your life.
Feels deeply personal to me.
(00:24):
For me, service started when Iwas a teenager and I joined the
Octagon Club led by a dearfriend and mentor Rosemary Davis
Kelly.
The Octagon Club is the youtharm of the Octopus Club, and we
did food drives, visit seniors,raise money, local calls out.
And somewhere along the way, welearned that service isn't just
something to do, but it'ssomething you become.
(00:46):
That experience takes my missionto help people wake up with
purpose and respond to the needsaround them with compassion.
And today I get to celebratethat journey with someone who
was there from the verybeginning.
My brother, a more than 30 yearseducator, mentor, and Houston's
own Dr.
(01:07):
Brian Lamb.
In this two-part podcast, we'regonna spend our first part with
my dear friend Rose Mayor DavisKelly, and then we're gonna jump
into some other content aboutthe root of service and
brotherhood as well as talkabout the thought model and
action.
And then we're gonna wrap uptalking about how we care for
(01:28):
self and cultivate connectionwith others.
So stay tuned to this two-partepisode of the Stop Talk with
Jeremy Alberty.
So segment one of this uhpodcast is titled The Roots of
Service and Brotherhood.
And when I think back to thoseearly Octagon Club days, I
(01:50):
remember the command to read,read, read, and to lead uh by
our mutual mentor who laterbecame uh a dear friend,
Rosemary Davis Kelly.
Uh, she truly taught us so much.
And it wasn't always by what shesaid, but how she lived.
In fact, Brian and I talk aboutuh Miss Kelly, I'm telling you,
(02:15):
almost every time we we talkeduh to each other because she
reminded us the importance ofservice to others and imparted
life lessons that would equip usto be adults who not only make a
difference, but literally be thedifference.
And so it's hard to believe thatour friend has um departed this
(02:36):
earth 20 years ago.
I really would say she was anearthly angel.
And I have no doubt that shewould be so proud of all her
octagon children and what we'veaccomplished.
And she poured so much in us.
And I definitely have to thankher daughter, Angelique, for
willingly and probablyunwillingly sharing her with us.
(02:59):
And so what we know is acts ofservice became opportunities for
learning responsibility and whatit meant to care about people
that we might never meet.
And that club became ourclassroom for life where we
first learned what it meant toserve from the heart.
And for me, that's where theessence salt was born.
(03:19):
Service is about presence,empathy, and the courage to show
up.
So before we go there, I wouldlove for my friend Brian to
share any thoughts that youmight have about Miss Kelly, as
we affectionately called her,and what stood out to you about
her?
SPEAKER_00 (03:38):
Well, Jermaine, thanks for having me on uh
today's podcast.
And service definitely is apassion of mine, and actually
servant leadership.
Uh, I'm a student of leadershipand I'm a student of serving
others.
But when I think about RosemaryDavis Kelly, Miss Kelly, as you
(03:59):
mentioned, who we effectivelyknow her as, uh, she is just an
amazing woman who has had atremendous impact on my life.
And I know you mentioned ourintersection with her in the
Octagon Club, but actually myintersection and introduction of
(04:20):
her began uh prior to theOctagon Club work.
I met her as a youngster at theLynwood YMCA, the heart of
Kansas City, Missouri.
SPEAKER_02 (04:32):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (04:33):
And that's actually where my service route started
from, but we'll get to that in alittle bit.
I want to just respond to yourinitial question about thoughts
about Miss Kelly and what stoodout to her.
She was um, you know, someonethat as a youth you feared, and
(04:54):
it wasn't a fear that you wereafraid of her, but there was a
fear in that you had a healthyrespect for her as a person, for
her as an advocate of youth, uh,and for her having high
expectations of herself and forthe youth that she served.
Yeah she really believed inproviding experiences and
(05:22):
exposure and education uh tounderserved and underprivileged
youth.
And somehow she knew that withthose experiences and those
opportunities, that that wouldopen the door wide for all of us
to be successful adults.
And so when I I really thinkabout her, I think of her as a
(05:44):
second mom.
And she was a surrogate mom.
And as you know, I come from afamily of nine with a single mom
who raised us.
And my mom um did the very bestthat she could with the
resources that she had, but shecouldn't provide and fulfill all
(06:04):
the needs uh that her kids had.
And so God blessed to put in mypathway, surrogate mothers and
surrogate fathers who were ableto fulfill the needs and the
desires that I had that my momcould not fulfill.
And Miss Kelly was one of those.
And so she was just an amazing,positive um second mom, mentor,
(06:26):
role model.
And as you know, we might getinto that story of a role motor.
Absolutely, but um just the justan amazing, amazing person who
has truly had an impact on mylife.
And growing up at the LinwoodYMCA, I saw her um from a
(06:47):
professional standpoint, but asyou and I both know, that as we
became adults, that mentorshipreally blossomed into an adult
friendship.
Yeah.
And we got to see her outside ofwork and outside of working with
youth.
And she really uh positionedherself to be our friends and
our colleagues, and we got toknow a little more about her
(07:09):
personally.
Um, where we were able to spendtime with her family, spend time
in her home, spend time outsideof the Octagon Club or the YMCA.
So, you know, I just I justthink of her as just an amazing
woman who's had a positive uhimpact on my life and has helped
(07:30):
change the trajectory of mylife.
SPEAKER_01 (07:32):
Listen, when you said that she was uh like a
surrogate mom, I agree with you100%.
Uh she was that second mom thatyou didn't know you needed, but
my God, the lessons that shetaught us were just tremendous.
Now, if I'm recalling thatquote, she said, a role model
(07:53):
stands still.
Models stands still, but a motoruh is moving and action.
And she didn't want us just tobe people who just stood still.
She wanted us to be aboutaction.
And um, I listen, all the adultsthat she introduced us to that
were doing stuff, whether it wastaking us to see the governor of
(08:16):
Missouri or uh a state senatorin Kansas or whoever it was, she
was always introducing us topeople who she knew would be
models for us, uh who were doingthings, who were bought things.
So when I came across that thefourth Saturday of October was
Make a Difference Day, I wasjust like, we have to do um
(08:39):
something to honor somebody whomade a big difference in our
lives, and that was Miss Kelly.
And so uh I'm so glad you agreedto do this interview, and um I
was curious about how you becamepart of the Optagon Club.
You met Miss Kelly at theLinwood YMCA, but you were the
president of the Optagon Club,and I was the chair of
(09:01):
recruitment.
So how did you even become partof the Optagon Club?
SPEAKER_00 (09:06):
Well, Miss Kelly, in her professional role, she was
the program director for socialservices at the Linwood YMCA.
So she was responsible forproviding social services and
social services program andyouth programs at the YMCA.
So in my relationship with her,she always um ensured that I was
(09:31):
connected and that I was exposedto any and every uh youth
program available.
Yeah.
And that was that was in the inwithin the city limits of Kansas
City.
But what I didn't know is on herown time, she was a part of the
Optimist Club.
And as you know, growing up, uhthe Optimus Club, she's part of
(09:52):
the KCK Optimus Club.
It was a predominantlymale-dominated service
organization.
It was that catered to men.
And um, she was one of very fewwomen who busted down the door.
Absolutely.
And back in the late 80s and90s, and created space and a
(10:18):
seat at the table of thatorganization to allow women and
women of color to be a part ofthat organization.
And as you mentioned, theOctagon Club was the youth
service organization or thebranch of the Optimist Club.
But I became a part of thatbecause I did not know that Miss
Kelly was a part of thatorganization and that in her own
(10:40):
spare time on the weekends, uh,she was the sponsor along with
uh a good friend of ours,Adrian, his grandmother, Mary
Ann Flunder, who was also apolitical advocate and uh
community advocate on the KansasCity, Kansas side.
But they sponsored the OctagonClub on the Kansas City, Kansas
(11:04):
side, which for those of you whoare listening who may not know,
there's Kansas City, Missouri,and Kans City, Kansas.
But they provided space and aplatform for youth to get
involved in service and inleadership.
And so Ms.
Kelly introduced me to theOctagon Club and just extended
the invitation, and I said yes.
And then that opened up the doorfor us to uh connect with other
(11:28):
like-minded young people whowere similar age back bracket
who went to other schools um onthe Kansas side that that we
developed lifetime and long-termfriendships with.
So that's how I became a part ofthat organization.
SPEAKER_01 (11:43):
And you said that she she invited you and you said
yes.
It was hard to say no.
SPEAKER_00 (11:48):
Well, I I I I don't I don't know if it was an
invitation as it was anexpectation.
SPEAKER_01 (11:53):
Absolutely, absolutely, yeah, yeah.
One of that's one of the thingsabout uh Miss Kelly is she
brought so many opportunities tous.
And every opportunity wassomething that she knew would
stretch us and grow us, andreally turn us into the men that
we became today.
Um, that's one of my questionsis uh, how do you think that
(12:13):
experience of growing up withsuch a strong uh role motor, as
as we'll call her role modemotor, uh how did that shape how
you became the man you aretoday?
SPEAKER_00 (12:27):
I'll go back to what I said about uh education and
exposure, expands yourexpectations and uh just
provides you with opportunities.
So she did that for me and notjust me, but for lots of young
people.
So connecting with her, I'lljust list a couple of the
programs that I was able to be apart of as a result of her
(12:50):
mentorship and leadership.
Of course, we talked about theOctagon Club, and that was a
service and leadershiporganization that really uh
exposed us as young people, highschool students, about
leadership, about um service inour community and giving back.
And it really taught us um, youknow, we had committee work, we
(13:14):
had uh meetings where we had toum abide by the Roberts rules of
order and learning how to runproper meetings.
We had minutes, and so we kindof learned the business side of
how to operate in uh you know aformal organization or club
through that process.
(13:35):
I remember one of the excitingthings that we did, I don't know
if you remember this, within theOctagon Club, is we developed a
mentoring program or she did,and she matched us with middle
school students that we mentoredand um we partnered with.
And we were, you know, what shedid for us, she wanted us to do
(13:57):
that for younger middle schoolstudents.
And so I remember having acouple of middle school students
that while I was a junior and asenior in high school, um
picking them up, taking them onfield trips, you know, uh
visiting with their parents andmentoring them on the side while
also going to school full-timeand also working part-time.
(14:19):
So that was one aspect of that.
And of course, you know, therewere many uh opportunities to go
to um like conventions orworkshops that brought out those
leadership skills in us.
So that was the Octagon Club wasone of those programs.
Another program that she exposedme to was uh a program involving
(14:41):
um minibikes, and it was calledNIMPAM, NYPUM.
And they no longer do this, butthis was a part of the YMCA, and
I'll mention this because youyou know uh there's a hobby that
I had, but it was NIMPAM standsfor the National Youth Project
Using Mini Bikes.
And what this was is that it wasan organization where there it
(15:05):
was sponsored by the Y, and theyhad a um a set of mini-bikes,
and what they did is theytargeted young African-American
males who were teens, and theypaired them with adult men who
actually rode motorcycles, andthey would teach us how to ride
the mini-bikes, they would teachus how to service them, and then
(15:28):
what we would actually do isback, you know, parades are not
as popular as they used to be,but back in Kansas City when we
would have the Thanksgiving orSt.
Patrick's Day or any parade, wewould ride those mini-bikes and
parades.
So that was another serviceorganization that I was part of,
and then she also uh exposed meto an organization called
(15:51):
Natural Helpers.
I think you were part of thiswith us.
But back in the 80s and 90s,when we were in school, there
was a drug pandemic happening,then there was violence in
Kansas City.
And um there was anorganization, I cannot remember,
I think it was the NationalAlcoholism, the National
Organization on Alcohol,Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.
(16:12):
And what they developed is apeer helpers program where they
train young people to form andcreate an organization, and we
were to educate our peers aboutthe dangers and hazards of
alcoholism and drug abusethrough um not just you know
giving presentations or givingstats, but the the purpose of
(16:35):
that was to develop skits andplays and songs and raps um in
order to present thatinformation in a fun, creative
way to our peers to educate themabout the dangers of uh of drugs
and alcohol.
And I'm I'm laughing because Iremember one of the poems that I
(16:58):
memorized and learned and stilleven know to this day.
It's called My Name is Cocaine.
So maybe at the end of this Imight recite that.
But what that organization didfor me, as everything that she
exposed us with, you and I areexcellent public speakers.
Yes, yeah, and you and I haveserved in ministry, you still
serve in ministry in in somecapacity.
(17:21):
My ministry now is uh theeducation sector, but one of the
skill sets that she developedwith us with that program and
many others, like the OctagonClub, is she brought out the um
the talent and the gift ofpublic speaking and oration.
And I remember as a kid growingup, I was very shy.
(17:44):
Uh, and I'm still veryintroverted, but as a kid, I was
very introverted, lacked someself-confidence.
But one of the things that shemade us do, and it was an
expectation of hers, sheexpected us and exposed us, like
you said, to reading, readingcurrent events, reading
information, but also being ableto stand and deliver a speech, a
(18:09):
presentation.
And um, I floundered many, many,many times and failed and
embarrassed myself many, manytimes.
But I credit Miss Kelly and Iattribute my success as a public
speaker in being able to get upand stand and deliver
confidently in front ofthousands or hundreds of people
(18:30):
um a speech, a presentation, andhave the ability to capture an
audience and uh encourage themor inspire them.
And all that is attributed toMiss Kelly because she had been
she had the gift and the desireto bring out talents and gifts
that we had as kids, and sheknew that these were skill sets
(18:53):
that were gonna enable us to besuccessful.
So that's a long answer to yourquestion.
SPEAKER_01 (18:58):
Listen, it's great because here's the thing about
it.
We talk about Miss Kelly, youknow, for hours on end, and so
we did a whole podcast justdedicated to what she
contributed to our lives.
And I remember um when there wasthe epidemic in Kans City, and I
was with her, uh Alvin Brooks,and a lot of bunch of other
(19:19):
leaders, we did this put downthe pipe campaign.
SPEAKER_00 (19:21):
Put down the pipe, yes.
SPEAKER_01 (19:22):
And I mean, it was an all night long like event.
And we was in the basement, Iwant to say it otherwise
possibly, but um put down thepipe campaign.
And then when Rev Jackson, JesseJackson came into Kansas City,
she pulled me out of school tobe at that event where Rev
Jackson was at.
SPEAKER_00 (19:40):
I mean, I'm telling you that that's ironic because I
mentioned that to somebodytoday.
Um, of course, you know I workin the school district.
Yeah, and I and we had oursuperintendent student advisory
council meeting.
And so I had a couple studentsapproach me concerned about um
an organization or club beingstart started in their school,
(20:03):
and they just had somereservations about it.
And I educated them on ourdistrict policy, um, that we we
we don't have restrictionsaround clubs and organizations
that kids can um start.
Yeah.
And we we we live in thiscountry, and in our country, we
honor the Constitution and theFirst Amendment, right?
(20:24):
For people to be able to expresstheir opinions and beliefs, even
if we disagree with them.
Right.
That's the big beautiful thingabout living in this country.
But I was talking to theirsponsor, their teacher who
brought them, and I told themthe Jesse Jackson story that I
was politically awakened in oursenior year in high school, and
I said it was 1992.
(20:44):
Yeah, and uh Bill Clinton was onthe verge of being elected, but
Jesse Jackson came to town inKansas City and he was a part of
the get out the vote campaign.
Yeah, we yeah, I remember youand I were pulled out of school
along with some other of ourfriends and siblings, and we got
to be a part of his entourage ashe traveled from schools to
(21:07):
churches to community centersand gave speeches.
And I'll tell you, that yearawakened uh me in such a way
that I'll never forget thatexperience.
And that's that's all attributedto Rosemary Davis Keller.
SPEAKER_01 (21:22):
All of it.
Listen, as I said, we could goon and on and on.
I just had to dedicate a portionof this podcast to the
contribution that uh Miss Kellymade in our lives.
And so I am so excited that shegave me one gift that I have had
uh for now 30 plus years, andthat's our friendship.
(21:44):
That introduction of us, andgrateful for it.
So I just pray that everybody,um, every young person has an
opportunity to have a mentorlike Rosemary Davis Kelly.
And I think I'm thankful that wehave done just that.
We have paid forward uh by whatshe gave to us, to other young
(22:07):
people.
And uh I'm so grateful for that.
So we are going to move to uhour next segment, uh, which is
the salt model in action.
But um, once again, we loveRosemary Davis Kelly.
Uh, we we love Angie Lee, welove her sister Linda, and we
are so grateful that they, as afamily, we're willing to lend
(22:28):
her to the world.
And so uh listen, everybody.
I just encourage you to be thatmentor in a young person's life
because you never know who theymay become in the future.
Well, hey, my friends, you havebeen listening to part one of
our episode dedicated to Make aDifference Day 2025.
(22:51):
Uh part one, we featured uh mygood friend, Dr.
Brian Williams, all the way fromHouston, Texas.
And talk about a friend and amentor, Rosemary Davis Kelly.
Thank you so much for tuning into that part of the podcast.
And let's over here.
I want you to tune in to parttwo of this podcast dedicated to
(23:13):
make a difference in 2025.
Hello everybody, welcome to the Talk Talk where
(00:02):
we're seasonal life withservice, affirmational, love,
and transformation.
I'm your host, Jermaine Albert.
And today we're gonna dotwo-part series in honor of Make
a Difference Day 2025.
A day when people across thenature of their sleeves and
serve.
This year's thing is helpinghands change your life.
Feels deeply personal to me.
(00:24):
For me, service started when Iwas a teenager and I joined the
Octagon Club led by a dearfriend and mentor Rosemary Davis
Kelly.
The Octagon Club is the youtharm of the Octopus Club, and we
did food drives, visit seniors,raise money, local calls out.
And somewhere along the way, welearned that service isn't just
something to do, but it'ssomething you become.
(00:46):
That experience takes my missionto help people wake up with
purpose and respond to the needsaround them with compassion.
And today I get to celebratethat journey with someone who
was there from the verybeginning.
My brother, a more than 30 yearseducator, mentor, and Houston's
own Dr.
(01:07):
Brian Lamb.
In this two-part podcast, we'regonna spend our first part with
my dear friend Rose Mayor DavisKelly, and then we're gonna jump
into some other content aboutthe root of service and
brotherhood as well as talkabout the thought model and
action.
And then we're gonna wrap uptalking about how we care for
(01:28):
self and cultivate connectionwith others.
So stay tuned to this two-partepisode of the Stop Talk with
Jeremy Alberty.
So segment one of this uhpodcast is titled The Roots of
Service and Brotherhood.
And when I think back to thoseearly Octagon Club days, I
(01:50):
remember the command to read,read, read, and to lead uh by
our mutual mentor who laterbecame uh a dear friend,
Rosemary Davis Kelly.
Uh, she truly taught us so much.
And it wasn't always by what shesaid, but how she lived.
In fact, Brian and I talk aboutuh Miss Kelly, I'm telling you,
(02:15):
almost every time we we talkeduh to each other because she
reminded us the importance ofservice to others and imparted
life lessons that would equip usto be adults who not only make a
difference, but literally be thedifference.
And so it's hard to believe thatour friend has um departed this
(02:36):
earth 20 years ago.
I really would say she was anearthly angel.
And I have no doubt that shewould be so proud of all her
octagon children and what we'veaccomplished.
And she poured so much in us.
And I definitely have to thankher daughter, Angelique, for
willingly and probablyunwillingly sharing her with us.
(02:59):
And so what we know is acts ofservice became opportunities for
learning responsibility and whatit meant to care about people
that we might never meet.
And that club became ourclassroom for life where we
first learned what it meant toserve from the heart.
And for me, that's where theessence salt was born.
(03:19):
Service is about presence,empathy, and the courage to show
up.
So before we go there, I wouldlove for my friend Brian to
share any thoughts that youmight have about Miss Kelly, as
we affectionately called her,and what stood out to you about
her?
SPEAKER_00 (03:38):
Well, Jermaine, thanks for having me on uh
today's podcast.
And service definitely is apassion of mine, and actually
servant leadership.
Uh, I'm a student of leadershipand I'm a student of serving
others.
But when I think about RosemaryDavis Kelly, Miss Kelly, as you
(03:59):
mentioned, who we effectivelyknow her as, uh, she is just an
amazing woman who has had atremendous impact on my life.
And I know you mentioned ourintersection with her in the
Octagon Club, but actually myintersection and introduction of
(04:20):
her began uh prior to theOctagon Club work.
I met her as a youngster at theLynwood YMCA, the heart of
Kansas City, Missouri.
SPEAKER_02 (04:32):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (04:33):
And that's actually where my service route started
from, but we'll get to that in alittle bit.
I want to just respond to yourinitial question about thoughts
about Miss Kelly and what stoodout to her.
She was um, you know, someonethat as a youth you feared, and
(04:54):
it wasn't a fear that you wereafraid of her, but there was a
fear in that you had a healthyrespect for her as a person, for
her as an advocate of youth, uh,and for her having high
expectations of herself and forthe youth that she served.
Yeah she really believed inproviding experiences and
(05:22):
exposure and education uh tounderserved and underprivileged
youth.
And somehow she knew that withthose experiences and those
opportunities, that that wouldopen the door wide for all of us
to be successful adults.
And so when I I really thinkabout her, I think of her as a
(05:44):
second mom.
And she was a surrogate mom.
And as you know, I come from afamily of nine with a single mom
who raised us.
And my mom um did the very bestthat she could with the
resources that she had, but shecouldn't provide and fulfill all
(06:04):
the needs uh that her kids had.
And so God blessed to put in mypathway, surrogate mothers and
surrogate fathers who were ableto fulfill the needs and the
desires that I had that my momcould not fulfill.
And Miss Kelly was one of those.
And so she was just an amazing,positive um second mom, mentor,
(06:26):
role model.
And as you know, we might getinto that story of a role motor.
Absolutely, but um just the justan amazing, amazing person who
has truly had an impact on mylife.
And growing up at the LinwoodYMCA, I saw her um from a
(06:47):
professional standpoint, but asyou and I both know, that as we
became adults, that mentorshipreally blossomed into an adult
friendship.
Yeah.
And we got to see her outside ofwork and outside of working with
youth.
And she really uh positionedherself to be our friends and
our colleagues, and we got toknow a little more about her
(07:09):
personally.
Um, where we were able to spendtime with her family, spend time
in her home, spend time outsideof the Octagon Club or the YMCA.
So, you know, I just I justthink of her as just an amazing
woman who's had a positive uhimpact on my life and has helped
(07:30):
change the trajectory of mylife.
SPEAKER_01 (07:32):
Listen, when you said that she was uh like a
surrogate mom, I agree with you100%.
Uh she was that second mom thatyou didn't know you needed, but
my God, the lessons that shetaught us were just tremendous.
Now, if I'm recalling thatquote, she said, a role model
(07:53):
stands still.
Models stands still, but a motoruh is moving and action.
And she didn't want us just tobe people who just stood still.
She wanted us to be aboutaction.
And um, I listen, all the adultsthat she introduced us to that
were doing stuff, whether it wastaking us to see the governor of
(08:16):
Missouri or uh a state senatorin Kansas or whoever it was, she
was always introducing us topeople who she knew would be
models for us, uh who were doingthings, who were bought things.
So when I came across that thefourth Saturday of October was
Make a Difference Day, I wasjust like, we have to do um
(08:39):
something to honor somebody whomade a big difference in our
lives, and that was Miss Kelly.
And so uh I'm so glad you agreedto do this interview, and um I
was curious about how you becamepart of the Optagon Club.
You met Miss Kelly at theLinwood YMCA, but you were the
president of the Optagon Club,and I was the chair of
(09:01):
recruitment.
So how did you even become partof the Optagon Club?
SPEAKER_00 (09:06):
Well, Miss Kelly, in her professional role, she was
the program director for socialservices at the Linwood YMCA.
So she was responsible forproviding social services and
social services program andyouth programs at the YMCA.
So in my relationship with her,she always um ensured that I was
(09:31):
connected and that I was exposedto any and every uh youth
program available.
Yeah.
And that was that was in the inwithin the city limits of Kansas
City.
But what I didn't know is on herown time, she was a part of the
Optimist Club.
And as you know, growing up, uhthe Optimus Club, she's part of
(09:52):
the KCK Optimus Club.
It was a predominantlymale-dominated service
organization.
It was that catered to men.
And um, she was one of very fewwomen who busted down the door.
Absolutely.
And back in the late 80s and90s, and created space and a
(10:18):
seat at the table of thatorganization to allow women and
women of color to be a part ofthat organization.
And as you mentioned, theOctagon Club was the youth
service organization or thebranch of the Optimist Club.
But I became a part of thatbecause I did not know that Miss
Kelly was a part of thatorganization and that in her own
(10:40):
spare time on the weekends, uh,she was the sponsor along with
uh a good friend of ours,Adrian, his grandmother, Mary
Ann Flunder, who was also apolitical advocate and uh
community advocate on the KansasCity, Kansas side.
But they sponsored the OctagonClub on the Kansas City, Kansas
(11:04):
side, which for those of you whoare listening who may not know,
there's Kansas City, Missouri,and Kans City, Kansas.
But they provided space and aplatform for youth to get
involved in service and inleadership.
And so Ms.
Kelly introduced me to theOctagon Club and just extended
the invitation, and I said yes.
And then that opened up the doorfor us to uh connect with other
(11:28):
like-minded young people whowere similar age back bracket
who went to other schools um onthe Kansas side that that we
developed lifetime and long-termfriendships with.
So that's how I became a part ofthat organization.
SPEAKER_01 (11:43):
And you said that she she invited you and you said
yes.
It was hard to say no.
SPEAKER_00 (11:48):
Well, I I I I don't I don't know if it was an
invitation as it was anexpectation.
SPEAKER_01 (11:53):
Absolutely, absolutely, yeah, yeah.
One of that's one of the thingsabout uh Miss Kelly is she
brought so many opportunities tous.
And every opportunity wassomething that she knew would
stretch us and grow us, andreally turn us into the men that
we became today.
Um, that's one of my questionsis uh, how do you think that
(12:13):
experience of growing up withsuch a strong uh role motor, as
as we'll call her role modemotor, uh how did that shape how
you became the man you aretoday?
SPEAKER_00 (12:27):
I'll go back to what I said about uh education and
exposure, expands yourexpectations and uh just
provides you with opportunities.
So she did that for me and notjust me, but for lots of young
people.
So connecting with her, I'lljust list a couple of the
programs that I was able to be apart of as a result of her
(12:50):
mentorship and leadership.
Of course, we talked about theOctagon Club, and that was a
service and leadershiporganization that really uh
exposed us as young people, highschool students, about
leadership, about um service inour community and giving back.
And it really taught us um, youknow, we had committee work, we
(13:14):
had uh meetings where we had toum abide by the Roberts rules of
order and learning how to runproper meetings.
We had minutes, and so we kindof learned the business side of
how to operate in uh you know aformal organization or club
through that process.
(13:35):
I remember one of the excitingthings that we did, I don't know
if you remember this, within theOctagon Club, is we developed a
mentoring program or she did,and she matched us with middle
school students that we mentoredand um we partnered with.
And we were, you know, what shedid for us, she wanted us to do
(13:57):
that for younger middle schoolstudents.
And so I remember having acouple of middle school students
that while I was a junior and asenior in high school, um
picking them up, taking them onfield trips, you know, uh
visiting with their parents andmentoring them on the side while
also going to school full-timeand also working part-time.
(14:19):
So that was one aspect of that.
And of course, you know, therewere many uh opportunities to go
to um like conventions orworkshops that brought out those
leadership skills in us.
So that was the Octagon Club wasone of those programs.
Another program that she exposedme to was uh a program involving
(14:41):
um minibikes, and it was calledNIMPAM, NYPUM.
And they no longer do this, butthis was a part of the YMCA, and
I'll mention this because youyou know uh there's a hobby that
I had, but it was NIMPAM standsfor the National Youth Project
Using Mini Bikes.
And what this was is that it wasan organization where there it
(15:05):
was sponsored by the Y, and theyhad a um a set of mini-bikes,
and what they did is theytargeted young African-American
males who were teens, and theypaired them with adult men who
actually rode motorcycles, andthey would teach us how to ride
the mini-bikes, they would teachus how to service them, and then
(15:28):
what we would actually do isback, you know, parades are not
as popular as they used to be,but back in Kansas City when we
would have the Thanksgiving orSt.
Patrick's Day or any parade, wewould ride those mini-bikes and
parades.
So that was another serviceorganization that I was part of,
and then she also uh exposed meto an organization called
(15:51):
Natural Helpers.
I think you were part of thiswith us.
But back in the 80s and 90s,when we were in school, there
was a drug pandemic happening,then there was violence in
Kansas City.
And um there was anorganization, I cannot remember,
I think it was the NationalAlcoholism, the National
Organization on Alcohol,Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.
(16:12):
And what they developed is apeer helpers program where they
train young people to form andcreate an organization, and we
were to educate our peers aboutthe dangers and hazards of
alcoholism and drug abusethrough um not just you know
giving presentations or givingstats, but the the purpose of
(16:35):
that was to develop skits andplays and songs and raps um in
order to present thatinformation in a fun, creative
way to our peers to educate themabout the dangers of uh of drugs
and alcohol.
And I'm I'm laughing because Iremember one of the poems that I
(16:58):
memorized and learned and stilleven know to this day.
It's called My Name is Cocaine.
So maybe at the end of this Imight recite that.
But what that organization didfor me, as everything that she
exposed us with, you and I areexcellent public speakers.
Yes, yeah, and you and I haveserved in ministry, you still
serve in ministry in in somecapacity.
(17:21):
My ministry now is uh theeducation sector, but one of the
skill sets that she developedwith us with that program and
many others, like the OctagonClub, is she brought out the um
the talent and the gift ofpublic speaking and oration.
And I remember as a kid growingup, I was very shy.
(17:44):
Uh, and I'm still veryintroverted, but as a kid, I was
very introverted, lacked someself-confidence.
But one of the things that shemade us do, and it was an
expectation of hers, sheexpected us and exposed us, like
you said, to reading, readingcurrent events, reading
information, but also being ableto stand and deliver a speech, a
(18:09):
presentation.
And um, I floundered many, many,many times and failed and
embarrassed myself many, manytimes.
But I credit Miss Kelly and Iattribute my success as a public
speaker in being able to get upand stand and deliver
confidently in front ofthousands or hundreds of people
(18:30):
um a speech, a presentation, andhave the ability to capture an
audience and uh encourage themor inspire them.
And all that is attributed toMiss Kelly because she had been
she had the gift and the desireto bring out talents and gifts
that we had as kids, and sheknew that these were skill sets
(18:53):
that were gonna enable us to besuccessful.
So that's a long answer to yourquestion.
SPEAKER_01 (18:58):
Listen, it's great because here's the thing about
it.
We talk about Miss Kelly, youknow, for hours on end, and so
we did a whole podcast justdedicated to what she
contributed to our lives.
And I remember um when there wasthe epidemic in Kans City, and I
was with her, uh Alvin Brooks,and a lot of bunch of other
(19:19):
leaders, we did this put downthe pipe campaign.
SPEAKER_00 (19:21):
Put down the pipe, yes.
SPEAKER_01 (19:22):
And I mean, it was an all night long like event.
And we was in the basement, Iwant to say it otherwise
possibly, but um put down thepipe campaign.
And then when Rev Jackson, JesseJackson came into Kansas City,
she pulled me out of school tobe at that event where Rev
Jackson was at.
SPEAKER_00 (19:40):
I mean, I'm telling you that that's ironic because I
mentioned that to somebodytoday.
Um, of course, you know I workin the school district.
Yeah, and I and we had oursuperintendent student advisory
council meeting.
And so I had a couple studentsapproach me concerned about um
an organization or club beingstart started in their school,
(20:03):
and they just had somereservations about it.
And I educated them on ourdistrict policy, um, that we we
we don't have restrictionsaround clubs and organizations
that kids can um start.
Yeah.
And we we we live in thiscountry, and in our country, we
honor the Constitution and theFirst Amendment, right?
(20:24):
For people to be able to expresstheir opinions and beliefs, even
if we disagree with them.
Right.
That's the big beautiful thingabout living in this country.
But I was talking to theirsponsor, their teacher who
brought them, and I told themthe Jesse Jackson story that I
was politically awakened in oursenior year in high school, and
I said it was 1992.
(20:44):
Yeah, and uh Bill Clinton was onthe verge of being elected, but
Jesse Jackson came to town inKansas City and he was a part of
the get out the vote campaign.
Yeah, we yeah, I remember youand I were pulled out of school
along with some other of ourfriends and siblings, and we got
to be a part of his entourage ashe traveled from schools to
(21:07):
churches to community centersand gave speeches.
And I'll tell you, that yearawakened uh me in such a way
that I'll never forget thatexperience.
And that's that's all attributedto Rosemary Davis Keller.
SPEAKER_01 (21:22):
All of it.
Listen, as I said, we could goon and on and on.
I just had to dedicate a portionof this podcast to the
contribution that uh Miss Kellymade in our lives.
And so I am so excited that shegave me one gift that I have had
uh for now 30 plus years, andthat's our friendship.
(21:44):
That introduction of us, andgrateful for it.
So I just pray that everybody,um, every young person has an
opportunity to have a mentorlike Rosemary Davis Kelly.
And I think I'm thankful that wehave done just that.
We have paid forward uh by whatshe gave to us, to other young
(22:07):
people.
And uh I'm so grateful for that.
So we are going to move to uhour next segment, uh, which is
the salt model in action.
But um, once again, we loveRosemary Davis Kelly.
Uh, we we love Angie Lee, welove her sister Linda, and we
are so grateful that they, as afamily, we're willing to lend
(22:28):
her to the world.
And so uh listen, everybody.
I just encourage you to be thatmentor in a young person's life
because you never know who theymay become in the future.
Well, hey, my friends, you havebeen listening to part one of
our episode dedicated to Make aDifference Day 2025.
(22:51):
Uh part one, we featured uh mygood friend, Dr.
Brian Williams, all the way fromHouston, Texas.
And talk about a friend and amentor, Rosemary Davis Kelly.
Thank you so much for tuning into that part of the podcast.
And let's over here.
I want you to tune in to parttwo of this podcast dedicated to
(23:13):
make a difference in 2025.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!