23/07/2025
Dear Community Blog:
Raising Strong Men in a World That Won’t Hand Them Anything
Let’s be real—this world isn’t built for the weak. It’s unforgiving, competitive, and in many ways, built to break you if you’re not built for it. And if you’re raising a young man, especially one from a minority background, understand this: his path may be steeper, the rocks sharper, and the air thinner at every level he climbs. That’s the reality we can’t ignore.
So, what do we do? We build him strong.
Not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. We give him tools, not excuses. We give him principles, not popularity. We train his mind to handle pressure, to bounce back from failure, to stand firm when life hits hard—and it will hit hard.
This is not about raising a soft-spoken, fragile spirit that folds at the first sign of discomfort. It’s about raising a young man with emotional discipline, unshakable character, and the grit to keep going when it feels like the world is on his back. Because in truth, it often will be.
If you are raising a Black or Brown boy, you already know his margin for error is thinner. He’s judged quicker, labeled faster, and has to prove his worth twice as often just to be seen. That’s not fair, but it’s real. And the sooner we prepare him for that reality, not shield him from it, the better equipped he’ll be to conquer it.
But here’s the part many miss:
Be careful who you allow to speak into your child’s life.
Not everyone is worthy of that responsibility. Words shape futures. Influence build's identity. If someone is pouring into your child, ask yourself: Are they strengthening him or softening him? Are they planting seeds of strength or confusion?
Because the wrong voice, at the wrong time, can detour a destiny.
We must surround our young men with people who will tell them the truth with love, hold them accountable with consistency, and challenge them to be better—not just feel better.
Strong men aren’t born. They’re built.
Brick by brick. Standard by standard.
And if we do it right, they won’t just survive this world—they’ll change it.
-Matchem
