Walter Kirkland
~ Founding President 100 Black Men of Prince George's County ~
Member of the National Board of 100 Black Men of America
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(National Health & Wellness)
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(National Health & Wellness)
By Rodney Wayne Branche
Copa Style Magazine Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
rodneybranche@yahoo.com
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Copa: Where where you born?
Walter: I was born in a place called Mount Vernon, New York. Also know as 'Money Earnin Mount. Vernon!' Copa: What school did you attend?
Walter: I attended Rutgers University in Brunswick, New Jersey. I was an Education Major, I wanted to become teacher. Copa: How would you characterize yourself as a young boy growing up in Mount Vernon?
Walter: Good question Rodney, I would describe myself as curious and adventurous. I was in a competitive environment as you know in that area bordering the Bronx and Yonkers have had many famous athletes from the region. Mount Vernon is know for it's track and field, football and basketball. It really turned around my life around because it allowed me to focus on something that was constructive and I was lucky enough to be in the top 5% in track. It got me out of the hood and I won a scholarship. Copa: What was the major drive that kept you in focused while you were in college?
Walter: I would say that I was trying to make it to the Olympics. I was driven by my dad who is no longer alive. The digressions I had with the family I took out on the track. One of the first promises to myself was to make sure that I would get out of college. I did 'Red Shirt' one of my years to try to make the Olympics. The term 'Red Shirt' means that you would to and extra year to train specifically for the Olympics, so I stayed for 5 years but I did get out. |
Mount Vernon, New York
Rutgers University
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Copa: What was your first job after graduation from college?
Walter: I was blessed to have interpersonal skills, my first job was with IBM Corporation, to be honest, it was a little racist back then in 1981. It was a very prestigious job, however the first job in which I had a degree of success was the Xerox Corporation which had a good representation of minorities across the nation and it really changed my life.
Walter: I was blessed to have interpersonal skills, my first job was with IBM Corporation, to be honest, it was a little racist back then in 1981. It was a very prestigious job, however the first job in which I had a degree of success was the Xerox Corporation which had a good representation of minorities across the nation and it really changed my life.
Copa: When did you get the idea to found the 100 Black Men of Prince George's County?
Walter: The idea began in the year of 2008. I had to present to the national organization in Atlanta. The first time we were turned down, I was vice President at the time. We embarrassed ourselves. We got turned down. Later I re-tooled and in 2010 we were approved. When we were approved I was President of the 100 Black Men of Prince George's County.
The previous administration was a bit unprofessional and I had to use my personal business savvy to place things in proper order to make everything fall into place. I presented it as if it were a business case, we were all delighted when it was approved. The first time I was in a supporting role, the second time I was the leader in this initiative.
Walter: The idea began in the year of 2008. I had to present to the national organization in Atlanta. The first time we were turned down, I was vice President at the time. We embarrassed ourselves. We got turned down. Later I re-tooled and in 2010 we were approved. When we were approved I was President of the 100 Black Men of Prince George's County.
The previous administration was a bit unprofessional and I had to use my personal business savvy to place things in proper order to make everything fall into place. I presented it as if it were a business case, we were all delighted when it was approved. The first time I was in a supporting role, the second time I was the leader in this initiative.
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Copa: How many members started out with the 100 Black Men of Prince George's County?
Walter: 12 in the beginning, we now have 60. 
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Copa: How many mentees to do you work with throughout the year?
Walter: We work with over 300 kids.
Walter: We work with over 300 kids.
Copa: What sort of activities to get the kids involved with?
Walter: We get them involved with financial literacy, black history challenges, reading, and health & wellness projects such as "Wealth Care 2.0." We also work online with the kids and several health initiatives. It's very important!
Walter: We get them involved with financial literacy, black history challenges, reading, and health & wellness projects such as "Wealth Care 2.0." We also work online with the kids and several health initiatives. It's very important!
Copa: For those who don't know, who are the "100 Black Men of Prince George's County" and what is their mission?
Walter: We mentor black youth, boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 18 in wellness, education, and mentoring. We have a saying. "What they see is what they will be." That tag line resonates throughout our entire organization.
Walter: We mentor black youth, boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 18 in wellness, education, and mentoring. We have a saying. "What they see is what they will be." That tag line resonates throughout our entire organization.
Doug Williams
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Copa: Let's speak about one of your latest important events of the year.
Walter: It all started as a golf event that we use to raise money for a cause. So when I met former Washington Redskins quarterback Doug Williams about 5 years ago I asked him if he would like to partner up with me to support this initiative. At first we were going to go with Prostate Cancer or Sickle Cell Anemia, I thought about it and suggested that we should support the 100 Black Men of America. This went on have us developing a great local event. It made sense, Black boys are struggling, this way we could raise about $10,000 or more in scholarships. This went on to us raising over $100,000 with an outstanding event. We had over 250 golfers and 15 major sponsors. Once I started to put it out there the 100 Black Men of America got behind me and my Chairman came on board and this is how we put together this main epic event. |
Copa: Could you mention a few of these wonderful individuals who came out to support this effort?
Walter: Doug Williams, Jim Thorpe who's played on "The Masters," Raven Cadwell and Kenny Jenkins of The Washington Team, and Marcus Johnson to name a few.
Walter: Doug Williams, Jim Thorpe who's played on "The Masters," Raven Cadwell and Kenny Jenkins of The Washington Team, and Marcus Johnson to name a few.
Walter and Jim Thorpe
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Michael Phillips
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Marcus Johnson
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Copa: We understand this was a 3 day event, do you have more details for us?
Walter: It started out on Saturday at SoBe Restaurant, a Black owned establishment where we had a kickoff with Michael Phillips, he's a professional Sax player who's played with Michael Jackson, Prince, and Stevie Wonder. Jessie Jackson attended with a book signing to endorse the "100 Black Men Tournament." On Sunday we had a HBCU Round table with Sam Puryear, Coach of the Howard University Golf Team with some athletes with Doug Williams and other notable celebrities to speak about how we could raise money for HBCU's, it was phenomenal. ESPN was there with other media outlets, it was a great event. On Monday was the epic golf event which carried on the full day with vendors, DJ's food, and massages. Michael Phillips performed at the end after the ceremony.
Walter: It started out on Saturday at SoBe Restaurant, a Black owned establishment where we had a kickoff with Michael Phillips, he's a professional Sax player who's played with Michael Jackson, Prince, and Stevie Wonder. Jessie Jackson attended with a book signing to endorse the "100 Black Men Tournament." On Sunday we had a HBCU Round table with Sam Puryear, Coach of the Howard University Golf Team with some athletes with Doug Williams and other notable celebrities to speak about how we could raise money for HBCU's, it was phenomenal. ESPN was there with other media outlets, it was a great event. On Monday was the epic golf event which carried on the full day with vendors, DJ's food, and massages. Michael Phillips performed at the end after the ceremony.
~ CELEBRITY GOLF TOURNAMENT ~
Day 1
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Day 2
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Day 3
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Copa: What does the future hold for Walter Kirkland with the "100 Black Men of Prince George's County?
Walter: Well, there's so much going on, they want me to organize the national golf event with legend Tommy Smith. We'll be doing a 100 Black Men Track meet at Bowie State University in the Spring of 2022. I'll also be organizing a celebrity golf event with GOPX which is a Crypto currency company during the Super Bowl in Los Angeles to name a few. Later I'll be doing a celebrity golf event in the Bahamas next year. Many tremendous opportunities will be coming for Walter Kirkland as it pertains to media and events. I'm extremely excited about what ahead. I'm also becoming a brand ambassador working with the Black Wealth Summit which is coming up near October of this year. We're be focusing on inter generational wealth 'online' with these great guest speakers. (TheBlackWealthSummit.com) I'm becoming a spokesperson for all of these companies and they're paying me to do all of these things. It's taking all of the skill sets I've acquired over the years. I'm also quite effective in front and behind the camera. |
