TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa native Jalem Robinson isn't the person to just sit around and talk about solutions when it comes to kids falling into violent crime…he just gets to work.
"When they don't have anything to do, they're going to find the wrong thing to do," Robinson said.
Robinson says the reason why kids may turn to a more dangerous lifestyle is layered, but he wants to do his part to step in.
That’s why he started his own non-profit mentorship program called Brothers United Building Brothers Alliance — or B.U.B.B.A., for short. It’s designed to be a “safe haven for men and boys” in Tampa.
"We’ve got boys that you would label as 'troubled kids,'" Robinson said. “But we’ve got straight-A students also. We don't turn anyone away, but we also don't make them feel like it's a 'troubled kids' program, because who wants to feel like that?"
Richard Braxton joined B.U.B.B.A when he was a freshman in high school. He says it’s changed his life for the better, and now that he’s graduated high school, he’s returning the favor to other kids by working for B.U.B.B.A.
"I always used to run away. I didn't want to do anything,” Braxton said. “An introvert. Now I'm outside more, I work out more and it changed me, my social skills are much better."
Robinson says he is currently working with state representatives who he met at Tampa's Violent Crime Forum last month to find more funding for B.U.B.B.A. because right now, it just runs off of his pockets and the generosity of family and friends.
While they push to keep the program growing, Robinson says, despite the negative influences targeting kids, he's still optimistic about his city.
"I'm a Tampa baby, so of course I have hope for the city,” he said. “Teach the youth something, or come up with something to be a part of the solution instead of making complaints.”
Tampa Police say they're still planning to have another community meeting at the end of the month. As for more free youth programs coming to the city, we're still waiting to hear back from city staff.
You can find out more about B.U.B.B.A. by clicking here.