Close Up Radio Spotlights Keynon Lake of My Daddy Taught Me That

Asheville, NC – Keynon Lake is the CEO and founder of My Daddy Taught Me That, is a non-profit, grassroots organization dedicated to teaching young men in the underserved communities of Asheville how to transition from adolescence to manhood, by focusing on good decision making, accepting responsibility, and being accountable for their actions.

“My Daddy Taught Me That is a program for any young man who wants to learn and do better,” says Lake. “The mindset is to help as many kids as we possibly can.”

A social worker with nearly 20 years of community involvement and outreach, Lake was inspired by his father Bennie Lake, one of the original Harlem Globetrotters, who himself dedicated his life to working with the youth as a social worker for more than 30 years.

My Daddy Taught Me That partners with schools, low-income housing developments, faith organizations and the juvenile court system to provide academic and emotional support to young men through tutoring, discussion groups, field trips and career training opportunities.

According to Lake, one of the biggest problems facing our country today is absent parents. There are nearly 16 million single parent families, the overwhelming majority of which are headed by single moms with no positive male role models or influences.

“We can’t allow these statistics to continue to grow,” says Lake. “Iron sharpens iron. We need to talk to men about stepping up and making a difference, the unwritten rules of being men: how to carry yourself, how to dress yourself, how to tie a tie. We need to create opportunities and put the youth in positions to be successful. If they can see it, they can achieve it.”

For more information, visit www.mydaddytaughtmethat.org