Interview with DeJaun Bland: A Champion for Community and Youth Empowerment
DeJaun Bland is a multifaceted leader dedicated to community development and youth empowerment. As the Lead Organizer at MOSES (Metropolitan Organizing Strategy Enabling Strength), a Youth Mentor with Developing K.I.D.S., and a former sports broadcaster, Bland brings a wealth of experience and passion to his various roles. His work is deeply rooted in creating sustainable change and fostering growth within communities. In this interview, Bland shares insights into his roles, challenges, and the driving forces behind his commitment to making a difference.
- Can you share more about your role as a Lead Organizer at MOSES (Metropolitan Organizing Strategy Enabling Strength)? What are some key responsibilities and achievements in this position?
D.B: As the lead organizer of MOSES, my job is to create and sustain an organizing culture. That includes developing organizers and leaders, raising money, creating strategic organizational and campaign plans, and building a base.
- You also have experience in sports broadcasting. How has this experience contributed to your skills in communication and community engagement?
D.B: Broadcasting, and journalism in general, has helped a lot in community engagement. So much of the job is public speaking and thinking about how to communicate ideas and strategies, all of which you have to constantly practice as a journalist. I also think being a talent for a live broadcast you have to be in the moment and present in the room.
- As a Youth Mentor with Developing K.I.D.S., what were some of the challenges you faced in supporting students in the middle school to early high school grade levels? How did you address these challenges?
D.B: I think the biggest challenges were to take this nonstop energy and put it to use in tasks that developed them and their minds. It’s easy to want things nice and in order and quiet, but that just doesn’t exist with middle schoolers and early teens. The job then can become policing behavior or meeting them where they are.
- Can you tell us about a particularly impactful mentoring experience you’ve had with a student? What did you learn from that experience?
D.B: There are so many, but I think the one that I treasure the most is a few years later I visited the program and a lot of my kids were the staff. It was just this real profound thought of how much investment could mean early in someone’s life.
- How do you approach teaching and training, considering your background in mentoring and organizing?
D.B: I think teaching and training are fundamental. People aren’t props for our tasks; they are entire humans who are the protagonists in their own stories. Centering their humanity and using just tactics are so important. I can train someone on how to run an effective meeting, and I intend to. But I think what’s more powerful is understanding the mechanics of an effective meeting while deeply understanding what lies or experiences play in your mind that prevent you from showing up most effectively in your leadership.
- In your opinion, what are some effective strategies for engaging youth in community initiatives and organizations?
D.B: There have to be deep relationships, and the work has to be created and informed by the youth. Youth cannot be seen as a tactic we use in campaigns and programs that are already running.
- How do you balance your various roles and commitments, such as community organizing, mentoring, and sports broadcasting?
D.B: With a Google Calendar.
- What motivates you to be involved in community development and youth empowerment initiatives?
D.B: My own experiences. I had so many moments of joy in my youth, and I also had many hardships. I want to create a world where we maximize the joy and minimize the trauma.
- Can you share any upcoming projects or goals you have in your current roles or in your community involvement?
D.B: There are a ton, really. I would say follow MOSES on our social media platforms to stay up to date.
- How do you see your diverse experiences contributing to your overall vision for community building and empowerment?
D.B: I am serious about building a sustainable base and a long-term strategic values agenda that comes from the community. I think in that way we are fighting for something and not just against everything.