WINNETKA, Calif. — While students will be learning subjects like math, English and history this fall online, there are certain skills that they just can’t learn in a traditional curriculum. So moms in the San Fernando Valley have come up with a unique program to support their Black sons in finding their true voice.

What You Need To Know

  • Cy Sharp and her friend, Shania Accius launched a new 6-week virtual program called Kusema Speaking & Leadership Collective

  • The word Kusema is Swahili for “To Say” or “Speak”

  • Kusema strives to create a safe space for young Black males in grades 6 through 12 to improve their communication skills

  • Sharp and Accius are hoping to expand their Kusema Speaking & Leadership Collective to become a national program that other Black boys can participate in

Getting a 14-year-old to talk on cue is a challenge for any parent. But Cy Sharp is putting her son Mae’son on the spot, for good reason. She’s helping him prepare for a debate.

“Shania and I both have teenage sons and we noticed a trend that they don’t speak up. They’re not as vocal whether it’s at school or in their community. And we really want to give them empowerment and that confidence to speak up,” said Sharp.

She and her friend, Shania Accius, have known each other for years. They've just launched a new six-week virtual program called Kusema Speaking & Leadership Collective. The word Kusema is Swahili for “To Say” or “Speak." Similar to the longstanding Toastmasters educational organization, the Kusema program strives to create a safe space for young Black males in grades 6 through 12 to improve their communication skills.

Sharp and Accius were compelled to start this program because they wanted their own two rather introverted sons to become more vocally confident, and to teach them the art of public speaking. Sharp explains, “The boys have the option to do a speech, a debate, spoken word, even music if they chose. But it stems back to one prompt, and that is 'The Dream Starts Now.’ So that will be articulated in four different ways depending on how the groups want to play that out.”

Each week, participants attend a virtual meeting with a guest speaker. The list includes notable Black men from backgrounds like entertainment, sports, politics, education, and social activism.

Kusema’s first guest speaker was Colby Tyner, a Philadelphia radio icon and VP of Programming at Radio One. Tyner as a mentor to Sharp when she was working in broadcasting. She says the mentors are a crucial part of teaching these young men how to build their confidence.

“They’re working directly with the students and teaching them different public speaking skills, activities, ice breakers that will get them comfortable with each other.”

Accius says the program is working.

“I feel like what we wanted to accomplish with Kusema, we’re already seeing the results of. We have several boys in program who were shy and introverts, already see them coming out of their shells. I can only imagine what the end result is going to be with these young men.”

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The boys also do “mirror work," shooting video of themselves talking and then watching it and critiquing their presentations. 

“I want for Mae’son what I want for all the boys to get out of this program," said Sharp. "Whatever they want to be, that they can let that anxiety go, let that fear go. And show up confident and ready to present in front of whomever they have to.”

Sharp and Accius are hoping to expand their Kusema Speaking & Leadership Collective to become a national program that other Black boys can participate in.

Kusema has a number of upcoming seminars.

CORRECTION: A previous version of the story misspelled the name of Shania Accius. The error has been corrected. (August 13, 2020)