CityState: Current
Thinking Black Men
Life coach Andre Wright started an organization committed to the intellectual development
and economic empowerment of Black men in Providence. By Jamie Coelho
Andre Wright moved to Providence from the Boston area with his wife and their
two small children in early 2019 and realized there was something missing in the community
for Black men. He immediately thought about creating a group for them to foster respect
for family, spirituality, justice and integrity.
In July 2019, he officially formed Thinking Black Men of Providence
and it involves sharing connections and advice to help local black men
get involved in business. Wright also runs “Full Of Soul Radio,” Rhode
Island’s first African American-owned and online-operated station
that plays smooth R and B, jazz, hip hop and talk radio, while promoting
events and businesses in the Black community.
“When I moved here, I just couldn’t find anything like you would
see in Roxbury or Dorchester,” says Wright. “There are a lot of things
for Black people to do in the community, so I started Thinking Black
Men pretty much because I wanted a
way to get the word out.”
Wright strived to start an organization
that would help other Black men gain
access to opportunity. A certified life
coach, he also helps motivate individuals
and make them realize they can do anything
they put their minds to. He had a
tough time growing up in an abusive
home in Detroit, Michigan, but was able
to overcome his past and forgive his family
to start his own business, and he has
always wanted to help others do the same.
Wright guides members through ways
they can gain capital, which Wright
knows is available, but they just need
help accessing it. “I realize a lot of these
men do have the mindframe where they
want to own their own businesses, and
they want to help out their community,
but they just don’t have an avenue to do
it,” Wright says. “So I created Thinking
Black Men after listening to people in
the community saying what they wanted
and I put it all into one program.”
The group is planning to visit Washington,
D.C., in August to participate in
this year’s March on Washington. It’s an
opportunity for members of the group
to advocate for criminal justice reform
and be a part of history. Wright is proud
of what they have accomplished in the
last year even though the coronavirus
caused a slight hold on progress. They
are currently working on organizing
a mentoring program, and there’s a
GoFundMe campaign on the website to
help raise money for a community house for the group. Wright and
his team are putting a lot of effort into growing the group that’s
now at sixty-six members, and he hopes to leave a legacy behind
for his children through it.
“I am not afraid to attack anything, especially when it is going
to better someone other than myself,” Wright says. “That comes
from growing up and not having much and learning that the little
you do have, you cherish it and you give it everything you got.”
tbmprov.com �
COURTESY OF R. PROPHETE PHOTOGRAPHY.
18 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l AUGUST 2020