Million Fathers March members show up to advise and encourage Lanier's male students

"How many of you are from the West Side?" Charles Lee asked the male students of Sidney Lanier High School.

Some hands went up.

"If you know somebody who got shot, put your hand up," Lee said.

More hands went up.

"If you got a partner who's been murdered, put your hands up," he said.

A few dozen hands go up.

"If you would do anything to bring that person back, put your hands up," he said.

The same amount of hands goes up.

Sidney Lanier High School hosted a Million Fathers March where prominent Montgomery community men greeted the students of Lanier on their way into school. The students were greeted with fist bumps from artist Kevin King, former Mayor Todd Strange, firemen, Sheriff Derrick Cunningham and more.

Gallery:Check out these photos of Sidney Lanier High School and students through the years

From earlier this year:Sidney Lanier High School holds commencement exercises at Cramton Bowl

The Million Fathers March is an organization that encourages men throughout a community to be active in their children's educational lives. The event at Lanier brought together influential men in Montgomery who shared life experiences, advice and support with Lanier's male students.

The men handed out affirmations that told students that they are worthy of forgiveness and capable of being great students. They played, too: One of the firemen tried to use the baton of an early arriving student.

After the morning greetings, Principal Joseph Roberson called the male students to the auditorium for the main event. Panelists included Cunningham; Lee from That's My Child; King from King's Canvas; attorney and political candidate Philip Ensler; MPS math coach Curtis Rice; City Councilor Cornelius "CC" Calhoun, and Office of Violence Prevention Director Keith Moore.

Roberson moderated the discussion, first recalling a student who had been in trouble and, as if an explanation for his behavior, told Roberson that he was from the west side of Montgomery. Roberson wasn't moved.

He asked the men to advise the students on such topics as social media, accountability and the importance of being around good, responsible friends.

Cunningham told the students that they will be held accountable for their actions. He said the students are building a "resume for life."

One student asked about the starting salary for marines. He was told by Calhoun that if he stuck with ROTC for all four years, he could be making around $38,000 out of high school.

The men also offered advice. Ensler reminded students that even Instagram stories stick around through screenshots.

Moore, who leads the city's Office of Violence Prevention, shared a cautionary tale. He asked the students if they had heard of Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore.

Many said they had. For those who had heard from peers that going to Fountain was cool, Moore said he was going to tell them the real story, beginning with the call Moore had gotten from his 62-year-old cousin telling him he had been raped in Fountain Prison.

"They beat him up and raped him, gentleman. [Friends] are not going to tell you the whole story," Moore said. "They will tell you what's cool."

King, who has hosted after-school events for students, said some of those kids are now in their early 20s and have told him they should have listened to him — that being an adult really is more difficult than they had imagined.

Near the end of the discussion, Roberson asked the men about the women in their lives, and how they should treat them.

King quoted Malcolm X when he said that the Black woman is the most disrespected person in America.

"And, I think, in 2022, that's still relevant, that saying is still relevant, and he died a long time ago," King said.

Some of the panelists reminded the men that the women around them are other men's mothers, sisters and daughters, and they wouldn't want their mothers, sisters and daughters treated poorly.

Ensler told the students that if they want respect, they should give respect.

Calhoun told the students his next request would probably make some of them uncomfortable: He asked them each to turn to the boy sitting in the next seat and tell him that he loves him — a declaration of love outside of the typical romantic context. He likened it to being on a football team with slogans of "all for one, one for all."

"That's love, man," he said.

He and Ensler turned to each other and both said, "I love you," before embracing.

Jemma Stephenson is the children and education reporter for the Montgomery Advertiser. She can be reached at jstephenson@gannett.com or 334-261-1569.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Million Fathers March members encourage, advise Lanier's male students