MIXING BASKETBALL AND OUTREACH
Dwayne Jackson works on awareness, education for Fort Myers black youths
Each week, this series will introduce you to an exceptional American who unites, rather than divides, our communities. To read more about the American profiled here and more average Americans doing exceptional things, visit onenation.usatoday.com.
What does it mean to you to be an American?
It means putting others before yourself. When I started putting others before myself, opportunities started to happen.
What moment touched and motivated you to become involved in this effort?
Two years ago, two of my cousins were murdered right in Dunbar. One was 18, and one was 36.
At that time, I was a fourth-grade teacher at Unity Charter School of Fort Myers. I felt like God was calling me to be a missionary — an African-American person in my community who graduated from college, who is a Christian, who is also married. I wanted the kids to be able to say: “Look at Dwayne.”
So I go out into the streets, and I build a relationship with them. ... Then I started playing basketball with them. The kids love that.
What gives you hope and what concerns you?
It’s really frustrating. But if I don’t do it, who’s going to do it?
How many missionaries do you know who are in Dunbar? How many people do you know who go into the projects at night and try to help out?
My hopes going forward are involving African-Americans, whites, Hispanics, Mexicans, all of these kids, and getting them involved in life together. I feel like Fort Myers is still so segregated. If you grow up on the other side of the tracks, they don’t know any other kids growing up.
With Hoops On Mission, we bring all of these kids together. We don’t have any labels.
What do you hope to accomplish through your efforts?
I want to empower and educate the children in our community. I want to give them hope for a better future.