As a sociopolitical analyst, behavioral health specialist and activist, Cleo Manago has become one of the leading thought leaders on a range of issues affecting communities of color. As founder and CEO of the African-American Advocacy, Support-Services & Survival Institute (AmASSI), Manago has addressed African American health concerns for over two decades. Manago is also the founder and national organizer of the Black Men’s Xchange (BMX), an educational, policy and leadership development, health and empowerment organization for same gender loving (SGL) and bisexual African-descendant males.
Rolling out spoke with Manago about his leadership development, his unique strategy to heal the black community, and how he keeps members invested in the process of empowerment.
How did you become conscious of your mission as a leader?
At a very young age, it became crystal clear to me that something was wrong in black communities and families regarding self-concept, community conflict and health. I had an inability to be complacent in the midst of resolvable problems that were uniquely hurting black people. When I realized that much of it resulted from a legacy of slavery and intergenerational levels of untreated trauma and problem solving, I got busy developing methods that could help heal this challenge.
BMX is targeted to a specific set of individuals. Is there a different approach you use with BMX since there are nuances there that may not be present among the general population?
The work of both AmASSI and BMX center around a strategy called “Critical Thinking & Cultural Affirmation (CTCA).” CTCA guides participants from complacency to being proactive, critical thinkers and black problem-solvers. If you don’t fully love or respect who you are you may be at high risk to do whatever. Through CTCA negative black ideations are unlearned and replenished with new skills, new behaviors and new practices.
One challenge to any nonprofit is keeping its members engaged. What methods do you employ to address this difficulty?
We hire and train staff members who are able to embody the sacred and strategic importance of this work, and how to implement it in a particularly respectful way. We also have a rewards system for members with successful participation in our programs, trainings, retreats and for becoming CTCA leaders within their social networks.
