Tonight, though what he said reached far fewer. A crowd at Bright Hope Baptist Church took what they heard to heart and will, Baisden hopes, spread the message.
On a nationwide crusade to sign up one million mentors, Baisden has been traveling aboard a bus encouraging African American men and women to spend time with children who desperately need them.
Reverend William Ivery used to be one such child. Once wrapped up in gangs and the street life, his mentor put him on a path that led him to a career as a police officer and now a preacher, who matches mentors with kids like him.
"If we don't get involved, we're going to see the prisons filled with our young people," Reverend Ivery said.
Philadelphia was the 53rd stop on Michael Baisden's 74 city tour. At each, the message is the same, and it is, very often, in your face.
"I'm being direct in this sense, if these adults don't get up off their behinds, we're going to lose more of our kids to homicide, suicide, drop out, everything else," Baisden said.
While these events echo what Basiden says on the radio, he is not alone in saying it, as videos on YouTube showing Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, and more speaking out about mentoring show.
They are just a few of the famous faces Basidenhas signed up, in an effort to sign up thousands not nearly as well known, but with every bit the power to persuade.
LINK: http://www.michaelbaisden.com/
