By g.r. mattox

By the time the Tied to Greatness tour reaches its final stop in Newark at Shabazz High School on May 2, it will have passed through some of the largest urban centers in the country. The day-long program brings together adolescent males to take a look at image and ways to make decisions regarding their personal appearance from the inside out.

Tour creator Alex Ellis launched Tied to Greatness after years of mentoring as part of the ministerial staff of Abundant Life Family Worship Church in New Brunswick and as owner of Simply Ellis LLC, his custom clothing company. A member of the Custom Tailors and Designers Association of America, he knows that image is important, and has acted as a personal stylist for number of media personalities, political figures, business leaders and entertainers.

Through his book, Restoring the Male Image: A Look From the Inside Out, he has been interviewed on radio and television programs around the country, including the Steve Harvey Morning Show and addressed many groups including the upcoming Empower Today’s Youth conference, with the aim to restore the pride in a man’s internal and external image. The book has been praised by program presenter and Black Enterprise Editor-In-Chief Alfred A. Edmond Jr., who said the book “provides the necessary framework for laying the foundation or achieving the restoration of potent, productive and positive manhood, as a matter of not just clothing the flesh, but adorning the spirit.”

After years of mentoring teenage boys in his church, and working with them in a transition from jeans and t-shirts, Ellis, who also serves as Chaplain for New Brunswick police and fire fighters, saw the need for young men to have a more polished image, He also took notice of the local laws with reference to sagging jeans: “I really believed that the image of our young men should not be left up to the government, or the police or even the schools. I believe that we, as men of color, must model another image for our young men.”

Ellis believes young men don’t stand much of a chance entering corporate America and the business world without this intervention. “You could actually have a 4.0 GPA and speak five different languages, but if you don’t carry yourself in a way that exudes that type of experience, it’s automatically assumed that you don’t come to work on time, you’re not educated, you won’t work hard and you’re not trustworthy.”

This national tour has indeed become a movement, for which several notable and influential men have stepped up to give their personal testimonies and share insight on the subject of “Image & Greatness” during the panel discussions in 11 cities including Philadelphia, Baltimore, Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago. In addition to local leaders, young men have listened to national and celebrity participants like R &B singer/Producer Teddy Riley, recording artist Kenny Lattimore. BET/CNN correspondent and social activist Jeff Johnson; author and CNN’s Roland Martin; Kwame Jackson of NBC’s Apprentice and NFL players Kerry Rhodes, Abram Elam and Keion Carpenter and The Cathedral International’s Senior Minister Bishop Donald Hilliard.

Alpha Phi Alpha General President Daryl Matthews was a presenter at the Harlem kickoff in February. He has encouraged his fraternity brothers nationwide to participate and encourage young men to attend. Another strong partner is 100 Black Men of America along with numerous men’s ministries and inner-city high schools. In addition to the panel discussion participants view an inspirational video presentation featuring distinguished and accomplished men of color. They also receive Ellis’ book and invited to enter a national essay contest explaining how their life has been changed by the book.  The winner will be awarded a complete custom ensemble.

The highlight of each event is the Pass It On Tie Ceremony . Each participant is presented a tie, and is taught how to tie that tie by an adult. At that time, “I want them to look into his eyes with sincerity and tell him that they believe in him; that he will be a productive member of society,” Ellis said. “That they believe the young man will go to college, be a member of corporate America or become an entrepreneur.”

“Many of these young men have never had that affirmation from an African-American man,” Ellis continued. “With 70 percent of these young men born into single-parent homes, I believe it will leave an indelible mark on them and I think every young man should be entitled to that.”