TeamHumanity seeks to help youth in Brownsville area
Tyrese Lewis, left, and Shandon Marshall work in TeamHumanity’s screen-printing facility. At rear is Dejour Thomas.
From left, Tyrese Lewis, Shandon Marshall, Kylie Jackson and Dejour Thomas wear the clothing line’s Humanitee T-shirt.
After 10 years of playing cornerback in the National Football League for various teams, William James was ready to go back to his roots.
James moved back to Brownsville, near his childhood home, and began the nonprofit organization TeamHumanity.
“I had been all over the world. I’ve met many different people and experienced many different things. I know if I wouldn’t have had certain people in my life, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” he said.
James, 37, said he wanted to do something with the young people in the community and that is where TeamHumanity comes into play.
About three years ago, James bought and rehabbed a building in Brownsville, and employed some local youth to design and market a T-shirt that showed the concept of how we are all connected globally. That one T-shirt idea turned into two more renovated buildings and morphed into a business that employs and teaches skills to youth. The bustling business now has about 14 young people learning skills such as marketing, graphic design and shipping.
The single design T-shirt has multiplied into a fashionwear line, with the teens learning every aspect of the business from concept and design, to production and selling. There is even an in-house photography studio that employs the young people as models and photographers.
In addition to the business, James has equipped a room with exercise equipment and a group of young people work out under his supervision.
“TeamHumanity is a concept to give the youth practical job skills and put money in their pockets. With this business, they are learning many aspects, it is more than just a job,” he said. “They are taking an idea, making it, and selling the finished product.”
Trey Smith, 21, of Brownsville, is a photographer and already has credits, which include photographing rapper Wiz Khalifa.
“I want to do a documentary and music videos. This has given me experience and a place when I needed it,” he said. Smith said without TeamHumanity, he doesn’t know where he may have ended up. “I lost my cousin; this place was here at a time in my life that I needed something. It helped keep me on a path and keep me focused.”
Keyonna McCrae, 18, of Brownsville, said that TeamHumanity gave her more than just hands-on experience and a part-time job. James helped her to apply to design school.
“He was very instrumental,” she said. “He would ask about our applications to school, our essays and other things that we needed. He would ask me, ‘Did you get your essay done yet?’ He helped to show us what we needed to do.”
James said that he wanted to create an empowerment center. He added that he wanted a place where the kids could learn and be a part of something.
“I want them to have something to strive for,” he explained. “Everything shouldn’t be handed to them. I don’t believe in that. These kids are learning skills that they can take anywhere in their life.”
TeamHumanity will be sponsoring the inaugural TeamHumanity Games with participants from seven municipalities – Brownsville, Washington, Charleroi, California, Belle Vernon, Connellsville and Uniontown. The teams will take part in various games, including potato sack races, a bouncy house obstacle course and a hot dog eating contest, to challenge the participants to work together and create camaraderie.
A portion of the proceeds from the event will be used to rehab a space for a youth-centered activities The event will be held June 17 at 161 Market Square in Brownsville.
For more information, visit www.teamhumanitygames.com.