During Black History month, you can always expect Black excellence to take place all over the world. Whether it be the NAACP Image Awards or Fashion Weeks across the world, it’s important we mention the Black excellence taking place all over Atlanta, GA. Wednesday night, the Fulton County Department of Arts & Culture held a conversation moderated by Radio & TV Personality Frank Ski with renowned and accomplished industry figures T.I., Lamman Rucker, Young Dro, Randy Davidson, and Samir Abdullahi. The Director of Fulton County Arts & Culture and creator of FACE which stands for Fashion, Art, Culture, and Education, David Manuel emphasizes the importance of mentorship and influence through arts and culture to inspire younger generations. Discussing topics like creativity, productivity, and faith, the five speakers advised the young men in the room “Don’t let your emotions overwhelm your intelligence”.

The Fulton County Department of Arts & Culture works to support the synergy between fashion, art, culture, and education centering the youth in conversations around dating, finances, productivity, and conflict resolution. In a room of young black men from the ages 18-24, the room in the Georgia Power Company Auditorium was filled with students from Georgia State University, Morehouse, Clark Atlanta, Georgia Tech, and Morris Brown. As the college years are crucial to the development of a young gentleman's life, conversations surrounding self-development and health often come far too late for men a part of black communities due to lack of mentorship and father-like figures. Creating a safe and inspiring space for young black men to not only express themselves but also receive the guidance they need gives them the tools to fight against the oppressive society they're forced to live in.

Frank Ski starts off before introducing the highly anticipated panelists stating that “Young black men are under attack nationwide…The battle starts right at home, goes to your neighborhood, to your block, to your city, to your county, to your state, to the nation and around the world. ” From digital media and music, to racism and oppression, it seems every part of the world has a goal to destroy the lives of black men. However, conversations and community gatherings such as the Gentlemen’s Discussion allow our youth to combat the tactics used to discriminate and control our black youth.

Starting off with a fashion presentation, “Ballin’ on a Budget”, Tre McCluskey, designer and founder of Threads by Tre, showcases five affordable looks ranging from smart casual to streetwear to athleisure, minimalist, and formal. Exposing them to new forms of expression through fashion has not only been statistically proven to boost morale but help develop their own personal style.

Saying these guys dropped unmatched knowledge and wisdom that anyone could learn from would be an understatement. When it comes to perseverance and success, there's no magic trick—just dedication, hustle, and proper guidance. T.I.’s secret to confidence? Working hard and giving maximum effort into a passion or goal.

Why Did I Get Married? and Greenleaf actor, Lamman Rucker, starts off shedding light on the importance of self-discovery as a man and advises the young gentlemen to be careful of manufacturing an identity that isn't true to themselves. Rucker also touched on having enough self-awareness to seek out objective and trustworthy influences to help guide you through the ups and downs of life, while practicing discernment of course.

Having an unbiased variety of support systems in life saves many young black men from making brash and ignorant decisions. While all of the men on the panel proudly vocalized practicing their faith and spirituality, the actor continues to remind the audience to be confident in knowing that the power of God lives within them, yet humble enough to know they will make mistakes and must be willing to learn by seeking knowledge and guidance.

While the actor dropped an entire podcast episode worth of gems, he dropped an unexpected life hack—lean on your community while leveraging the transferable skills you’ve gained over time to acquire new ones and level up.

Randy Davidson, an entertainment pioneer in Atlanta, when asked what he would tell someone who aspires to work in entertainment that may be discouraged to approach him, advises the audience to get strategic and intentional about their approach. He also encourages the room to remember that the opportunities are out there despite how difficult it may be to get in. When approaching someone for a potential professional opportunity, show initiative and don't underestimate the power of following up.

When asked to give advice on how to deal with conflict, whether in the workplace or in our personal lives, Atlanta-based rapper, Young Dro emphasized the danger of failing to think before you react.The Grand Hustle artist also encouraged young men to approach every situation with intention, preventing their emotions from taking control.

Samir Abdullahi, one of Georgia Trend Magazine's 2025 Most Notable Georgians, gives his expertise on how to have a successful career and thrive in a professional world. Abdullahi explains that Atlanta is a small city so it’s important to maintain a good reputation and build long-term non-transactional relationships. While it's natural for young men to feel intimidated when approaching an industry professional, the Select Fulton Director urged them to push past that fear, make genuine connections, and remember that we're all human.

When it comes to the art of approach, navigating relationships with the opposite sex can be intimidating—especially if you don’t recognize the natural differences between men and women. T.I., being married for almost 15 years and known for being an extremely involved father, expresses how the women in his life help him see different perspectives in different situations.

Speaking to a room full of Gen Z black men about building social skills may have been the most prominent part of the conversation, as Gen Z has been named to have the biggest gap in social skills and the highest level of social anxiety than any other generation. To counter these numbers, Lamman gives the young men a mini crash course on how to elevate their social skills: build self-confidence, stay comfortable in your own skin, maintain strong posture, be courteous, make eye contact, speak clearly and with confidence, and take your time.

When asked what advice he would give his younger self, Young Dro’s answer was unexpected—yet almost cliché. “The worst thing I could've ever done at you guy’s age was do drugs” Growing up, programs like D.A.R.E. and cliché phrases like “Don’t do drugs” cast a heavy cloud over young people. But sometimes, all it takes is one bad day or night to completely change the trejectory of your life.

“Your rate of success are exponential when this stuff is out if your life and out of your system— and when they're not, and they end up becoming a very significant variable in not just if things will go wrong, but a matter of when or how bad”, said the Rucker when expanding on Young Dro’s testament to surviving an overdose and how sobriety has changed their lives.

Wrapping up the conversation on health, it may sound cliché to say, “Eat a balanced diet and avoid drugs,” but these industry professionals credit these lifestyle choices as key to their success.

The cultural authenticity and community that you get in Atlanta, you won’t get from other cities. Compared to other cities, Atlanta in fact does move slower than most yet continues to produce undeniable talent and infinite opportunities for Atlanta-based creatives.

“The fashion industry creates so much economic development and many jobs for creatives.” David Manuale, creator of FACE, says when acknowledging the importance of supporting local artists.

Although topics like these affect men beyond the age of 24, the years 18-24 are the most critical to their lives. Centering the youth in programs like these allow them to see beauty in their streets and gather in community. While T.I. is busy being a multi-hyphenate artist, actor, entrepreneur, and family man, he expeditiously took the time out to share wisdom with the younger generation.

What were some gems he dropped? Be the change you want to see. You can have all the intentions in the world. But if your actions don't support them, they are worthless. Don’t chase a person. Chase the dream.

You can't see beyond the streets you never leave. However, if we're always comparing the grass, we’ll never appreciate how green ours is. By giving back to the youth, Fulton County helps them appreciate the beauty of their own streets while nurturing their talents and opening doors to greater opportunities and diverse career paths.

The practice of giving 100% no matter where you are or what you do is a core value that all five panelists, the host, and FACE director can attribute their numerous successes to. While these accomplished and talented industry professionals have decades of industry experience, they never hesitate to invest in the community, encouraging young people to take on the jobs no one wants and plant small seeds for future growth.

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