In this month’s Alumni Spotlight, Adonis Logan, an alum of Yawkey Club of Roxbury, shares his favorite memories from his time as a member, including travelling to India and becoming our Youth of the Year.
Fast Facts:
Club: Yawkey Club of Roxbury
Years Attended: 2012-2018
Favorite Club activity: Keystone Club
Club extracurriculars: BGCB Youth of the Year, Keystone Club, Experiential Travel Program: Explore India, Young Men’s group, Inversant, HBCU college tour
Current Occupation: Student at Centre College, studying environmental studies with concentrations in economics and finance
In His Own Words:
What qualities and daily skills did you learn from your Club?
One skill that I carry with me to this day is the ability to feel comfortable in my own skin. I started at Yawkey Club of Roxbury reluctantly—I didn’t give the Club a fair chance for almost two years. After a while, however, my peers from the Melrose METCO program helped me recognize the value of interacting with people who share similar backgrounds to me. Once I recognized this and overcame my anxiety of being a non-BPS student, I dove in full force and got fully involved.
Once I fully bought into what BGCB could offer, I was going almost every day after school. My confidence grew thanks to these daily interactions I would have with my peers. Whether it was sharing experiences from our respective high schools, talking about upcoming events in Boston, or handing out L’s in 2k and FIFA.
To be surrounded by people who shared many aspects of my identity was invaluable. The comfort of the club gave me the space to explore my identity and as result I am now extremely comfortable in my own skin. To this day, one of my greatest skills is walking into any room and holding a conversation with anyone. I attributed that in large part to the dichotomy I experienced daily in going from Melrose Public Schools to the Roxbury Club.
Who was a mentor that made an impact in your life?
Jen Medina, Walter Weekes, Mercedees Thompson, and Ms. Swain were all people that have made an impact on my life in their unique ways.
Jen and I bonded during our Keystone meetings, our trip to India, and just chilling in the Teen Center. She was always willing to engage in conversation with me regardless of how abstract or ridiculous the topic was. She played a vital role in encouraging me to discuss my own interest and not try to be someone I wasn’t.
I enjoyed being around Walter during his time as a teen director because he is a great example of the entrepreneurial spirit. Although we made “Get Better” jokes, everyday it was inspiring to watch him build something from the ground up. As an entrepreneur now, I often reflect on those seemingly unimportant questions I would ask him about his business on the road between schools on the HBCU tour, on the tour bus in India, or in his office at the Teen Center.
Mercedees, my fellow Caribbean, for as long as I can remember has always been happy to see me. She is so welcoming and gives the greatest hugs of all time. Through her leading by example, I strive to be that welcoming to everyone on a daily basis.
Lastly, Ms. Swain believed in me more than I believed in myself. Anytime there was an opportunity to showcase my skills, my intelligence, or my personality, Ms. Swain would always encourage me to perform or apply. Every time she came across a scholarship that she knew I qualified for she would motivate me to give it a chance…always! This had a great impact on me because it increased my confidence and erased the thought of questioning my worth.
What advice do you have for younger members?
My advice is to use the Club for EVERYTHING that it offers. Yes, there is the obvious stuff like getting involved in clubs and volunteering, which is very important, but I am talking about the implicit aspects of being a Club kid. Find value in knowing that you are surrounded by people who go to different schools, have different interests, and have different goals for the future. The Club is a great place to socialize because it is inevitable that you’ll learn something new. This also applies to the adults at the Club. They are working at the Club because they want to be there and look out for people like you.
When I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. The Club is the reason I have been able to visit so many different parts of the U.S and the world! So not only is it amazing within the building, but when the Club organizes opportunities for you to go elsewhere, go ahead and sign up without hesitation. Whether it is to go hiking in New Hampshire, tour colleges in the south, a networking event downtown, the Harvard Club, a soup kitchen, India, or a Keystone conference… just sign up!
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