Clyde Mayberry was homeless once, an experience that led him to spend a frigid night out with other community activists last month to raise awareness of homelessness in Madison. He founded All Nations Incorporated, and is fundraising to build a homeless shelter. He’s also a dancer and event planner — in fact, Events by Mayberry helped plan and produce the wildly successful Black Business Expo.
Rank your Top 5 MCs.
1) 2Pac
2) Notorious BIG
3) Tory Lanez
4) Drake
5) Bryson Tiller
Which motivates you more: doubters or supporters? Doubters, because they’re your secret supporters nowadays.
Why do you live in Madison? I live in Madison because it’s a safe place and offers some great opportunities. Despite its many shortcomings such as historic discrimination, achievement gap issues and so on I do believe I’m here to make a difference.
What three leaders in Madison under 50 have impressed you the most?
Howard Hayes – Goodman Community Center. He has an unconditional heart out for youth!
Sister Fabu – Community Member. First and only community leader that ever told me I was an “African” man!
Greg Rosetti – Madison Police. A man in blue building bridges between MPD in troubled youth.
What’s the biggest stumbling block in Madison to turning the corner on our racial disparities? The biggest stumbling block in this community in my own opinion would have to be African American leaders sitting down on their power. We have a handful of black leaders in the Greater Madison area who do not use their voices of power in detrimental moments. Some of the very systems that fail the black community the most are headed by African American leaders.
Example: Our District Attorney is an African American male but Wisconsin has one of the worst incarceration rates for African American people in the nation.
What are your top three priorities at this point in your life?
1) Keeping in on God’s calling for my life
2) Branding myself
3) Prayer
What impact did assisting with the 2016 Black Business Expo leave on you? It felt a very uplifting impact on me see it the black market could accomplish something that’s foreign to the Madison area. That is simply bringing black folks with somewhat different but at the same time common goals under one roof to achieve success.
You have been in numerous dance groups. What do you enjoy about dancing? Dance has been and is still a very big part of my life. I’ve been in the dance industry for more than 17 years. Gracing many stages locally such as Overture Center of the Arts all the way to BET!
It’s something I can truly say got me over many hard times; it’s funny how a given talent can sometimes give life.
I founded Crushin’ All Force Dance Team on January 3, 2003 and because of great success and the sendoff of many students to college. I was recognized by a National Championship Dance Organization by the name of House Arrest 2 Inc. HA2 is a profound dance team with 14 chapters across America in well-known cities such as Chicago, and campuses such as Florida Aquaculture & Mechanical University.
I founded Chapter 12 of HA2 the BoneCRUSHer Chapter on October 5, 2010 on the campus of Madison College. We are well-known and respected in our community not only for our dance ability but the work we’ve given back to the community. Connecting with other like orgs such as 100 Black Men to Toys for Tots. We are way more than just a dance team!
“Dance like nobody is watching”- Juan Frazier Founder of HA2 Inc
On Facebook, you posted a video challenging Pastors to do more in the Community. What made you post that video and what can pastors do to address some on the today’s issues? That big mouth of mines! I challenged pastors in my community to step-up after encountering what I felt like was an unpleasant moment with an individual from our homeless community.
When my family first arrived to Madison in 1992, I can’t remember a time where homelessness reached the streets, where individuals were sleeping outside in frigid weather. I’m not saying that this issue is brand new; however what happened to the resources that somewhat handled this issue in our community?
I’m a church boy and from what I know from the word of God, Deuteronomy 26:12 KJV “When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.” Our greater Madison area pastors love to preach “pay tithes, pay tithes.” We are doing that. However, why, when we leave the church, no more than several blocks later a veteran is on the corner needing money for food and shelter?
Our pastors must do better. I’ve had a few people from different churches proclaim to be doing just that and I ask those same individuals if your church is doing these great things why do we still have individuals sleeping outside? We have a ton of black congregations and many continue to form however no black-operated shelters nor even a simple soup kitchen. We must do better!
If I had to sum up the black congregations in this community I would have to say ruthless, uncharitable, hard-hearted, unforgiving, mocked-up, boring and exhausted. No this is not a lash-out for attention or a personal attack. It’s a call for action to the black clergy to all sit at one table with their many resources to fix some of these community issues.
What makes a good Black Community leader? Sista Souljah because of her unapologetic fight!
What are some of your New Year’s resolutions for 2017? Same answers from question 5
If you won the lottery, what are first three things you would do with the money?
- Open the first Urban Art School in my community
- Purchase my mother a house
- Leave Madison, Wisconsin
