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Melvin Lars is a native of Bossier City/Shreveport, Louisiana; he received several under graduate and graduate academic degrees from various universities; La. Tech. (BS) Univ. & Centenary (Admin. Cert.) College) in Louisiana, Texas (Tx. Southern (MA) Univ), Michigan (Eastern, Mi Univ, & Saginaw Valley St. Univ.) and has done extensive educational studies in Ohio (Youngstown (Supt., cert.)St Univ) and California (Los Angeles, (CA. cert) City College).
Lars is a certified Violence Prevention/Intervention Specialist, receiving his certification and training through the prestigious Harvard University, with Dr. Renee Prothro-Stith.
He has worked collaboratively with Hall of Famer Jim Brown and his Amer-I-Can Program.
Collaborated and accompanied Dr. Dick Gregory in his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana, during Mr. Gregory’s international journey of assisting neighborhoods in the eradication of gang and drug related violence.
Mr. Lars is a leukemia cancer survivor and was given less than a five (5%) percent chance to survive Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia in November of 1990.
Lars’ latest publication; Dying On My Feet My Journey Times Two, was inspired and ordained by God; he shares his past struggles and challenges while experiencing Leukemia. This publication is receiving rave reviews and is said to be extremely inspiring and captivating.
Mr. Lars is a former free-agent with the Houston (Practice squads) Oilers, and Oakland Raiders, former Defensive line coach for the Shreveport Pelicans, as well as numerous head and assistant coaching positions from Louisiana to California.
He is a recently retired High School principal; where he served in an administrative capacity for twenty-two (22) years and six and one-half (61/2) years as a class room instructor. He is an academician with an educational publication titled Dare To Be Positive, and had the privilege of instituting this successful academic, non-traditional program at Linear Middle School, Shreveport Louisiana, located in Caddo parish.
His poetry publications have been compared to that of two of the great poets of our time; Dr. Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes.
He is most proud of his instructional tenure at the infamous George Washington Preparatory High School in South Central Los Angeles; with famed, nationally renowned Principal; Dr. George J. McKenna, III of the “George (Movie) McKenna Story”, Portrayed by the renowned, prolific actor; Denzel Washington. During his tenure at Washington Preparatory; Lars served as head football coach/athletic director and administrative assistant to Dr. McKenna.
He is a licensed/ordained Elder/Minister in both the C.O.G.I.C. & C.M.E. Churches. He is the CEO/founder of Brighter Futures Inc.; a Family Wellness, Violence Prevention/Intervention and Academic Enhancement and entertainment Company; an affiliate representative for the NFL ALLPRODADS Initiative. Former interim; Executive Director of Urban League of Greater Muskegon, Former NAACP President of Muskegon County; 2007-2012, employed as a consultant to the Michigan Department of Education as a Compliance Monitor for the (NCLB Highly Qualified) initiative for Highly Qualified Teachers and works collaboratively with Hall of Famer Jim Brown and his Amer-I-Can Program and is a ten (10) time published author of various books, and self-help and academic articles. He is married to Ann Lars and is the father of one adult son (Ernest).
Mr. Lars was recently on our show. During our conversation, Mr. Lars talked about:
– Life growing up in the Jim Crow era in house where domestic violence existed and being in fights because kids teased him about his mother being abused
– Some special qualities about his mother
– Where did he get his passion to pursue education
– His career in athletics including going to college without a scholarship and his disappointment not making it into the National Football League
– His career in education including working with Dr. George J. McKenna, III of the “George (Movie) McKenna Story”
– What inspired him to get his certificate in violence prevention/intervention
– The experience of working with Dr. Dick Gregory and Jim Brown
– Meeting Venus and Serena Williams when they were very young
– The story behind Dying On My Feet: My Journey Times Two and Mothers and Their S’Men
– Some of the messages he has heard from mothers about their sons
– What would he say to his stepfather if he was alive today
– How did his mother’s abuse effect his outlook on life
– How have his books impacted him
– His message for people
You can contact Mr. Lars via:
Your Brighter Future
Twitter
Dying On My Feet
WeBuyBlack – Melvin Lars
Email
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God bless, peace, be well and keep the faith,
Dr. Vibe
dr.vibe@thedrvibeshow.com
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