VALDOSTA — Sara Bodnar shed “happy” tears at the Pathway to Manhood: Boys to Men conference Saturday saying her only son, Joshua Bodnar, “got it.” 

The mother-son duo attended the empowerment luncheon hosted in the Valdosta State University Magnolia Room by organizers Ingrid Harden and Bionca Ball where William “King” Hollis was the guest speaker.

Joshua Bodnar, 15, has endured a few struggles during these past few months, he and his mom said.

She said she brought her son to the conference to better understand the challenges. The conference featured a panel of male professionals who offered guests advice and fielded questions.

Though the panel was all African-American males, Sara Bodnar said she believes the message could resonate with all races.

“It crosses racial boundaries,” she said. “The message just wasn’t for the African-American community. It was also for anybody who was willing to listen and participate.”

For Sara Bodnar, that message was to be successful and promote positive energy.

The conference benefited Joshua Bodnar by helping him realize other people endure tough times and trials, his mom said.

“I’ve been trying to teach him that life stinks, but if you decide to pull yourself up,” she said, “know that there’s other people who’s going to be positive, who’s going to be there to help lift you up and pull you up.”

The Pathway to Manhood luncheon was Ingrid Harden’s vision. She wants to assist male youths in gaining life skills, she said in a previous interview.

Personal stories were shared and key life lessons were given by a panel which consisted of Adrian Stewart, human resource specialist of Leon County Clerk of Courts; Chawn Payton, financial adviser of Northwest Mutual; Anthony Hezekiah, owner of LORDS T-shirt clothing line; Dr. Corey Slacks, pharmacist; and Kenneth Holiday, recruiting consultant of Georgia Power Company.

Nick “Big Nick” Harden told his story of flipping hamburgers at Checkers to opening Big Nick’s on Baytree Road. He offered encouraging words to the crowd telling them “you can do it.”

Ron Davis with sons Rashad Davis and Ronald Davis III attended the conference because the dad wanted to support an event that unites the community, he said.

Ron Davis agreed the lessons his sons learned are lessons that can translate and resonate with them in the future.

“I do believe that. You have to take time to invest. If you just stay at home, then you continuously get what you already have, which is nothing,” he said.

“So when you do get that time to invest in each other and invest in your faith, and so forth, there will always be a positive outcome as long as you put positive energy in it.”

Ron Davis said change can be created by uplifting and empowering one another. The empowerment luncheon provides balance for the community, he said.

“These events like this, and hopefully many more, will go ahead and show that young black men are not predators and that we basically have things that we can contribute to society,” he said.

Pathway to Manhood was largely sponsored by the African American Male Initiative Program at VSU, according to organizers.

Dr. Tameka Hobbs, AAMI coordinator, said with negative stereotypes and outcomes for black men, her hope is that programs such as Pathway and AAMI will “turn some of that around.”

“We want to inspire them,” she said. “We want to encourage them, provide them with resources, and so, we have to keep it going.”

Before guests ate lunch provided by Big Nick’s, they all embraced one another and shared encouraging words. 

Amanda M. Usher is a reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at 229-244-3400 ext.1274.