Omar Butler
If someone would have told Omar Butler that he would one day be a college graduate, earn a master’s degree, and be a husband and father of four, he probably would not have believed them. But with ambition, the support of the Omega Boys Club, and friends of 26 years who pushed and believed in him all of these things have come true for him.
I have a similar story to a lot of black boys who have potential but are faced with the reality of what they are born into. Even though college was in the forefront of my mind, I lived in the Hunters View projects in West Point—and what did that mean? That meant in order to survive you had to sell drugs or do whatever to survive as a kid.
Omar attended his first Family meeting in 1988 as a 16 year old high school junior at the encouragement of his friends and Club member Marcel Evans and CJ Scott. Because of the violence that existed in the city at that time, he had to be assured that Omega was a safe place to be. Two years later he was off to Tuskegee University and eventually graduated from Long Beach State University with his Bachelors in African American Studies, becoming the third college graduate of the Omega Boys Club.
Growing up in the West Point area of Hunters Point is often a dead end for young black males, but Omar says that it just made him push forward and work harder.
Before I came to Omega there were tremendous barriers and obstacles that I faced. Both of my parents suffered from drug additions and that was always in the forefront of my mind. I wanted to always do better and make them proud.
Omar says that the Omega Boys Club provided college access before the term was coined and is one of the reasons why he is so passionate about the work he does.
The club provided a safe space for me to explore options. It made it okay to want to go to college, it made it okay to not want to sell drugs, it made it normal to want to be around positive people. It (the Omega Boys Club) changed my life because it created a new normal for me because I didn’t have to apologize for who I was and it was okay to be me.
For more than 10 years Omar has been working and giving back in the Bay Area and within the Bay View community where he calls home. In 2005 he joined the staff of College Track and in 2007 became the Site Director of its new Bay View Hunters Point location.
Omar says that he always knew that he wanted to have an impact on communities.
“Throughout my journey I’ve held numerous positions. I worked in the development office at Omega for a while, but I always wanted to go back to direct service. Being a part of College Track and being able to work with young people from the time they are in the 8th grade until they graduate from college has definitely been rewarding,” says Omar.
Like Dr. Marshall, Omar now has the pleasure of sending students off to college. “I just sent 55 high school seniors to college. What better way to spend your day and receive affirmation that you are doing good work!
At the end of June Omar and his family will be relocating to Harlem, NY where he will be working with the Harlem Educational Activities Fund.”
Giving back and paying it forward inspires Omar and he encourages young people to pay it forward in their own special way.
To the next Omega, Omar says “We don’t have the choice of where we are born and who our parents are but we have a choice in how we react, or–as Coach Wilbur Jiggetts told us—you may not be able to do anything about the family you’re born into, but you can do everything about the family you create.”
Great job Omar! You represent the Club well. Good luck as you move on to your newest venture. We love you. Stay Alive & Free.
