Hello everyone!
On a tough block of North Avenue, at Druid Avenue, is the UMAR Boxing Center and School. AND THE SCHOOL.
And here is the backstory.
Westside hairdresser Troy Staton (left) founded More than a shop, a community-based outreach program designed to help fill the medical and information gap that exists in many inner-city neighborhoods. Over 25 hair salons, beauty salons and nail salons have become places where residents can go for help on a variety of issues.
On the right is Marvin McDowell. An original participant of “MTAS”. A respected barber for nearly 50 years until Covid put an end to his practice at Mondawin Mall. He also runs Umar Boxing. It’s a legendary gym on the third floor of a building where Marvin also opened an after-school “school” to give kids interested in boxing a chance to better themselves. To help them build a future. To be mentored by the likes of Coach Nick in the middle. A man they can look to as a role model. This is a reputable boxing gym that produces champions both in and out of the ring. Check out the classroom. It’s an oasis just three floors above where the city struggles to keep going.
Just WOW! But the story takes another turn. It’s also a barber school. Yes, this barber, who used to be a boxer and is now a respected boxing trainer, teaches haircutting to any young man who wants to learn a trade. Looks like the barber chairs/barbershop next to the ring! JUST WOW!
When TROY called me on the first day of school and said he had a great story for “Where’s Marty?” he meant it. If you’d like to learn more about Umarboxing (Umar is the Muslim word for “love” by the way), here’s the website: https://nohooksbeforebooks.org/ Marvin would love your support, just by the way!
And here is Troy’s More Than A Shop website: https://www.morethanashop.com/
K2 and I are committed to keeping MTAS on the air to spread the message. (And we thank our bosses at WJZ for allowing us to do so!) Now that we’ve been to Umar boxing, we’ll be back. Guys like Troy and Marvin are men I look up to. Baltimore is lucky to have guys like that with character!
Marty B!
