Today we’d like to introduce you to Eliger “Yaki Damingo” Crenshaw.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
As a teenager I was always a little different, it’s funny as much as I talk and entertain people now, I was the dude on the school bus that didn’t say a word, no seriously like not one word for about two or three years… and yes I’m talking about in high school. A lot of people thought I couldn’t talk…I’ve always been a little strange 😆, I was the teenager that would purposely do the opposite of what everyone else was doing With the mindframe of not being a follower, I think that was the beginning of whatever it is that makes me who I am. When I think about it, I’m not really sure when my transition came, not that I’m perfect now or anything but I too was one of the rappers rapping about the average things until 2002 and the birth of my first son. That’s when things kind of changed. Along with my son‘s birth, I had two steps kids, one being another baby boy that was already three months when their mother and I started our relationship. It was at that point that something was different, something I believe all of us go through when we have our kids. As the kids got older, I felt it was my responsibility to do any and everything I could to be a more positive influence. As they got older, I realize the power in music and how negative music was heavily influencing the world but more importantly our youth…As my son’s turn seven and eight I decided to create a kids pop music group from my two sons and my nephew, they were called The Pop Rocks and were known for making feel good fun pop music for kids..they successfully completed a project and release a couple of music videos that are still on YouTube and positively influencing the youth.
I know most assumed the group was created to make money but my genuine intentions for the group was to create something that my sons and nephew could attach to before this crazy world demanded their attention, also knowing that kids would attach and follow long story short thats exactly would happened. The Pop Rocks were becoming a very popular local group with kids. Kids were loving the songs, wanting to be in the group, calling my phone and etc. It was a great feeling knowing that it was bigger than just music and that we were positively influencing the youth…a couple of years past and my son’s had become teenager and lost interest in doing kids music but at the same time wasn’t allowed to record because of a few issues with their grades…a few yrs later at the age of 14 my biological son moved with his mother, a situation that I tried to avoid for the last eight years of his life, unfortunately Fourth of July 2017 my 14 years old son Eliger Crenshaw the 3rd was killed in a car accident along with another 16 years old teen, Ironically a movement that I had actually starting putting together months before my son‘s death stood for what I see as A lot of what had to do with my son and the other teens death. That’s when I decided that Be a Leader The Movement would be a movement in memory of my son’s life and seeing how many people he touched in his short time we want the movement to inspire others.our slogan is Inspire, Motivate, Be Different, BE A LEADER!…Please follow the page dedicated to his life on Instagram, (Be a Leader The Movement).
A few years before my sons death, I met a lady by the name of Neka that had a Local publication that I instantly fell in love with entitled Our Black Family Magazine. The publication was created to connect the community with community companies and organizations. I instantly realized that the magazine was much more that most may realize and I realize it did have the power to create conversation and change, it was at that point that I made it a point to assist, and create awareness where I could which was nowhere near the amount I would had like do to my schedule and obligations.a couple of yrs passed and In December 2018 The original creator and owner of the magazine who had nothing but genuine intentions for the publication decided unfortunately it was time to discontinue the publication, I’m sure that was a hard and unwarranted decision. Knowing the importance of the publication I Stated that I completely understood and stated that my financial situation was definitely not the best but asked was there anything I could do to keep the publication alive, even though my situation was not a situation to take on a new obligation as of March 2019 I was proud and grateful to be trusted enough to become the owner of the Our Black Family publication.
Current day Our Black Family is still being printed and distributed in the communities and has the same goal as when created, to inspire, motivate, give recognition and to connect the community with community. We have a nice social and community following but unfortunately like most positive things the lack of financial support makes the existence of the publication a less than desired situation. The quarterly release has been affected lately do to lack of ad placement which pays for print. With that being said the O.B.F publication appreciates all past and future support and ad placements….even though the publication can be a lot to handle without having a proper team and or support, I still have full clarity of the power and importance of the publication just as I did when I fell in love with it and a personal promise from me to the community is that the Our Black Family publication will continue to exist as long as I exist!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The community has always had great reaction to the publication but unfortunately doesn’t support financially enough for the magazine to be printed and distributed as often as desired.
Please tell us about Our Black Family Magazine.
We are a physically printed DFW publication created to connect the community with community companies and organizations.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I actually wouldn’t change anything, I’ve come to realize the fundamentals of any lesson is growth and can be applied to many areas of life.
Pricing:
- Ad placement starts at $35
Contact Info:
- Phone: 214 5860184
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/ourblackfamilymagazine?igshid=jo1qdaimkgvu
- Facebook: OurBlackFamilydfw
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