Word is Bond recruits participants, known as community ambassadors, to enter our programs at age 15. Youth are recruited from public, private and alternative schools through school-based presentations, social media, peer-to-peer, and parent referrals. About 50% of our recruitment is peer-to-peer. Recruitment is done every spring for our flagship program, Rising Leaders.

Word is Bond is deeply rooted in the tradition of Hip-Hop. “Word is bond” was a common colloquial phrase in the 90s, during the rise of Hip-Hop, particularly in New York. It is used to signify that what the speaker was saying is of the utmost truth or reverence.

In choosing a name for our organization, founder Lakayana Yotoma Drury wanted a title that would resonate with youth, be culturally grounded, and not pigeonhole the organization’s work. He scoured high and low for names, from acronyms, to African symbols, and quotes. One day, while listening to the rap song by renowned New York Rapper Nas, he was inspired by the opening adlib, “Word is Bond” and the rest, they say, is history

Yes, Word is Bond is a 501c(3) nonprofit authorized by the IRS. All donations to Word is Bond are tax-deductible. 

Word is Bond programs focus on the needs of young Black men. We recognized that both Black boys and Black girls need supportive programming, and those needs are unique. Our organization is dedicated to empowering young Black men, which is not to say we don’t see the unique gifts, values ,and need to support Black women. Our strategy is to be great at the population we serve, rather than attempting to meet and serve everyone’s needs.

We do offer school-based workshops on Know Your Rights, walking tours, and youth events that are open to young Black women. All of our direct programming is open to young Black men.

During our Rising Leaders program, we host an annual Black Women’s Luncheon, dedicated to creating space and voice for Black women of a variety of ages and backgrounds to share their experiences with our participants and share how they believe Black men can better show up for and support Black women.

Word is Bond has six award-winning programs, at no cost to participants, that empower them through our comprehensive leadership framework. Learn more here. 

After years of building dynamic programs, Word is Bond is working towards building an organizational infrastructure to sustain our programs long-term and grow our team. Our strategic priorities are:

1. Systemizing our operations.
2. Retrain and grow our staff team.

We chose Ghana first and foremost because of its connection to the Transatlantic Slave Trade and preservation of these historical sites. From the slave dungeons to ancestral rivers, these sites provide participants with deep knowledge of the slave trade. The political stability and English as a first language were also strong factors in choosing Ghana. In future years, we plan to offer more travel opportunities across Africa. Stay tuned!

Public walking tours happen throughout the year, particularly around culturally significant events. Check out the In My Shoes page to find our upcoming public tours. We also do private tours by request for schools, churches, businesses, and organizations throughout the year. You can request a tour here.

Currently, there are no complete chapters outside of Word is Bond. We have program activities in Washington, D.C., and Accra, Ghana, which are coordinated through our headquarters in Portland, OR. Our Strategic plan includes future plans to create multiple Word is Bond chapters across the United States

1. My youth is over 15, can he still join Word is Bond?
2. How do I or my company get involved with Word is Bond?

Each summer as part of the Rising Leaders program, one week of programming is dedicated to “Redefining Justice.” During this week, a group of law enforcement officers from over nine agencies is invited for a series of workshops intended to elevate the voices and experiences of young Black men with the goal of improving law enforcement’s understanding of Black perspectives. Selected officers join participants out of uniform for a week-long curriculum of active listening, storytelling, walking tours, and teambuilding.