We are constantly faced with adverse situations, disease, poverty, etc. Philanthropy is a large avenue, and with it comes those who have a genuine passion for being a positive change in their communities, and some who see it as a tax write off. I was recently able to interview Flint, Michigan native Darius Recard, the founder of YCQ which stands for You Can’t Quit. Darius who now lives in California, is striving to be a positive figure in his native town and other impoverished communities and promote unity and revitalize our cities economies.
JR: What does YCQ stand for? And what is the mission
Darius: Y.C.Q! Stands for You Can’t Quit!
The mission of this YCQ (You Cant Quit) Movement is to seek out all needs in the communities of the world and strive for improvements. To educate, inspire and uplift our communities and make a postive impacts.
JR: If money was no object, is there anything else you’d be doing?
Darius: I got alot of ideas, one thing I really wanna do is start youth programs with a complete different educational system. We learn about math, science, and history every year. It just gets harder and harder as you progress, then you leave the class room and can’t apply it to your lifestyle. I would like the programs to teach true sex education, gun violence, drugs, the truth on black history etc, things you can apply to your life that can help you improve as a person. I feel we have enough programs for sports, dancing, and other entertainment. I feel it’s time to open up more programs for the youth that can generate more people who can make positive impacts in the world. More leaders, presidents, doctors and etc.
JR: Who/What inspires you?
Darius: My father inspired me alot. Right before my father passed back in 2004 he started this YCQ! Business back in 2003. He committed suicide, and for the longest I felt I owed him. Weeks prior to the incident he use to come to me with questions and being 14 at the time I didn’t have the answers to help him, so I sat there and didn’t say a word. So I carry that in my heart. I never wanna feel that pain again. I never wanna say I didn’t try, and that’s why I refuse to be silent. What’s going on in the world, a lot of it can be solved but too many people are quiet. So yeah, my father inspired me to solve it. That’s why I turned the YCQ business into the YCQ movement. Lets break the silence and start making positive impacts throughout the world and keep it going day by day, one person at a time.
JR: Can you describe the time when you realized you had to start such a movement?
Darius: It was crazy, I put this on everything. I was sitting in my room back in November of 2011 at about 1am just thinking. I was thinking about getting surgery on my knee, didn’t know if I should continue running track or not, then I just started thinking about my life. Now before I say what happened next, I always had a lot of faith, I always had coversations with god but life was so heavy on me. For the 1st time I dropped to my knees and just started praying about everything. I felt like a different person, my vision was clear, I knew my purpose in life and next thing I knew I was writing a business plan and that’s when YCQ! Movement came about. I never understood the power of prayer til that day. While I’m writing this I’m pacing the floor because that day he showed me how powerful prayer is. That’s when I realized my purpose, and that’s when I started giving back.
JR: Where do you see this movement in a year from now, or 5 years?
Darius: To be honest idk where God taking us with the movement. I just know where ever it goes, it’s go be a life changing experience for those who become one with the movement. Since I’ve started, people have started making their own shirts, getting YCQ tattooed on them, making mixtapes, etc. So many people have sent me messages saying how they thank YCQ for helping them get through tough situations, get back in school, get off drugs, and we haven’t even reached the 1st step of what I wanna do. Who would have thought YCQ would be in newspapers? I got interviewed and appeared on a tv show that aired in Flint/Lansing and Detroit Michigan and I didn’t even know about it until a day before. That’s how I know it’s God who is leading this movement, I’m just enjoying the ride. I can’t wait to see what happens down the line.
HighBrio 