Today we’d like to introduce you to Dayson Brooks.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Dayson Brooks, and I am currently a 25-year-old father figure, mentor, teacher, business owner, published author, community advocate, and political activist. I was born and raised in Baltimore City, in the same streets and communities that I now work so hard to improve.
My educational journey began at Furman L. Templeton Preparatory Academy. I later attended Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, one of Baltimore City’s most respected public high schools. After graduating from Poly, I continued my education at Coppin State University, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in political science with magna cum laude distinction.
Much of my early childhood was spent with my grandparents. They did their best to provide me with the love, stability, and support I needed, but I still struggled. The absence of consistent guidance, positive role models, and people I could look up to deeply affected my everyday life. At times, it made me feel alone. I did not have a mentor or father figure, and I cannot remember having a teacher who remained consistently present in my life.
Eventually, I made the decision to become what I did not have. I wanted to create what had been missing from my own childhood: the infrastructure, the village, the support systems, and the simple help that every child will eventually need—and most certainly deserves.
That decision became the foundation of everything I have accomplished. It inspired me to become a teacher and mentor, write and publish three books, establish businesses, advocate for my community, and become politically active. Most importantly, it led me to establish Level Up, the nonprofit organization that wholeheartedly and unquestionably represents who I am and what I want to accomplish in this world.
Level Up was created to ensure that young people do not have to navigate life feeling unsupported or alone. Through mentorship, education, recreation, mental-health support, leadership development, and exposure to new opportunities, we are building the village that I once needed. My journey has not simply been about overcoming what I lacked; it has been about transforming those experiences into something that can make life better for the children and families coming after me.
Everything I do is rooted in a simple belief: young people should not have to become adults before they finally receive the support they needed as children. I became what I once needed, and now I am committed to helping build a Baltimore where every young person has someone in their corner.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Unfortunately, my path has not been paved with ease, happiness, or perfect circumstances. Neither of my parents was able to provide the safe and stable environment that a child deserves, and they lost custody of me when I was 10 years old. My father was physically, emotionally, and mentally abusive, and I experienced similar treatment from my mother’s boyfriend. Their actions eventually resulted in me going to live with my grandparents.
Although living with my grandparents gave me greater stability, it was not a complete escape from what was happening. I had two younger brothers who remained in those households. I tried to protect and shield them, but as a child myself, there was only so much I could do. I still carry the weight and guilt of not being able to protect them in the way I wanted. I believe that experience is part of the reason I work so hard to protect, guide, and support so many other young people today. I do not want history to continue repeating itself.
I also experienced challenges in school, although they were not always visible. Academically, I performed extremely well. I often completed my work quickly, understood lessons easily, and was considered one of the strongest students in the classroom. Teachers sometimes rewarded me with special privileges because of my performance. However, beneath those accomplishments, I was struggling.
I was not diagnosed with ADHD until adulthood. Looking back, I now understand that my mind was constantly moving—often thinking faster and processing more than the people around me realized. I learned to direct much of that energy toward schoolwork, but once I completed an assignment, I quickly became bored and searched for something else to capture my attention. I had difficulty remaining focused on one thing for long, especially when I was ready to move forward before everyone else.
Because I did not understand what I was experiencing at the time, I did not have the language, accommodations, or support that could have helped me. That experience now influences how I approach young people. I work hard to ensure that they understand what they are experiencing, recognize that they are not alone, and receive support before their struggles become invisible burdens.
The road has not been smooth, but every challenge has contributed to my purpose. My experiences taught me that a child can appear successful while silently struggling, and that lesson continues to shape the kind of father figure, mentor, teacher, and advocate I strive to be.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work exists at the intersection of education, mentorship, community development, advocacy, and storytelling. I am the founder of Level Up, a Baltimore-based nonprofit organization that supports young people through mentorship, academic enrichment, mental-health and social-emotional support, athletics, leadership development, outdoor recreation, and exposure to new opportunities. I am also a teacher, father figure, business owner, political activist, and published author.
I specialize in recognizing what young people need—even when they may not yet have the words to express it—and building programs, relationships, and resources around those needs. Whether I am teaching in a classroom, mentoring a young man, organizing a community event, advocating for underserved families, or creating a new program, my goal remains the same: to help young people feel seen, supported, prepared, and capable of becoming more than their circumstances suggest.
Writing is another important part of that mission. I am the author of three books: The Talk: Discussing Black America, The Talk: A Different Perspective, and To My Boy Who Will One Day Be a Man. Each book was written with creativity, care, and intention. They address identity, race, responsibility, manhood, community, and the difficult conversations that young people—particularly young Black boys—are often expected to understand without anyone taking the time to guide them. My books allow me to extend my mentorship beyond a single classroom or program. They place encouragement, perspective, and guidance into the hands of young people who may be searching for the same support I once needed.
I am most proud that my pain did not make me indifferent; it made me intentional. I transformed the absence of support in my own childhood into a lifelong commitment to supporting others. Through Level Up, I have helped create the village I once needed—a village where young people can learn, play, express themselves, receive guidance, develop leadership skills, and discover opportunities they may not have otherwise encountered.
What sets me apart is that this work is not simply my profession or a project I manage. It is personal. I understand what it means to be academically successful while struggling internally. I understand what it means to need a mentor, father figure, or consistent adult and not have one. That understanding influences how I teach, write, advocate, and lead. I do not approach young people as problems that need to be fixed; I see them as individuals whose potential must be recognized, protected, and developed.
Ultimately, I am known for showing up, creating what is missing, and refusing to accept that a young person’s ZIP code, family circumstances, or access to resources should determine the limits of their future. Whether I am working through education, activism, community programming, or literature, I am committed to giving young people the support, language, knowledge, and opportunities they need to write a different story for themselves.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memories are the simple ones—going outside and playing with my friends. We lived near Pennsylvania Avenue on Smithson Street, in an area we called “the Bricks.” I was proudly the nerd of the group, spending hours outside trading and playing with Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. Those moments gave me a sense of friendship, imagination, and belonging. Life was not always easy, but when we were together playing, I could simply enjoy being a kid.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://levelupbmore.wixsite.com/website
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/levelupbmore/ and https://www.instagram.com/day_day777
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/level.up.519470/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@daysonbrooks78
