Today is my birthday. I turn 49.
I’m not here asking for cake. I’m not campaigning for anything. I’m simply reflecting—with honesty and hope.
I’m a servant of this city. A statesman for Black youth. I don’t hold a public office, but I take public responsibility. Every day, I work to create access—so that families in Atlanta can breathe easier. So that our boys can grow into men with options. So that we can mitigate and eliminate the things that weigh our people down: transportation, housing, food insecurity, limited education, unemployment, lack of healthcare.
The older I get, the more I understand:
My life is not about having more—it’s about doing more with what I have.
So today, I want to share 49 Wishes and Wants.
Not as a list of problems. Not as demands.
But as declarations of what I desire—not just for me, but for those I serve.
These are things that, if granted, will allow me to go further, faster, and freer on behalf of others.
Some wishes are about access. Some about influence. Some about style. And yes—some are personal. But all of them have a deeper purpose. They’re about showing up in this city in a way that reflects hope, wholeness, and excellence.
So today, on my 49th birthday, I offer this list as a window into my heart—and an open invitation.
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49 Wishes and Wants
- I wish to be seen, felt, and heard by people who make decisions that shape this city.
- I want to have conversations that lead to collaboration, not just inspiration.
- I wish to develop stronger relationships with mission-aligned corporate leaders.
- I want to be in the rooms where power, policy, and purpose converge.
- I wish for more speaking opportunities to share LEAD’s story with the world.
- I want to expand the reach of our work through meaningful media coverage.
- I wish for a personal and professional wardrobe that reflects the excellence I represent.
- I want to build brand partnerships that allow our boys to show up with pride and dignity.
- I wish for a stylish, dependable vehicle—ideally American-made through a partnership with Ford, GMC, or Cadillac—not just for me, but for the incredible coaches on my team who carry the mission forward every day. We deserve to arrive with dignity and excellence as we serve families across Atlanta.
- I want the same for Kelli, our CEO, as she leads boldly on the front lines of change.
- I wish for safe, reliable transportation for the families we serve.
- I want airline partnerships that open up the world for our Ambassadors.
- I wish for the means to provide year-round access to training spaces—indoors and outdoors.
- I want long-term field access so that consistency can take root.
- I wish to elevate coaching as a career of power and purpose.
- I want coaches to be compensated fairly for their impact.
- I wish for trauma-informed, professional development for our staff.
- I want LEAD coaches to be equipped not just with drills—but with depth.
- I wish to have mental health support embedded in everything we do.
- I want wellness partners who understand our boys need healing to become whole.
- I wish for administrators and public officials to see youth sports as a public good.
- I want policies that value the work we’re doing in communities of color.
- I wish to build deeper partnerships with MLB, colleges, and corporations.
- I want to replicate LEAD’s model in cities across the country.
- I wish for sustained, unrestricted funding to support our mission.
- I want to see our Breaking Barriers ATL initiative blossom into a national movement.
- I wish for board members who are courageous, competent, and connected.
- I want to grow a leadership pipeline for Black coaches and changemakers.
- I wish to expand access to housing, healthcare, and education for the families we serve.
- I want our Ambassadors to grow into men with influence and affluence.
- I wish for tools and systems that let us lead without being stretched thin.
- I want technology that helps us measure what matters most—impact.
- I wish for a dedicated grant writer and fundraising strategist.
- I want the public to see me not just as a coach, but as a servant-leader.
- I wish for people to stop waiting for inspiration—and start taking initiative.
- I want to help others understand that their solution might just start with solving one of my wishes.
- I wish to see our alumni living lives full of purpose and possibility.
- I want to track their wins, tell their stories, and build their legacy.
- I wish for faith leaders to lock arms with us—not just for prayer, but for partnership.
- I want law enforcement to support our work as a strategy for prevention, not just reaction.
- I wish for a support team at home that allows Kelli and me to rest and lead with intention.
- I want infrastructure that keeps us focused on transformation, not just logistics.
- I wish to sit with thought leaders, scholars, and practitioners who challenge and sharpen me.
- I want to build a lasting leadership team that will carry LEAD long after I’m gone.
- I wish to continue becoming the kind of man my grandchildren will be proud of.
- I want to be listed among the most impactful sports-based youth developers in the world.
- I wish to be positioned not just in Atlanta—but around the globe—as a model of hope and healing through sports.
- I want the world to know that Atlanta influences everything—and LEAD is part of that influence.
- I wish that by the time I turn 50, this list will be full of thank-yous instead of wishes.
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So no, I’m not running for office.
But I am running this race.
And I’m not running alone.
If one of these wishes resonates with you, take it personally.
Pray over it.
Share it.
Take action on it.
Because your willingness to meet a need today could change a life tomorrow.
Happy 49th birthday to me.
Here’s to the wants that become wonders.
Here’s to the wishes that become wins.
Here’s to the work.
—C.J. Stewart
photo by Beloved Benefit.