About James W. Anthony
J.W. Anthony Youth and Family Outreach was founded in 1998 to continue James Willard Anthonyâs legacy of âgiving back.â
He established in Los Angeles, under the auspices of the Urban League, an educational program mentoring community youth, supporting them on the path to complete high school and pursue college or technical school degrees/certificates.
James Anthony was a warm, responsible, brilliant and productive man. His commitment to causes of social justice inspired all who knew him. During his lifetime he mentored many, beginning with members of his extended family and extending to the youth in every neighborhood where he lived with his family.
He felt education was central to progress but only if those educated made a commitment to âgiving back.â As the first in his family to receive a college education, graduating from New York University while a father of four, he first tutored his own children. All of them completed college, two with professional degrees.
His message to them growing up was expressed in four lessons he felt were pivotal and which he called the Road to Recovery for Black people (in turn benefiting all people). In his own words they are as follows:
Lesson One:Â Â You must first become self-sufficient, because you are of no use to others unless you take care of yourself
Lesson Two:Â Â You must take care of your immediate family because one should never clear anotherâs house when oneâs own home is in disorder.
Lesson Three: You must take care of your extended family because they are part of you and should also benefit from your success.
Lesson Four: You must take care of your community because it should be inconceivable for anyone to turn a blind eye to anyone in need of help, and you have help to give.
James Anthony practiced what he preached. Not only his children, but many of his nieces and nephews as well as neighborhood youth he mentored, are successful college graduates and recipients of professional degrees