Buffalo Rising Online

Jun 26th, 9:06am By Al & Deb Warner

If you've lived in Buffalo for very long, you've probably met our friend Reverend Kenyatta Cobb, Sr. through a news bite on a local television news broadcast. Our first memory of Rev. Cobb was through a television interview where he stood beside a family whose son had just been shot during a spree of gang violence. This is a man who has often stood in that place, fighting for life in the midst of violence and death. Although he has been there far too often, death has not beaten down the spirit of this man. To be with Rev. Cobb is to be with a visionary filled with hope and passion. In fact, his aura is contagious.

Rev. Cobb’s is currently pastor of Hananiah Lutheran Church, 900 Genesee. The building they own is one of so many Buffalo buildings that have stood dormant for decades. In this case, it was even worse because the building was used for illegal drug manufacturing. You would not recognize it today, as it is coming back to life.

But Rev. Cobb’s true passion is not to rehab buildings, but to rebuild youth. Years ago, he actually brought eight young men to live with him in his own home, in order to rescue them from gangs. This is not a man who plays it safe. He puts his life on the line to rescue our at-risk youth. All eight of those young men are leading productive lives today.

This summer, Rev. Cobb is starting an academy for boys ages 5 – 14. Twenty-one boys will be part of the inaugural class, in which they will learn morals, values and manhood development, alongside math, English, reading, writing, and even a foreign language, with a little karate thrown in.

What drives him to do what he does? There were men in his life who modeled making a mark on history. This includes Rev. Cobb’s physical father, but has involved the man he has called ‘Dad’ for years: Rev. William Gillison of Mt. Olive Baptist Church. Rev. Cobb says, "Pastor Gillison showed me how to walk as a man, living a life of passion and compassion, becoming a builder of lives."

Now Rev. Cobb is becoming a mentor to others. He shared with great emotion, a story about his friend Antoine Diggs. Antoine was living at Bissonette House, the halfway house under the direction of the late Sister Karen Klimczak. Antoine was introduced to Rev. Cobb, who did not see Antoine as he was, but as he could be. He mentored Antoine, who is now a married man with a son, in addition to being Program Coordinator for the Weed and Seed Program here in Buffalo. As Antoine put it, "Rev. Cobb was a role model who helped me walk the walk. It was not about a program, but a person believing in me. Now I am doing for other guys what Rev. Cobb did for me—helping them to walk out of their negative lifestyles."

This month we celebrate Father’s Day. Some of us had fathers who were positive role models, while others may not have. In this case, a teacher, pastor, uncle or another man may have fulfilled that need for a father figure. For Rev. Cobb, one of those men is Pastor Gillison. For Antoine Diggs, one of those men is Rev. Cobb. Each of these men received and passed it on.

Such a chain is fragile. Each link is dependent on, and interconnected with, the other. What are you doing to impact the next generation? There are many young men and women who need a “father”. Be alert to connect with those who are around you. You may have greater influence than you know. On this Father’s Day, remember to contact and thank those “fathers” who have made a difference in your life, even if they are not your physical fathers.

By the way, some of our father figures are people that we have never met but who mentor us from afar. For Rev. Cobb, one of these figures is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Rev. Cobb has studied Dr. King’s life and words. This is a quote that frames Rev. Cobb’s call to impact Buffalo: The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. (Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love, 1963)

For those of us who know him, Rev. Cobb closes every conversation with one phrase which sums up his life and call: "See you on the battlefield."

These are the kinds of people and programs that we celebrate. These are the Acts of Intentional Kindness that we highlight. This is truly Buffalo Rising!

Hananiah Lutheran Church 900 Genesee Buffalo, NY 14211 716.892.0058

Rev. Cobb email: doccobb47@aol.com