Barksdale, a vice president at Bank of America in Charlotte, author and motivational speaker who stayed in Rock Hill after college, is more than a mentor for one young black man. Barksdale runs an outfit called The Leadership Group, where he brings together black teenage boys in Rock Hill for the sole reason that he refuses to allow any to fail. There are a dozen young men in the group.
"All I want to do is make sure every one of these young men have every tool to lead successful lives," Barksdale said. "The future is where we look. Always, we look ahead."
Barksdale shoots straight. He tells teens flat out that society's expectations for them might not be as high as for others -- but that is unacceptable. It is impossible to get away from the disturbing facts that black men in America are imprisoned more, and educated less, than other groups.
He refuses to accept that result for the next generation. Black men can, must, achieve.
"I was raised in a single-parent home in Laurens, I know what faces these young men," he said. "I want to help them help themselves."
At church, Barksdale met a lady whose son was a top student and athlete, but needed a male role model. Patrick Cunningham, now 17, joined the group and has never looked back.
"I know from this group that I can be an honor roll student and anything else I want to be," Patrick said. "I guess I am a young male trying to become a man."