High school senior African American young men were presented to the community at the 16th Annual Links Beautillion, an opportunity to showcase the hard work and growth they’ve experienced over the past five months.
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Dressed in tuxedos and surrounded by family and mentors, a group of Tallahassee high school seniors were presented at the 16th Annual Links Beautillion at Florida State University's Dunlap Champion Club on Sunday.
For organizers, the night represented far more than a formal ceremony.
Kimberly Hankerson, president of the Tallahassee Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, said the program is rooted in something deeper than a single evening.
"It is bigger than an event, this is about community. Providing opportunities for young men who may not have an opportunity to go through a five-month program that teaches leadership, character development, provides mentors," Hankerson said.
Over five months, the young men took part in a program focused on personal growth, leadership, and learning what it means to become a successful contributor to society, both professionally and personally.
For Beau Miles Byrd, the experience opened doors he never expected.
"I'm grateful that it let me meet new people, make new connections. I'm grateful that it let me talk to people I wouldn't normally talk to and get into rooms I probably would not have been in otherwise," Byrd said.
For Beau Caleb Anderson, the program pushed him beyond familiar boundaries.
"This opened my eyes and brought me outside of my comfort zone. I feel like I have grown a lot," Anderson said.
Opal McKinney-Williams, a member of the Beautillion Steering Committee, said that kind of growth is becoming increasingly rare for young men today.
"Nowadays, kids are really good at being kids, and they don't have a lot of opportunities where they can be in settings where they have to present their best self," McKinney-Williams said.
As each young man took the stage during the rite of passage ceremony, they danced, dined, and were presented as the young men they had worked to become.
Beau Donald English reflected on what the moment meant.
"It is a really powerful moment to show how everyone has been supporting me all the way through and then they are here," English said.
The application fot the 2027 Links Beautillion will be available in September, early October.
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