Hello, and thank you for your interest in learning how our life-support system works. You can read along with me, as I explain it.

The National OK Program starts-up Affiliates in different cities. We establish partnerships between our affiliates and their local police department. The police departments allow the National OK Program and our affiliates to interview and carefully select Black male police officers to work with our affiliates as plain clothes officers.

Each Police Department sends their officers to the National OK Program headquarters in Oakland, California for a six-day training. The training prepares the officers to be coordinators of our Life-Support System, as their full-time assignment, as police officers. This unique partnership between the police and Black communities is a perfect example of community policing.

The National OK Program also helps our affiliates to recruit, train and organize hundreds of Black men, from the community, to work with the officers. These men, along with the police officers, are the catalyst of our system.

The officers and the men are assigned to different OK Program chapters throughout the city. An OK Program chapter consists of a middle school and a high school that the middle school feeds. This allows the system to operate in every area of the city that has a need for the system. It also allows the officers and the men to follow the same boys until they graduate from high school.

We call the OK Program a Life-Support System because of the critical support it provides to Black boys in their daily lives.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE SUPPORT THE BOYS:

First, we recruit the boys on the middle school and high school campus of each chapter. OK Program Officers are trained on how to recruit the boys, and how to persuade their parents to sign consent forms that give permission for their sons to be a part of our organization. These consent forms also give the schools permission to share the boy’s academic and behavior information with the OK Program Officers. Our rate of successfully recruiting Black boys, on the school campuses, is between 80-90 percent.

WE SUPPORT THEM IN SCHOOL:

The officers spend all day on campus communicating with teachers about how our boys are doing in the teacher’s classes. OK Officers conduct guidance sessions with the boys to give them support in dealing with daily challenges such as academic, behavior and any personal problems they may have. Our Life-Support System has a built-in acknowledgement and rewards component for all the young men that meet our academic and behavior criteria each grading period.

WE EVEN SUPPORT THEM DURING AFTER SCHOOL HOURS:

The OK Program Officer’s role is not limited to the school campus. The officers and the men-that are a part of our system- often attend the boys after school activities together, to show support for them. Our officers are also required to establish a consistent presence in the boy’s neighborhood, during after school hours by conducting home visits, and getting to know people that live in the community.

SOMETIMES OUR BOYS NEED SUPPORT LATE AT NIGHT:

OK Program Officers work a flexible schedule that allows them to respond to and mediate serious conflicts…even late at night, which could lead to violence involving our young men. These young men learn to trust the officers that support them every day and turns to them for help to prevent potentially violent situations.

WE SUPPORT THEM ON WEEKENDS:

Every Saturday from 10:00am until 2:00pm, the officers and the men meet with the boys on the school campus for our weekly KIC'IT Sessions. KIC'IT Sessions are when our leadership and Critical Thinking Skills Curriculum is implemented.

DURING KIC’IT SESSIONS, WE SUPPORT THEM BY RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT PROBLEMS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO SOLVE THEM:

Our Leadership and Critical Thinking Skills Curriculum consists of thirty-five sessions. Each session is presented in a group discussion format.  It includes topics such as reducing the homicide rate of Black men and boys, anger recognition and control, decision making process, job interview preparation, and preventing teenage pregnancies…just to name a few. During these discussions, the men and boys discuss the challenges that each topic presents. Then, they work together to find ways to overcome the challenges.

Every Saturday, the KIC’IT Sessions are packed with men and boys in each chapter. These sessions are well attended, because we establish an atmosphere that is safe and engaging, that also includes food and recreational activities.

WE ALSO SUPPORT THEM BY HELPING THEM TO PREPARE FOR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND:

At the high school level, we have a Pathway Advisor that is assigned to work with our high school boys. The advisor’s job is to help the young men get their driver’s license, social security card, learn about credit scores, savings, checking accounts and debt.

They also help them to explore career paths that they may choose to pursue after graduating from high school.

THE BEST WAY TO REDUCE THE HOMICIDE RATE OF BLACK MEN AND BOYS:

We know, after years of Black men and boys leading the nation in being homicide victims, that law-enforcement along cannot solve this problem.

The only way to accomplish this goal is for Black men to bring together our wisdom, knowledge, experience, resources, and love for one another, to provide Black boys with the daily life support they need.

Black men, whether or not the homicide rate of Black men and boys are reduced in our nation depends on us. So, can we count on you to help us save our own lives, and as a result, help to make our community and our nation a safer place to live.

History

The OK Program was established in 1990 at Mills Middle School in Rancho Cordova, California. The program was designed to reverse the grim statistics that young Black men were facing…namely, the high rates of homicide and incarceration.

In 2005, the OK Program became a national program.

In 2008, the national headquarters was moved from Rancho Cordova, California to the campus of Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock Arkansas.

In 2013 OK Program moved its headquarters to Oakland California.

In 2015, OK Program established the headquarters in Kansas City Missouri.

In 2018, The National OK Program moved back to Oakland, California…its current location.

Since 1990, OK Program has established chapters in the following states:

Awards

• 945th Daily Point of Light for the Nation – President George H. Bush

• Jefferson Award

• National Association of Attorneys General “For the Children” Award

• Safe Streets Hero of the Year 1994

• California State Legislative Assembly Resolution – Speaker Willie L. Brown

• California Governor’s Community Service Award – Governor Pete Wilson

• California Highway Patrol Community Achievement Award – Commissioner Hannigan

• Black Advocates in State Service Award

• International Society of Industrial Security CSA Award

• Optimist Club Community Service Award

• California Department of Corrections Crime Prevention Award

• County of Sacramento Resolution

• California Wellness Foundation Community Leadership Fellowship Award

• California Black Chamber of Commerce – Outstanding Community Service Award

• North Area Teen Center – Heart of a Hero Award

• Sacramento City Police Citation

• California State Police Certificate of Appreciation

• California Black Chamber of Commerce – Outstanding Community Service Award

Donald Northcross
Founder & CEO

Donald Northcross attended Northeast Louisiana University on a combination football and basketball scholarship. 

After three years, he transferred to Arkansas State University where he finished his college athletic career. He signed a three-year contract with the Memphis Showboats of the United Stated Football League and was released during preseason due to an injury

Mr. Northcross holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice. He graduated from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Academy in June of 1988 and was voted most inspirational recruit. 

In 1990, two short years after becoming a sheriff’s deputy, he became one of three founders of Sacramento County Black Deputy Sheriff’s Association and served as its first President. He also founded OK Program that same year.

Mr. Northcross was recognized as a “Black in Law Enforcement Honoree,” which is a national publication that emphasizes the value of the black law enforcement officer in the overall success of law enforcement in America.

In 1991, he was selected as California’s Outstanding Young Public Safety Officer of The Year, and in 1992, he was recognized by President George H. Bush as the 945thDaily Point of Light for The Nation.

In 1993, he was one of ten people in California to receive a fellowship from the California Wellness Foundation.  He is a recipient of the Jefferson Award for outstanding public service and a Sacramento Safe Street Hero of The Year.

In 1995, he won the National Association of Attorney Generals “For the Children Award; “and, in 2005 OK Program became a national organization under his leadership.

A much sought-after speaker and consultant, He was one of numerous experts assembled in Little Rock, Arkansas, to discuss President Obama’s 2010 Fatherhood Initiative.

Mr. Northcross says, “Black men have the means to improve the condition of Black men and boys by ourselves. We just don’t have the mind to do so…and means without the mind is meaningless.”  

Major Baisden
Chairman of the Board of Directors

Major, an alumnus of OK Program, graduated from the University of California at Davis at the age of 19. After graduating from college, he went on to achieve great success, running two Inc. 500 companies and generating hundreds of millions of dollars in wealth in company exits before the age of 35.

Major got his start running a start-up division of a busines-to- business technology and professional services company and quickly grew its revenue from $8MM to $30MM in three years. He later founded and served as the CEO of another B2B services company, growing its revenue from $0 to $46MM in eight years, and generating a 16x EBITDA exit. In his spare time, Major tends to his restaurant, which has profitably grown 2.5x in revenue over the past three years. Major has managed the acquisition and integration processes of six companies ranging from tuck-ins to the merger of comparably sized players. Perhaps most importantly, Major has mentored several executives who have gone on to run and manage their own enterprises using the processes and decision-making skills that have made him successful.

The Carlos Diamond Francies
Leadership Award

In memory of Carlos Diamond Francies, the National OK Program has established the “Carlos Diamond Francies Leadership Award.

This award is given to the middle school and high school OK Program participant that demonstrates the highest level of leadership, in their chapter. Out of all the local leaders around the country, only one middle school and one high school leader will be chosen to receive the “National OK Program Carlos Diamond Francies Leadership Award.”

ABOUT CARLOS DIAMOND FRANCIES

Diamond - as he was known to everyone – was a member of the original OK Program chapter, in Rancho Cordova, California.

Diamon joined OK Program in 1996, when he was in the six (6) grade. As a senior at Cordova High School, he graduated from OK Program in 2002. He went on to play college football at Sacramento State University and started at cornerback.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in Communications, Diamond embarked upon a career in law enforcement, in 2011, as a Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Deputy.

On August 13, 2015, he attempted to save someone’s life - while off duty - at the lake, in South Lake Tahoe. Diamond drowned and lost his own life. Being the leader that he was, he didn’t wait for anyone else to answer the call.. He, himself answered the call to help someone in distress.

Diamond always embodied the spirit of leadership, and on that day, August 13, 2015, his decision to take the lead demonstrated one of the main qualities of successful leadership…” consideration for others.”

“All great leaders don’t save lives,
but all great leaders impact lives.”
Thanks Diamond for impacting
our lives.

~Donald Northcross
OK Program Founder

National OK Program is committed to recruiting, training, and organizing Black men to mentor Black boy. That is why we launched the “One Hundred Thousand Strong National Black Male Mentor Initiative”. The goal of the initiative is to enlist 100,000 Black men to mentor our boys.

To fulfill this Initiative, we plan to establish OK Program Affiliates in cities throughout the country.

If you are interested in starting an OK Program Affiliate in your city, click the start-up tab above to find out how.

Q. Why does OK Program focus on Black men and boys?

A.  Because it is the responsibility of Black men to address issues that negatively impact black men and boys to a greater degree than others.

Since 1990, the OK Program has touched the lives of thousands of Black boys and their families. Today, most of those boys – who probably would have taken a different path in life if not for the OK Program – are thriving because of the values and life-long learning experiences they garnered from the Program. In many cases the OK Program has not only changed lives, it has saved lives.

Brian Miller
”I was a gangster, but I wasn’t a fool…I joined The OK Program.”

By the time he was a ninth grader in 1991, Brian Miller had encountered more challenges than most people face in a lifetime. Abandoned at 4-years old by his drug-addicted mother, Brian had a juvenile record and was headed back to court to face another robbery charge. He was also a proud member of the 29th Street Crips, a local gang.

Unfortunately, like too many young Black boys, Brian was teetering on the precipice of a life of crime, but that all changed when he met Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputy, Donald Northcross.

Deputy Northcross - aptly known as Dep – had grown tired of seeing the criminal justice system gobble up Black boys. After lamenting over the absence of people – especially Black men – stepping up to help Black boys overcome the challenges that impact them disproportionately, he decided to do something about it.

While still a Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputy, Dep founded OK Program to reduce the high rate of homicide and incarceration of Black men and boys.

The day after meeting Brian, Dep found himself in court speaking on Brian’s behalf. Dep said to the judge “Your Honor, I can’t promise you that I can change him, but if you see fit to give him probation, and make joining OK Program a condition of his probation, I promise you that I will work with him.” The judge looked at Brian and said, “Brian Miller, I will give you two choices today. You either go back to jail or join OK Program.” To this day, Brian often tells people, when sharing his story, “I was a gangster, but I wasn’t a fool…I joined OK Program.”

OK Program helped Brian turn his life around. Instead of incarceration, his life took another direction including graduating from high school and earning his bachelor’s and master’s degree from West Virginia Tech University.

Today, Brian is CEO of Positive Touches LLC, which is an educational agency focused on recruitment, engagement, retention, and leadership. He is quick to state that OK Program changed…if not saved his life.

Marlow Rockwell
From Struggle to Success
The OK Program Way

Marlow Rockwell still remembers the details of a life-changing moments that happened when he was in the 10th grade. It was the knocking on his first-floor bedroom window that got his attention. Several of his friends had assembled to present to him with what they thought was an inviting proposition.

“They told me they were on their way to steal a car and wanted me to go with them. I was at the point where I was tired of running the streets and engaging in some of the crimes we had done. It just wasn’t me anymore. So I didn’t go. Plus, I had just been to a meeting about the OK Program and although I hadn’t fully engaged, I think me not going that night and later becoming fully involved in OK was God’s timing and his way of getting me to turn my life around.”

According to Marlow, his teen years were pretty tough times. In addition, to hanging out with the wrong crowd, he also had family challenges. His father was not in the home, and although two uncles supported him and were there for Marlow, their lifestyles were wrapped around what he describes as the “street life.” His frustration was so great that he would often come home from school, change clothes, and disappear to friend’s houses for two or three days to avoid a troubling home environment. “This was a period when the male role models in my life were not the best.”

As a 10th grader at Rancho Cordova High School, in Rancho Cordova, California, where he excelled in football and basketball, Marlow had another life-changing experience which also would impact the rest of his life. He was not impressed after attending the OK introductory meeting. “I was use to people making promises to me that they never kept. I thought OK would be more of the same. But I started hearing from my friends who were attending the Saturday KIC’IT* sessions how much fun they were having hanging with the mentors, discussing interesting topics, playing sports, and eating some really good food. I wanted some of that.”

So Marlow started attending the sessions as well, sometimes walking long distance to make sure he got there. He began listening to and learning from the founder of the OK Program, Donald Northcross, who at the time was a Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputy. Better known as Dep, Northcross had grown tired of seeing the criminal justice system gobble up Black boys. After lamenting over the absence of people – especially Black men – stepping up to help Black boys turn their lives around, he realized that it was not only his calling, but also his responsibility.

Marlow explains it best. “High school was tough for me, but the OK Program help turn it around. Dep and other mentors in the program showed me that they really cared about my well-being. When I was playing basketball, I’d look up in the stands and they were always there. It was the first time that I felt like I mattered. The positive reinforcement I got from the OK program was great.”

After graduating from High School, Marlow attended American River College, a community college in Sacramento, where he was an All-Conference basketball player. His playing time was cut short, however, when he dropped out of school and began working three job so he could take care of his younger siblings. Understanding the life-changing power he had experienced with the OK Program, Marlow made sure during this period of time that his two younger brothers also got involved in the program.

With his family stable, Marlow returned to American River College and graduated. He then attended Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, where he played football and basketball and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology. He later received a Master’s in Sports Management from American Public University. Currently, Marlow is the Women’s Varsity Head Basketball Coach at Arkansas Baptist College, Little Rock, Arkansas. He also serves the college as Assistant Athletic Director and Adjunct Instructor.

“The values I have today, I learned from the O.K. Program. Dep remains a mentor and has been like a father to me over the years. My mother believes that one of the best things she ever did was move us to Rancho Cordova where we got involved in the OK Program. She is extremely thankful for all that the program and Dep has done for our family.

“It was because of him that I was able to get my current job and coaching position. And many of the brothers I met in the OK Program are still my best friends today. My job puts me in touch with low-income at risk youth who are the first in their families to attend college. I feel comfortable passing on to them much of what I experienced and learned from the OK Program.”

*Every Saturday, KIC’IT (Kids Interacting Communicating Immix Teammates) sessions bring together OK Program police officers and Black men to develop a strong relationship and share life experiences with young African-American males.

OUR BOYS
MENTORSHIP
OK ALUMNI
TESTIMONIALS
EXPANSION

“I started the OK Program to empower African American men to improve our community. I was frustrated with the high rates of incarceration, homicides and just all of the things that were plaguing our community... I realized that when you let boys know that you love them, you can let them know what you are not going to tolerate.”

Donald Northcross
Founder, OK Program
Sacramento, California

“A lot of the officers are on the force today because they graduated from the program and they were so intrigued and impressed with the black officers that helped them that they wanted to become police officers themselves… We talk about black lives matter; black lives will really matter when we can get the OK Program in every city in America.”

Bishop Bob Jackson
OK Program Board Chair
Oakland, California

“It’s not just a program that’s mentoring kids. It’s developing a relationship and bridging a gap between the police department and the community… When you have a program where the police department says, ‘We are going to partner with the community. We are going to partner with churches, we are going to partner with schools. We are not going to control this program. We are going to partner with you to address an issue dealing with African American males.’ that’s phenomenal!”

Eric Higgins, Retired Assistant Chief, Little Rock Police Department,
Little Rock, Arkansas

“This program has helped us because it brings in another element that wasn’t there before; a partnership with a group as strong and as powerful a link as the police department…I’d go to a national convention and stand up and give a testimonial for the OK Program for our kids. I would because I’ve been around long enough to see it work and that’s the bottom line; it works.”

Nancy Rousseau
Principal
Little Rock Central High School
Little Rock, Arkansas

“If you were looking for a program that is really going to change the attitudes of people on the streets, you need to put an OK Program in and you need to adequately fund it and adequately staff it with police officers who have a heart. They are going to reach and touch a lot of kids that otherwise are going to wind up either dead or in the penitentiary.”

Mark Stodola
Mayor
Little Rock, Arkansas

“The OK Program here has really been a tremendous help and has a tremendous impact on the entire culture of our school being 98 percent African American. They’ve (OK Program) been around for 25 years for a reason.”

Kino Carson
Vice Principal
West Oakland Middle School
Oakland, California

“The OK Program is a unique program... There’s such a waiting list, it’s unbelievable!

Jamie Mayo
Mayor
Monroe, Louisiana

“It (OK Program) helped me really, really bridge the gap between myself, my family and the police department…None of my siblings have ever graduated high school. The ones that grew up in the house with me. The only difference in myself and them is this program.”

Brian Miller
OK Alum, Dean of Students,
Arkansas Baptist College
Little Rock, Arkansas