Word is Bond

Mission

Word is Bond is a nonprofit leadership incubator for young Black men founded by Lakayana Yotoma Drury in Portland, Oregon, in 2017. Word is Bond empowers young Black men, ages 15-20, by creating a pipeline to help them discover their identity and higher purpose and achieve their wildest dreams. Harnessing the soul force of Black boy joy and the power of storytelling, we create dynamic programming to answer our mission statement: 

What if young Black men were empowered to their fullest potential?

Our award-winning programs, at no cost to participants, empower young Black men to learn, grow, and be. Each program is built on our comprehensive leadership framework featuring four core pillars: Identity Development, Global Citizenship, Wealth-Building, and Wellness.

Bottom Line for Portland

Ensuring that young Black men graduate from high school with a pathway to college, a career, or both.

Ensure young Black men have access to pro-social programming and mental health support, reducing trauma and community violence.

Ensuring young Black men have access to tools and resources to be part of Portland's business, government, and homeownership communities.

Quote

 "As a high school Principal for 18 years, I have worked with many school partners. Word is Bond has been one of the very best organizations for our youth, and the outcomes are always exactly what we hoped. Every Word is Bond Ambassador graduates feeling connected, confident, and capable." -Peyton Champan, Lincoln High School

Incentives

Five donors who donate $50 or more will win a Word is Bond swag bag featuring a cozy embroidered hoodie, a branded notebook, mug, and tote bag. The raffle will happen at the end of the campaign.

🍕Support youth leadership by purchasing our Ambassador-created pizza, The Interstate, at both Baby Doll Pizza locations. A portion of your purchase will be donated directly to Word Is Bond—fueling mentorship, storytelling, and community impact with every bite. 

The Interstate honors Portland’s iconic street that connects communities, cultures, and schools. Just like the road itself, this pizza represents movement, history, and youth leadership. Learn more here.

👟Eight exclusive donors ($1,000 or more) will be selected to receive a walking tour of North Portland for your organization (up to 30 people), led by Word Is Bond community ambassadors. The one-hour tour includes the local history of Black Portland, live poetry readings, and insight from youth about the changes they want to see in their communities. Learn more here.

Partner(s)

Baby Doll Pizza is teaming up with Word Is Bond to launch the limited-edition Ambassador Pizza, The Interstate, with $5 from each Pizza going to Word is Bond to support youth programming.

We’re partnering with Albina Vision Trust to uplift youth leadership and community storytelling, with mentorship from Beckie Lee and shared promotion throughout the campaign.