I came to Minnesota when I was 16 years old. I am now 50.
Spike Moss was in charge of the WAY when I was a teenager. While he never seeks accolades, I think it is important that people know that Spike Moss was instrumental in saving so many youth through his program at the WAY and with the Leo Johnson Drill Team.
I have attended funerals where Spike’s influence has been discussed among people my age. I know this is a small token, but I just want to remind people that we have had some heroes in our very own North Minneapolis community, and I wish kids today had what we had 35 years ago.
Here is what I posted on my Facebook page as a caption under a picture of Spike Moss:
“Sometimes you have to recognize a home-grown leader. I would like to salute Spike Moss. He has been a foot soldier in North Minneapolis for as long as I can remember. I was 16 when I started going to the WAY in North Minneapolis. He kept us youth in North Minneapolis safe, active and out of trouble.
I salute you Spike Moss for your years of truly caring about young Black children in North Minneapolis. You are a true hero!”
Read Spike Moss’ column “Real Talk” twice monthly in the MSR.
Lisa Clemons lives in North Minneapolis.
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All true words for an undaunted brother such as Spike. Hey, we knew about Spike as teens in St. Paul. Good job Spike.
you call a man with 19 kids spread all over the country side a hero, a man that takes no real obligation to his kids nor to the countless grandchildren, a man that never invested in his own kids. Some hero, he may have done some good for some in Minnesota but he lacks in his own personal life.
He is far from a hero, and as a former friend of one of his sisters, I was in the know and yes the number of kids is 19, and Carla is 100% right, I lost respect for him when I found out how he treated his own blood children, Everyone wants to make him a hero or some God of the Norhside, but the truth is his skeletons make none of that possible, I am not a hater , but I am a realest and I for one relied on my parents to help/save me, yes he ran the way, but lost it for allegedly spending the money donated by the united way on himself! And that was why he lost funding! That money was supposed to be a way to fund programs for the so called community that he so loved (not), and not for houses, cars etc. The Spikes and Ron Edwards of that era were/are shady at most, and they used there positions to pad there pockets (allegedly) and if a kid or adult was helped it was probably by accident!! I would like u to ask his children how he helped them? Now that would be a shocking story to share about the beloved Spike Moss……J/S