La’Ban Wade was selected as a Start Strong Oakland youth leader because he exhibits good presentation and leadership skills. In addition, he has shown his dedication towards prevention violence in Oakland by being a consistent and active member of TNT. As a Start Strong youth leader, La’Ban will continue to improve on his leadership and presentation skills.

As an African American male in a community where there is a lack of positive role models, it is crucial that we nurture individuals such as La’Ban who are committed to making a positive change in their communities. His desire to be apart of the Start Strong initiative in Oakland’s middle schools is also due in part to his personal experiences with family and dating violence.