Daniel Robertson is Breaking Barriers and Building Futures: This Week’s Go Getta of the Week

There is something powerful about watching young people walk into spaces they were never invited into and then create their own seat at the table

That is exactly what this week’s Go Getta of the Week, Daniel Robertson, is doing right here in Buffalo

As the Director of Boys and Young Men of Color at Say Yes Buffalo, Daniel is not just leading a program he is leading a movement. He is helping young men see themselves differently, think bigger, and step into leadership in a way that impacts their lives and the entire community And if you know Buffalo, you know this work is needed.

According to their website  www.breakingbarriersbuffalo.org, the Boys and Young Men of Color Alignment was established in 2016 through the Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Roundtable, with a clear mission to support academic success, career readiness, and leadership development for young men of color in our city.

The work was intentionally designed to center the voices of the young men themselves.  Not just as participants but as leaders in shaping what the program would become.

That meant creating a Youth Leadership Planning Committee made up of young men of color who helped design the application process, recruitment strategy, and overall structure of the program. Let that sit for a second. They did not just join something; they built it.

The initiative grew into what we now know as Breaking Barriers, a youth leadership council that gives young men the tools, confidence, and opportunities to lead. Recruitment began in 2017 and by January 2019 the first class graduated. Today, those same young men are mentoring the next group and continuing to stay connected, building something that is sustainable and rooted in community.

That kind of impact does not happen by accident. It happens when leadership is intentional. And Buffalo is doing the work.

And as we talk about work, let's talk about the leader behind the work. Daniel Robertson understands that leadership is not about position; it is about purpose.

Under his leadership, this initiative continues to grow and create real opportunities for young men to develop as leaders, advocates, and change makers. He is helping to build a pipeline that connects young men to education, careers, and community leadership while making sure they feel seen, heard, and valued along the way. That is what real impact looks like and that is what it means to be a Go Getta.

This work is personal for me. Everything I have built from radio to podcasting to The Go Getta Academy has always been about giving people a voice and creating space for them to show up as their full selves. Because when someone believes in you, when someone gives you access and opportunity, it changes everything. And that is exactly what Breaking Barriers is doing for these young men

You do not need permission to change your community. You need vision, you need consistency, and you need the courage to build something bigger than yourself. Daniel Robertson and the young men involved in Breaking Barriers are not waiting for change; they are creating it.

For your leadership, your commitment to our youth, and your dedication to building stronger futures for boys and young men of color in Buffalo, you are officially Go Getta Certified, the Go Getta Of The Week.

If you know someone making an impact in the community, send them my way. Because we are not just talking about change, we are highlighting it, celebrating it, and becoming it.