Oleatha Stewart Waugh currently serves as the Director of the
African American Male Initiative (AAMI) at the Columbus Urban
League. Waugh began as a Community Intervention Worker (CIW)
working directly with youth on the corners since 2012. He has
worked at every level of the intervention process as it is currently
structured in Columbus. Waugh was integral in the design and
implementation of the violence intervention program. He and his
team have de-escalated hundreds of potentially deadly conflicts in
the midst of public events and community festivals unbeknownst to event
patrons. Waugh’s previous street involvement was instrumental in allowing him
to identify the conspicuous absence of the gang graffiti that plagued many
neighborhoods for decades and it’s proliferation on social media.
Waugh currently holds a Bachelors of Arts in Athletic Training from Capital
University (Cum Laude). He also holds an Associates of Arts in Sports and
Fitness Management (SFMT) (Cum Laude) from Columbus State Community
College.

Waugh and the AAMI team are currently in the process of developing the
framework for the African American Male University (AAMU). The curriculum will
be comprised of the synthesis of the critical elements from each of AAMI’S five
program areas and aimed at addressing the most pressing issues facing men
and boys of color across their lifespan. Oleatha Waugh lives in Columbus Ohio
with his wife and two children.