Our history
Breaking Down Walls (BDW) is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2013 by former NFL player Lenny Walls.
Gifted with confidence, ambition, and a passion for learning, Lenny Walls is determined to succeed in all that he does.
The fuel to his drive began to overflow after he lost his father at the tender age of 5. He watched his mom struggle both working and selling drugs to provide for the family. With all odds against him, Lenny made it to the NFL and played professional football for over 10 years. His longest tenure was with the Denver Broncos.
BDW reflects on the founder's purpose of inspiring vulnerable youth and young adults to live healthy, wealthy, and wise lives. Over the past 9 years, focusing on San Antonio youth and surrounding vulnerable communities, BDW produced quality programs for the youth and young adult communities, including Youth Olympics, Bowling with the Pros, and Hustle Academy.
The problem
Obesity & Diabetes
From 1990-2019, Texas had a higher obesity rate compared to the U.S. overall. In 2019, 34.8% of Texans were obese compared to 30.9% of Americans. Texas also has the 7th highest obesity rate for youth ages 10-17 and the 14th-highest for adults. In Texas, Hispanic and African American children have nearly twice the rate of obesity compared to non-Hispanic white children (Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, 2018).
Obesity is a health condition that is further prevalent throughout the City of San Antonio, Bexar County, and Texas, overall. The Centers for Disease Control has reported that in Bexar County, where San Antonio is located, 65.7% of adults are overweight or obese. In Texas, 32.4% of children aged 10-17 are overweight or obese. The need to get our community healthy and active is great.
The number of diabetes cases in the last decade amounted to 1,962,059 and it is projected that by 2030, there will be about 2,851,687 diabetes cases. Diabetes, hypertension rates, heart disease, and obesity-related cancer cases are said to rise significantly by 2030.
Heart Disease
According to World Health Organization (2022), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. CVDs are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels and include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease, and other conditions. More than four out of five CVD deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes, and one-third of these deaths occur prematurely in people under 70 years of age.
Physical Inactivity
According to the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (2022), physical activity can improve health now and in the future. People of all ages, races, and ethnicities, shapes, sizes, and abilities can benefit from more physical activity. Physical activity benefits include:
- Helps prevent unhealthy weight gain.
- Reduces the risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
- Helps reduce feelings of anxiety and improves sleep quality.
- Improves cognitive ability and reduces the risk of dementia.
- Improves bone and musculoskeletal health.
Physical Health and Mental Health
Aerobic and resistance exercise training hold promise in the treatment and management of mental health conditions, particularly depression and anxiety.
(Smith, P., J & Merwin, R., M., 2021).
Leadership & Mentorship Disparity
In a report by McKinsey & Company (2021), African Americans, Black and Brown comprise only 4-5% of overall private-sector executive leadership. PEW research poll (2022) reported 40% of Black STEM professionals indicate that their race or ethnicity has made job success harder. Systemic racism, nepotism, and lack of formal mentorship programs are identified as contributing root-causes of disparities in professional opportunities and career advancement for African Americans and Blacks (Reeves et al. 2020, Roepe, 2021). Furthermore, Comaford (2019) reported that 76% of people think mentors are important but only 37% have one.
the solution
BDW is a purpose and passion-driven organization that provides sponsorship, formal mentorship programs, and weekly fitness activities for vulnerable youth and young adult populations providing needed resources, education, and guidance related to financial literacy, emotional intelligence, confidence, community involvement, and entrepreneurship. Our programs are designed to meet the needs of the community and meet our mission to promote a healthy, wealthy, and wise lifestyle.