When Credit is Due: The Kyev Tatum Story.

 

When Credit is Due: The Kyev Tatum Story

Introduction: The Debt of Justice

Justice is not free. It is paid for in sacrifice, in struggle, and too often, in silence. It is fought for by those willing to stand in the gap for the voiceless, the underserved, and the forgotten. And yet, those who do the work—those who labor in the trenches, organize communities, and challenge unjust systems—are often left with nothing but the weight of their efforts.

For more than 40 years, I have fought for justice across Texas and beyond—working in churches, schools, and city halls; organizing movements; feeding the hungry; advocating for forgotten heroes; and challenging systems that were never built for us. And yet, after decades of service, I find myself in a stark reality shared by so many Black leaders before me: praised but not paid, recognized but not resourced, honored but not invested in.

When Credit is Due: The Kyev Tatum Story is not just my story. It is the story of every leader, every advocate, and every servant who has poured their life into the work of justice but has been denied the financial freedom to continue their mission. This is a demand to collect on what has been built, to reclaim the resources that should rightfully sustain our communities, and to ensure that the next generation does not have to fight for credit—literally and figuratively.

Part I: Football Was My Foundation to Becoming a Fighter (1984–2004)

1. Green B. Trimble Tech: The Birth of an Advocate

I was born into the fight. At Green B. Trimble Tech High School in Fort Worth, I saw firsthand how injustice shaped our communities. Discrimination on the football field mirrored the systemic barriers we faced in education, employment, and opportunity. I learned that being Black in Fort Worth meant carrying a double burden—one of survival and one of responsibility. It was here that I found my voice, where I first learned that speaking up had consequences, but staying silent was not an option.

2. Tarleton State: Leadership on and off the Field

At Tarleton State University, I became the first Black student assistant to President Dr. Barry B. Thompson. This position forever changed my understanding of power. I saw how decisions were made, how policy shaped opportunity, and how leadership—real leadership—was about service, not status. But I also learned that even in positions of influence, the battle for Black progress was an uphill climb.

3. University of North Texas: Building a Movement through Service

As a football player and student leader at the University of North Texas, my resolve to fight for justice deepened. I saw that change didn’t just happen in boardrooms—it happened in the streets, in the classrooms, in churches, and in organizing spaces where people gathered to demand better. I committed myself to grassroots advocacy, fighting for policies that uplifted the Black community and challenging systems designed to hold us back.

4. Texas State University: The Intersection of Faith, Justice, and Community

Faith and justice have never been separate in my life. At Texas State University in San Marcos, I saw how the church could be a catalyst for change, and how ministry could be a vehicle for justice. We created the Willie Mae Mitchell Community Opportunity Center, Texas Preparatory Charter School, and the Boys & Girls Club, and I served as president of the San Marcos NAACP. We built an economic ecosystem that produced wealth and prosperity for many families—yet, when the time came for resources, we were denied access to capital that could have made our efforts sustainable.

Part II: Fort Worth and the Fight for Change (1995–2025)

5. From Church Seats to City Streets: The Ministers Justice Coalition

When I became pastor of New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in 2018, I knew this was more than a place of worship. It was a movement. The Black church has always been at the heart of social change, and I committed myself to ensuring that it remained a powerful force in the fight for equity. But the struggle was not just external—sometimes, the hardest battles were within our own communities.

6. The Texas State Capitol: Confronting the System from 1985 to 2025

From the church house to the statehouse, I fought for policies that protected our people. I stood in the halls of the Texas State Capitol, advocating for the rights of Black Texans, challenging discriminatory laws, and pushing for systemic change. But time and time again, I saw the same reality—policy without economic power meant limited progress.

7. The Prayer Room Coffee House: Brewing Justice on a Budget

With The Prayer Room Coffee House, I envisioned a space where justice and economic empowerment could intersect. I wanted to build a place where our people could gather, strategize, and create economic opportunities. But dreams require funding, and without access to capital, the vision remained a struggle.

Part III: Building, Serving, and Surviving (2020–2025)

8. The Pandemic Food Bowls: Feeding the Forgotten

When COVID-19 hit, our communities were left to fend for themselves. I refused to watch our people suffer. Through The Pandemic Food Bowls, we mobilized to feed thousands, stepping in where the system had failed. But while millions were poured into relief efforts, those on the front lines—those of us actually doing the work—were left without resources to sustain ourselves.

9. Clinic Without Walls: Healthcare for the Unseen

The pandemic also exposed the healthcare disparities in our communities. The Clinic Without Walls was born out of necessity, bringing medical services to those who had none. We filled a gap that should have never existed, but once again, we did it without financial support, making sustainability nearly impossible.

10. Trilogy of Her Story: Telling the Untold Truths

History remembers what it is told to remember. With Trilogy of Her Story, I worked to ensure that Black women’s contributions were not erased. From The Queen Publisher of the Prairie: The Beatrice Pringle Story to curating exhibits on unsung heroes, I fought to preserve our stories.

11. The Texas 6888th Project: Honoring Forgotten Heroes

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-Black women’s unit from World War II, had been denied recognition for decades. Through policy advocacy and community engagement, we fought to ensure their legacy was cemented in history.

Part IV: The Cost of Advocacy, The Call for Equity (1984–2025)

12. The Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst Nomination: Recognition Without Resources

Being nominated as a Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst was an honor—but honor doesn’t pay the bills. It was yet another example of Black leaders being recognized but not resourced.

13. The Inner City Coffee Exchange: An Economic Blueprint

I launched The Inner City Coffee Exchange to build Black wealth through specialty coffee. But without investment, even the best ideas can wither on the vine.

14. The Reality of Working Without Capital

The expectation that Black leaders should serve for free is a form of economic injustice. It is time to dismantle the barriers that prevent us from building sustainable futures.

15. When Credit is Due: The Case for Economic Justice

Justice cannot exist without economic empowerment. This final chapter calls for a radical shift in how we fund, support, and sustain Black-led advocacy work. It is time to collect on what is owed.

Conclusion: The Price of Justice, The Fight for Equity

Forty years of service, and still, the fight continues. But this is not just my story—it is our story. And it is time for a new era, one where those who build are also able to own, where those who serve are also able to sustain, and where those who lead are finally given the resources to thrive.

It’s time to collect on the credit.

Contact Information:

New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church

Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas

2864 Mississippi Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas 76104

Phone: 817-966-7625

Email: kptatum1@gmail.com

Website: www.newmountrose.com