We were lucky to catch up with Jimmie Brooks recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jimmie , thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from a few things. The main one is fighting the battle everyday to not become a statistic of my city. It’s rare for black men in my neighborhood to get past the age of 21. With that in mind, I strive to beat the odds and make sure that the next generation understands that their lives matter and that they too can beat the odds. The other thing I get my resilience from is understanding that every day is a new opportunity to learn and get better. I try not to harp too much on bad or good days. Just have to take something from each and apply it to whatever you’re doing going forward so you can become better at it.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am the founder of the Chicago Peace League. The Chicago Peace League (CPL) was started in February of 2022. The reason behind starting it was because I wanted to create something that could bring peace, unity and community to the neighborhood I lived in. As time went on, I realized this was my calling from God and by doing this work, we really had an opportunity to save and impact lives in Chicago.
The reason I feel the CPL is so special is because we really take pride in creating a high quality experience for all of our participants, whether you’re a top athlete or someone that just started playing. We like to make everyone feel safe, respected and having fun while in our space. Something that also makes us unique is that we offer basketball leagues to all ages and groups. Our priority started with men who were 18 + years old, but we also have had leagues for teenage boys, middle school/high school events for girls and women tournaments/leagues.
Something that we are looking to do in 2026 is to become multi site for the first time. We are looking to expand our league and events all over the city of Chicago and the Chicago land neighborhoods. The goal is to partner with like minded organizations and companies to help bring peace and unity all over the city through the game of basketball.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The 3 qualities that were most impactful in my journey was integrity, discipline and being a team player. All of these things were and are still very crucial in building a reputable brand.
My advice for people who are early on in their journey would be not to compare yourself or your progress with others. I know it may sound cliche, but comparison is the thief of joy. Worry about the work that you’re doing and eventually you’ll get to where you want to be at. Another piece of advice is that if you truly believe that you’re doing positive and inspirational work, don’t let anyone discourage you from doing that. Just make sure to keep your heart and mind in the right place.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
If I only had a decade of life left, I would do the things I’m doing now, but with less stress attached. I would continue to find ways to positively impact people lives in the city I live, create memories with those I love the most and to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the people he brings me in contact with.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Iamjimmiebrooks_ : @chicagopeaceleague
- Facebook: Chicago Peace League
- Linkedin: Jimmie Brooks
- Youtube: Chicago Peace League
Image Credits
@Benny Estrada
@Matthias Storgaard
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
