By Frank Gaines, Ph.D.
LAUDERHILL, FL — Lawrence “Jabbow” Martin’s life is a testament to over-coming obstacles in service to his fellow man. There have been many junctures and opportunities to diverge from the path that has led him to be the man he is today. As a young man growing up in Lauderhill (Formally known as Parkway), and currently living in the same neighborhood today, the qualities that helped him transcend and rise above the challenges he faced were indelibly imprinted into his soul by his mother and grandmother.
Lawrence Martin is truly his mother’s child, sharing his birthday with her. His early path was not much different than any other Black child growing up in a single parent home in Broward County. Certainly, that was evidenced when retired Fort Lauderdale police detective Roy Brown mistook him for another child named Jabbow while playing youth football at Holiday Park. The name stuck. Mistaken then, unmistakable today, Jabbow stands out now. As a Black child growing up in a single-family home in a neighborhood with many opportunities to go astray, he was supposed to be a statistic, but because of his mother, grandmother, aunts and uncles, his path has led him to where he is today.
Lawrence Martin’s life might have been nondescript, except for the impact and influence of his mother and most importantly his grandmother who like many of those he endeavors to serve today, was a person of service. Forever with an open hand and heart, working for other people and unable to say no, Jabbow was created in his grandmother’s likeness.
If there is one thing you should not do: don’t tell him what he can’t do. Don’t tell him he can’t attend one of the most prestigious schools in Florida and arguably the United States, because he did, the University of Florida in Gainesville. He accomplished this by doing something very few young Black men will do – he turned down football scholarships in favor of pursuing academics at the University of Florida.
Don’t tell him he couldn’t make a difference in law enforcement. He succeeded in a field where attention to his philosophy today would serve us well to overcome the social justice issues we now face. Evidence of this comes through his calm demeanor and soft-spoken mannerisms that belie a career in law enforcement. He did it with honor and made a difference while moving through the ranks of probation and parole to give people who made mistakes in life a second chance. His life has been spent ensuring productive re-entry for citizens who, without his direction, guidance and leadership, would be lost to an unforgiving system, a system that has the attention of the entire world today.
Throughout his life he has remained connected to his community in many grassroots ways that include being a DJ, active service in the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity’s Zeta Chi Chapter, youth football coach, community organizer and most importantly a friend of the community of Lauderhill. In his neighborhood, everyone knows who he is, not because he is running for city commissioner, but because he has spent his life in their service.
Don’t tell him he can’t make a difference in his neighborhood because he has by serving on the city’s code board, co-founding the Pride of Parkway community organization, working on the Executive Board of his Homeowners Associations and serving on the Lauderhill Community Budget Commit-tee, just to name of few.
Don’t tell him he can’t make a difference in retirement because he continues to do so by serving as an all-important mentor in a Fatherhood Mentoring Program serving fathers throughout Broward County. Through it he provides a gateway for fathers to find help with jobs, housing, legal services, social-emotional therapy, child support and other challenges. Don’t tell him he can’t make a difference as your city commissioner, because he can. Find out more about him online at Lawrencemartin2020.com and on Facebook @lawrencemartin2020 .
