Toson Knight Honored by Breath of Life Ministries for Mentoring Detroit Youth
Toson Knight is a Detroit-bred leader and community champion dedicated to the moral, academic and intellectual development of Detroit's young people. Raised in Highland Park, Mr. Knight's early life was marked by instability and struggle. His life took a transformative turn when he enrolled at Oakwood University, where mentorship, structure and faith helped redirect his path. That personal transformation now fuels his life's work.
Mr. Knight is the president and founder of Caught Up Mentoring, a Detroit-based organization committed to creating safe spaces, strong relationships and sustainable support systems for at-risk youth.
Through innovative, relationship-centered programming, he has worked tirelessly to bridge the gap between vulnerable young people and positive community members.
Under his leadership, Caught Up Mentoring has launched impactful initiatives including Saturday Night Live, Project Re-Entry, and Project Empower, all designed to keep young people safe and help build confidence, life skills and individual purpose.
A product of public education, Mr. Knight also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oakwood University and a master's degree in educational leadership from the University of Michigan.
Professionally, he has served as deputy manager for District 4 in the Mayor's Office, where he worked closely with residents, community organizations, businesses and faith leaders to combat blight, reduce crime and address constituent concerns.
As a recipient of numerous awards and honors from several publications and organizations, Tucson Knight continues to stand in the gap for Detroit's youth, proving that transformation is possible and that the right guidance at the right time can change the trajectory of a life.
Deblenaire Snell: Mr. Knight, we are so excited and grateful to have you here with us, and to have some of these young men who are the real-time fruit of your labor standing before us. It brings us great joy, and we're excited. And I want you to know that even though we're here in the south [Alabama], you're doing your work in Detroit. As I shared with you behind closed doors, you have an advocate, you have a prayer warrior. We are rooting for you here in Huntsville and we're thankful for what God is doing.
One of the things we've learned is that every movement or every mission, in some ways it starts with a burden. And would you mind sharing with us what broke your heart in such a way to where you felt like, I gotta start this Caught Up initiative? And what helped you realize this is not just an idea, but this can actually be something that shapes the lives of young people?
Toson Knight: First, thank you for just allowing me to be here. Growing up, I got kicked out of 11 different schools. I remember I watched a lot of my friends go to prison. I watched a lot of them get killed. I remember when I came to Oakwood, I met someone, her name was Miss Adams, and the way she took me in and gave me so many different ways to help me pay for college. I just never met somebody that went that far for me. So, I wanted to give back.
And so, ever since I've been here at Oakwood, it was [the mission statement] “Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve.” When I left, I had this burden on my heart that I need to go and do what somebody else did for me. Over 15 young men got killed, you know, and, you know, I'm thankful that none of our kids that were involved, you know, in the city, we didn't lose anybody because they're always with us, we're always connected with them, and so being able to make that impact to see that not only are we keeping them out of trouble, but sending them to college and changing the trajectory of their lives is powerful. I'm very appreciative.
Snell: In the development of this movement, and that's the term I want to use because I pray that it grows exceedingly and abundantly above all we can ask or think, were there ever moments where you doubted it? Perhaps there wasn't enough support or maybe there are folk who didn't believe? How did you lean into or press through that doubt or that season where it wasn't moving as fast as you hoped?
Knight: Well, I'll tell you about a situation that was here. It was like one of the highlights of my life. We got like 20 kids to Oakwood. They're all from Detroit. It was like in one, you know, sequence. And we got a call that one of them had got killed. And I remember thinking to myself, like, this is just not it. Like, it was just, I just couldn't believe it. You know, like that somebody that we took out of the hood came down to Oakwood and got killed off campus. And it was just, you know, that bothered me for a very long time and really made me question: Am I in the right, you know, service?
And I remember the way Oakwood wrapped their arms around not only our young people that were here. Most people were like, "Get them out of here." But the way they wrapped their arms around them, a lady by the name of Ms. Butts, who started a scholarship in Carvel's name, to this day, kids are still benefiting from that scholarship. So I was very thankful to see that. And God showed me that although something horrible can happen, he can still make things better. So I just praise God for that. I praise God that people can still benefit even from tragedy and situations that might happen.
Snell: So, I don't want to put any of the guys on the spot. So which one of you guys are currently students at Oakwood University right now? Come on, let's give it up. Currently right here at Oakwood. And I had a chance to meet some of the young guys who are in high school, middle school right now. How many of you guys are considering coming to Oakwood in the future? Listen, let's love on the future, future students and alums of Oakwood.
I want to ask any of the guys, I’m going to put you on the spot, but any of you guys maybe interested in sharing just a little bit about how Caught Up, and how your interactions with Toson has impacted you or helped you or pushed you forward.
Student: So, this is my first year like in Detroit. I'm from Lexington, but I had moved to Detroit and I started going to the “ville” and Mr. Knight came. Before he came to school, it was a mess. Just after the first week of coming to the “ville”, it was crazy how it changed. There wasn't a lot of people in the hallways, nobody in the bathroom skipping -- he had a huge impact. I love it.
Student: For me personally, he motivated me a lot. Just from the little time I knew him, he is just so inspirational, to be honest. He's funny. He's just inspirational and he motivated me to do a lot of things. Like yesterday in the car, I had been having trouble in my art class and I told him that, I couldn't do it. He told me like, "Don't ever say I can't do it. You can do anything you put your mind to." So that just shows the type of person he is and how motivational he is.
Student: The impact that Mr. Knight had on me was that before I even knew him, I had two roads to go down -- jail or death. And when I met Mr. Knight, he really changed my whole life around. He gave me a new road, a new clear path that I could go down. And he introduced me to these wonderful young men, a new program and everything I could do. He took me out of the hood, he took me out of the gang violence, he took me into a better school. And he's a better role model for me, 'cause me personally, I didn't have a father in my life. He passed away when I was 6 So, he was a great role model for me, when he came into my life. And with that, I want to say thank you to Mr. Knight and thank you to Oakwood for shaping him into the man that he is today.
Snell: I don't know about you, church, my heart is just overwhelmed to hear this young man who'll be here in college in a couple years, say that there was a point where he thought two roads for him, prison or death. And this is why we thank God for you my brother and what you do. We thank God for you. We do. And it's why we got to do the work that God has called us to do because too many people don't realize that there is a more excellent way in Christ Jesus.
And so, Brother Toson, it is my great joy to present to you the Breath of Life Distinction Award. It is given in appreciation for your extraordinary commitment to mentorship, your dedication to young people, and your impactful work through the entity of Caught Up. We present this to you today, February 7th, 2026, on behalf of myself, speaker director, Amalia Dugal, our manager, and Calvin Watkins, our board chair.
May God continue to bless the work of your hands, your labors, and your efforts. Come on in Detroit, let's all come in and get this picture. Come on up. Amen. And when you all see them after church, make sure you love on them, welcome them, and make sure you let them know we're excited to have you here at Oakwood in just a few years. God bless you.
