B.Legendary HUB: Building Legacies, Changing Trajectories

When Calvin Washington arrived at Washington High School as a freshman nearly five years ago, he didn’t know much about the B.legendary HUB Club program. He had transferred from the Pike Township school district, unsure of what the new school had to offer. His family urged him to check it out, especially since his cousin — who had once been part of the program — spoke highly of it before his life was cut short by gun violence.

“I didn’t know much about it at first,” Calvin remembered. “But once I got in, I realized how different it was. Brandon (Buckley) and the mentors really listened. When we asked for something — like hearing from real estate professionals — he made it happen.”

What Calvin discovered was a program built not just on structure, but on listening to students. B.legendary invited young people to shape their own experiences, to vote on activities, and to identify the careers they wanted to learn about. Through an app, students chose between outings like bowling or movies, but also weighed in on which professionals should come in to speak.

“It wasn’t just about what the adults wanted,” Calvin said. “We had a say, and that made us buy in even more.”

Power of Mentorship

For Calvin, that sense of ownership made the difference. But it was the mentorship that truly changed his trajectory. He especially credits Brandon Buckley, known as “B Lee,” who took him under his wing.

“I was with B Lee 24/7,” Calvin said. “Traveling, meeting new people, being introduced to successful leaders — it just opened my world.”

Instead of drifting into negative patterns, Calvin began to see himself as capable of more. He noticed that good behavior was rewarded and he wanted to align himself with that. “When I saw my friends doing good things, I wanted to do good things too,” he said.

Today, Calvin is a freshman at Indiana University Bloomington, studying social work. His dream is to launch a nonprofit that mentors young people from single-parent households, helping them access resources and opportunities. “Some kids have resources, but they don’t know how to use them,” he explained. “I want to be the mentor who shows them how.”

A Founder’s Vision

Calvin’s story is one of many that underscore the purpose of B.legendary HUB Club, a program launched by Brandon in 2016. Brandon, executive director of the nonprofit, saw firsthand how young men in his community needed more than rules and warnings — they needed exposure, opportunity, and belief.

The nonprofit is among the grassroots organizations supported by the Elevation Grant Program, a partnership between The City of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Foundation to address the challenges leading to gun violence. 

“We can tell kids not to go down certain paths,” Brandon said. “But unless we show them a better one, they’ll feel like they don’t have a choice.”

That’s why the program focuses on bringing in professionals from industries students are curious about. It’s also why the program creates spaces where young people can have fun, feel safe, and build relationships with mentors who show up consistently.

“It’s about giving them experiences that make success real,” said Brandon, who also is a social media influencer with about 100,000 followers. “When they see it, when they meet people who’ve done it, it becomes possible for them too.”

Success Stories that Inspire

Not every story is marked by loss. Some stand out as proof of what’s possible. Brandon points to Deontez Alexander, a student who once struggled academically and faced life choices that could have gone either way.

With support from the program, Deontez refocused. He excelled in football, earned his way to college, and eventually reached the NFL, where he played for the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions. He now is a life insurance agent who also plays for the Canadian Football League.

“He was one of those kids everybody looked up to,” Brandon said. “He took what he learned here — the discipline, the focus, the belief in himself — and carried it all the way to the pros.”

Deontez’s journey is more than a sports success story; it’s a symbol of what happens when young people believe in themselves and are given the tools to succeed.

Confronting Harsh Realities

The victories are real, but so are the challenges. Calvin speaks openly about the pressures facing young people in Indianapolis.

“A lot of it starts at home,” he said. “If you don’t have structure, you look for it somewhere else. Social media makes it worse — it glamorizes the streets, like it’s something to prove. But it’s not real. It’s just pressure.”

Brandon knows that reality too well. He has seen students make choices that led to heartbreak, even after everything the program offered. Since the program’s launch, Brandon estimates that he has lost at least 10 participants to gun violence. Just days after his interview with the foundation, he shared that yet another student, Xavieon Whitlow,  was a victim to gun violence.

“You can tell kids not to go down certain paths, you can give them alternatives, but at the end of the day they make their own choices,” Brandon said. “And sometimes, no matter how much you pour into them, the streets can pull them away.

Each loss hurts deeply. But for Brandon, giving up has never been an option.

“We can’t save every kid,” he said. “But we can create space for them to see a different path. 

Building a Legacy

The name B.legendary isn’t just aspirational — it’s a challenge. It calls young people to imagine a life beyond survival, one that leaves a lasting mark.

For Calvin, that means becoming the kind of mentor he once needed. For Deontez, it meant proving that even the NFL was within reach. And for Brandon, it means showing up — day after day — despite the losses, because each success is worth the struggle.

“We’re building legacies,” Brandon said. “Even if I can’t save them all, I’ll never stop trying. Because if just one life changes direction, then it’s worth it.”

At the Indianapolis Foundation, our vision is simple yet bold: to make Indianapolis the most welcoming and thriving community in the nation — a city where every person has the opportunity to live a fulfilling life.

Through partnerships like the Elevation Grant Program and  initiatives like our Equity Imperative 2030 plan, we are advancing housing equity, economic mobility, health, and environmental justice. We invite you to explore our work, join in our initiatives, and be part of building a stronger future for Indianapolis. Learn more at indianapolisfoundation.org