We recently had the chance to connect with Jacoby Waters and have shared our conversation below.
Jacoby, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I am most proud of is building my legacy on this Earth.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Jacoby Waters, and I was born and raised in Riviera Beach, Florida. I am the proud founder of Young Men of Distinction (YMOD), a youth development program dedicated to mentoring young men ages 7–18 throughout Palm Beach County. Our mission is to equip them with the life skills, confidence, and character they need to thrive—not just as students, but as leaders in their communities.
What makes YMOD special is our holistic approach. We don’t just talk about success; we prepare our young men to live it—covering everything from emotional intelligence and self-respect to financial literacy and community engagement. For me, this work is personal. Growing up, I witnessed firsthand the power of having the right guidance and the impact it can have on shaping a young person’s future.
Right now, we’re expanding our programs to reach more students, deepen our mentorship efforts, and create more opportunities for them to connect with positive male role models. At the heart of it all, YMOD is about building a legacy of excellence, one young man at a time.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A moment that truly shaped how I see the world was my time attending Florida A&M University. Growing up in Palm Beach County, I went to diverse schools where I was surrounded by many different backgrounds and perspectives. Transitioning to an HBCU was a cultural shift—one that I didn’t fully appreciate at the time, but looking back, I realize it was exactly what I needed.
Being immersed in an environment that celebrated Black excellence, history, and culture gave me a deeper sense of pride in who I am and where I come from. It broadened my perspective, strengthened my identity, and taught me the importance of representation and community. That experience still influences how I mentor young men today, ensuring they see themselves as capable, worthy, and destined for greatness.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
The defining wounds of my life have been the losses of my grandmother and my grandfather. They were two of the most influential people in my life—sources of wisdom, unconditional love, and steady guidance. Losing them left an emptiness that was hard to put into words.
Healing has been a journey. I’ve learned to carry their lessons with me in everything I do, honoring their memory through the way I live and serve others. In many ways, my work with Young Men of Distinction is part of that healing—it’s my way of passing on the values they instilled in me, so their impact continues through the lives of the young men I mentor.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes and no. The public version of me is real—I’m genuine in how I present myself, and the passion you see for mentoring young men is exactly who I am at my core. But like anyone, there are parts of me that are more private—things I process quietly, lessons I’ve learned in silence, and sides of my personality that don’t always make it to the spotlight.
What you see publicly is a true reflection of my mission and values, but it’s not the whole of me. The private version carries the experiences, challenges, and personal growth that fuel the public one. Both are real—they just show up in different spaces.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I lived with purpose and left the world better than I found it. That I poured into others—especially young men—the way so many people once poured into me. That I stood for integrity, service, and love for my community.
Most of all, I want the story to be that I didn’t just talk about change—I helped create it. That the seeds I planted in the lives of others kept growing long after I was gone, and that my life’s work inspired the next generation to lead with character, courage, and compassion.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.youngmenofdistinction.org/
- Instagram: @youngmenofdistinction19
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobywaters?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
