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Meet Our Founder
Omachi Baba Reggie Singleton
Omachi Baba Reggie Singleton is a visionary leader, mentor, and advocate for Black youth development. During a journey to Ghana, he was honored with the title “Omachi,” which signifies “God’s goodness” or “God’s beauty.” In many African cultures, the term “Baba” is an honorific meaning “father” or “wise elder,” used to show respect to elders and leaders.
In 1993, he founded The Males Place, Inc., an organization that has transformed the lives of over 3,000 young Black men in North Carolina through comprehensive programs focused on mentorship, agriculture, and social justice.
As a child, Singleton worked alongside migrant farmers, an experience that initially turned him away from agriculture. However, while developing his mentorship program, he recognized a powerful connection between the boys’ growth and the patience, care, and effort required to cultivate a garden. By engaging the young men in community gardening, he fostered unity through shared hard work and provided a living metaphor for their journey to manhood.
About Omachi Baba Reggie Singleton
• Early Roots:
A native of the Sea Islands near Charleston, South Carolina, Singleton began working in agriculture at the age of five. Despite challenges such as harsh weather, encounters with snakes, and low wages, these early experiences instilled in him a deep respect for self-sufficiency and community support.
• Educational & Professional Foundations:
After earning a degree in Public Health from the University of South Carolina, Singleton worked in corrections and later in public health during the crack epidemic and HIV crisis. These experiences revealed the systemic challenges facing young Black men and fueled his passion to create transformative change.
• Leadership & Vision:
As Founder and Executive Director of The Males Place, Inc., Singleton leverages his background in agriculture and public health to build programs that not only mentor young Black men but also teach practical life skills and cultural awareness. His work empowers these young men to become confident, self-reliant leaders both locally and globally.
• Farmer & Global Educator:
Drawing on his own childhood experiences in seasonal farming, Singleton uses hands-on agriculture initiatives to teach every aspect of the food system—from production to retail sales—while also organizing cultural immersion trips that reconnect youth with their African heritage.
• Founding The Males Place
In 1993, Singleton launched The Males Place initially as a reproductive health initiative. However, he quickly recognized that the challenges confronting young Black men—such as father absence, negative media influences, and economic hardships—demanded a broader approach.
• Farmer & Global Educator:
Drawing on his own childhood experiences in seasonal farming, Singleton uses hands-on agriculture initiatives to teach every aspect of the food system—from production to retail sales—while also organizing cultural immersion trips that reconnect youth with their African heritage. He is also a farmer and master gardener and utilizes growing and farming to solve serious problem regarding food access, employability, and self-sufficiency.
“A rising increase in Black-on-Black crime, unintended pregnancies, and the absence of father figures pushed us to expand our mission. We needed to create a space where these young men could develop a strong sense of identity, purpose, and community.” Omachi Baba Reggie Singleton
Community Impact and Global Exposure
• Cultural Immersion:
Singleton leads transformative trips to destinations such as Charleston, Selma, Montgomery, Washington, D.C., Ghana, Belize and Cuba. These journeys reconnect young men with African-centered history and global Black culture, broadening their perspectives and fostering a sense of global citizenship.
• Real-World Learning:
By experiencing community settings both locally and abroad, the youth witness firsthand the interconnectedness of history, culture, and community. This exposure empowers them to recognize their potential and drive positive change.
“It’s about exposing our young men to something beyond their immediate surroundings. When they experience the world and see their history in a larger context, they begin to understand their power and potential.” ~ Omachi Baba Reggie Singleton
Singleton’s unwavering commitment to African cultural heritage, transformative education, and enriching experiences—bolstered by his deep experience in agriculture—continues to inspire and empower young men. He guides them to embrace their roots, broaden their perspectives, and emerge as resilient leaders and change makers in their communities and beyond.
