Press Release| Tracy Morris Dies at 54

Press Release| Tracy Morris Dies at 54

by | Education

The Blue Heart Foundation Founder & Executive Director, Tracy Morris dies at 54 

Mathew Gordon named new President & CEO of the organization to continue Tracy’s legacy of assisting young men of color get to 4-year universities through personal, professional, and academic development.                   

 

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE 

Wednesday, April 20, 2022 

 

CONTACT:  

support@theblueheartfoundation.org 

SAN DIEGO- We regret to inform you Tracy Morris, Founder and Executive Director of the Blue Heart Foundation passed away on Tuesday, Feb 15th, 2022, of a pulmonary embolism. 

The Blue Heart Foundation is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization founded in 2013 by Tracy Morris and his wife April Ray Morris. Blue Heart focuses on character development and education of underserved youth ages 13-18 in the greater San Diego County community, primarily serving Southeastern San Diego, East San Diego, and the greater San Diego County communities.  

Tracy was a native of Southeast San Diego as a product of a single parent household born into undesirable conditions with his two brothers. His experiences dealing with abuse fed his passion to assist children who may be stuck in similar situations. He empowered youth who yearned to be great yet didn’t see a clear path to reach their dreams. In essence, The Blue Heart Foundation was founded to be a platform.  

“I just wanted someone or somewhere that I could consistently go to, that I knew would be there for me” -Tracy Morris 

Changing the lives of at-risk youth in San Diego’s underserved communities has been a struggle for many agencies throughout San Diego County. Cuts in the public education system, after-school resources, reduced funding for academic development as well as the lack of role models in the household are just a few obstacles that young men face during their struggle for a better future.  

For nearly a decade, Tracy Morris managed to develop a unique combination of educational empowerment, team building, volunteerism, and character development that creates a life-changing impact in young men’s lives and in the community.  

As a result, Blue Heart has supported and mentored well over 50 senior graduates to go to college with a 100% acceptance rate. 

  • Awarded $10,500.00 in scholarships in 2021 to the young men of Blue Heart. 
  • Blue Heart members currently spend 100 hrs. per year in community service activities and has accumulated over 50,000 volunteer hours. 
  • As of 2022, Blue Heart is currently serving 57 enrolled members 

Blue Hearts’ goal now is to keep its doors open and growing to carry out Tracy’s vision and mission. To do that, Co-founder April Ray Morris brought in Mathew Gordon as the New President and CEO of Blue Heart. Mathew was a close friend and a brother to Tracy in addition to being a longtime mentor for the Foundation.  

Mathew has a wealth of experience working in & for disadvantaged communities throughout San Diego County. His experience includes working under former City Council President Myrtle Cole and most recently served as Director of the Office of Boards & Commissions for Mayor Todd Gloria.  

We believe in the phrase “college changes communities” however, for Tracy it went further beyond that. His dream was to build community equity by providing an inclusive and secure path to higher education, emotional wellness, and personal development for young men of color in underserved communities. 

To keep his vision alive, the Blue Heart Foundation plans to; raise funds to complete the new office location that Tracy secured, produce the annual Signing Day event in May, continue to expand and improve on programming such as H.E.A.R.T Academy, create a private online community with a branded Blue Heart mobile app for intimate Mentor and Mentee communications, and develop a passionate team to help more young men prosper in this difficult climate. 

“Tracy showed up for me no matter what until I learned to show up for myself, he’s the reason I am the man I am today.” -Blue Heart Alumni, Freddie Evans   

The Blue Heart Foundation asks you to be a part of keeping the legacy of Founder and Executive Director Tracy Morris’ vision alive by making a positive and lasting impact with a secure donation by visiting: https://theblueheartfoundation.org/for-tracy/.  

For inquires please email support@theblueheartfoundation.org 

Together We Rise!

Together We Rise!

The Blue Heart Foundation

 

 

 

Our Mission 

“Building community equity by providing an inclusive and secure path to higher education, emotional wellness, and personal development for underserved male youth.” 

 

Email
support@theblueheartfoundation.org

Location
San Diego CA 92154

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Why Blue Heart?

by | Community, Education, Mentoring

How The Blue Heart Foundation Helps

The Blue Heart Foundation provides our young men from disadvantaged backgrounds with academic support, financial assistance, and leadership training to become first-generation college students.

Founded in 2013 by Tracy Morris and wife April Ray Morris, The Blue Heart Foundation focuses on the character development and education of underserved youth ages 13-18 in the greater San Diego County community. Primarily serving Southeastern San Diego, East San Diego, and City Districts 3 and 4.

Almost 90% of our student families are of low to moderate income, making it even more critical to prepare them for higher education with academic excellence and character development. We’re proud to say that our programming has empowered young men to earn thousands of dollars in scholarships to universities.

Our Mission

“Building community equity by providing an inclusive and secure path to higher education, emotional wellness, and personal development for underserved male youth.”

Our mission statement drives the character development, emotional wellness, education, and mentoring that our young men receive. We provide resources for academic excellence, volunteerism, and cultural development.

We strive to prepare, support, strengthen, and equip underserved male youth through a safe and secure path to higher education, emotional health, and personal development with a community-oriented approach.

As a part of our program, participants receive mentoring, personal, emotional, and professional development workshops online through our remote learning program and in person.  We consistently provide mentoring, personal, and professional seminars, as well as college campus and team-building trips that assist in developing social skills. We strive to give students the tools to succeed and excel in today’s academic and social environment.

The Future of Blue Heart

The COVID-19 pandemic did not stop us from developing our mentees into the best future leaders. Through the pandemic, The Blue Heart Foundation continued operations by adjusting programming and providing abundant resources to support families and actively give their sons the support they need.

Today, we feel confident that we can overcome any hurdles—including the passing of Tracy Morris, the Founder and Executive Director of The Blue Heart Foundation.

Tracy’s Legacy

Tracy grew up in the Southeast San Diego area, born into an unstable, abusive, and broken home with his two brothers. That experience later made him yearn to be more, do more and help more students who may be stuck in a similar situation. Tracy’s dream was to make a difference for young black men who yearn to be great and don’t see a clear path to reach their dreams.

“I just wanted someone or somewhere that I could consistently go to, that I knew would be there for me” -Tracy Morris

For almost a decade, Tracy developed a unique combination of educational empowerment, team-building, volunteerism, and character development programming that created a life-changing impact in young men’s lives in the greater San Diego community.

The Blue Heart Foundation has supported and mentored 52 senior graduates with a 100% college acceptance rate. In 2021, the young men were awarded $10,500.00 in scholarships. Our members spend 100 hours per year in community service activities, accumulating over 50,000 volunteer hours.

Today, Blue Heart currently serve 57 enrolled members.

New Leadership

One of the few men that Tracy trusted and respected in the community, Mathew Gordon, has joined the Blue Heart family as the new President and CEO. He was a great friend and a brother to Tracy.

As a former at-risk youth who experienced challenges like poverty and homelessness, Mathew devotes his time volunteering and mentoring with non-profit organizations that cater to under-served youth.

Mathew brings a wealth of experience working in and for disadvantaged communities throughout San Diego County. His experience includes serving in the Fourth Council District as a Community Advisor under the first Black Female ever elected to the San Diego City Council, Council President Myrtle Cole.

Keeping Tracy’s Dream Alive

While Tracy is genuinely irreplaceable, we feel confident our new CEO, Mathew Gordon along with the Blue Heart team’s ability to carry the torch. We know we must continue serving our community and moving forward with Tracy’s vision, even with his devastating transition.

We know that there are wonderful things to come in the future for the Blue Heart family.

Building Community Online

In the spirit of keeping Tracy’s dream alive, we’re excited to announce the Blue Heart Online Academy with an accompanying mobile App—one of the first of its kind—a private online community that provide mentorship opportunities and 24/7 access to Blue Heart therapists, Alumni, and parents in a safe and secure platform for our African American youth. With this technology, Blue Heart will be able to expand its reach significantly!

“Together We Rise!”

Driven by almost a million dollars’ worth of grants, workshops, and sponsorships available, our goal is to reach at least 40,000 black male youth in San Diego by 2027.

Make a Positive and Lasting Impact!

Join us in making a difference for black youth in our community. We will keep our doors open, carry out Tracy’s mission, and positively affect the lives of even more young men with your support.

Make a positive and lasting impact with a 100% secure donation.

Together We Rise!

Together We Rise!

The Blue Heart Foundation

 

 

 

Our Mission 

“Building community equity by providing an inclusive and secure path to higher education, emotional wellness, and personal development for underserved male youth.” 

 

Email
support@theblueheartfoundation.org

Location
San Diego CA 92154

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For Tracy

For Tracy

by | Mental Health

Tracy R. Morris. 1967-2022

I first want to thank you all for the love and support you’ve sent to myself our family and the whole Blue Heart team. Tracy’s memorial really encapsulated the impact that He made in the community and in the lives of our amazing young men.

And The Blue Heart Foundation will continue to change lives! I am determined to take up the cause to keep Tracy’s dream alive!

With that said, I want to introduce you to our team that will carry the torch:

Please help me welcome Mathew Gordon as Blue Hearts new President/CEO!

Mathew was one of the few men that Tracy trusted and respected in the community. He was a great friend and a brother to Tracy.
Mathew has a wealth of experience working in & for disadvantaged communities throughout San Diego County. His experience includes having served in the Fourth Council District under the first Black Female ever elected to the San Diego City Council, Council President Myrtle Cole as a community advisor.

As a former at-risk youth having experienced many challenges such as poverty & homelessness, Mathew devotes his time volunteering and mentoring with non-profit organizations that cater to under-served youth such as Reality Changers, National Conflict Resolution Center and Paving Great Futures.

This is just a snippet of his accomplishments and qualifications! I feel confident that we are in good hands! I’m excited to be working with him as we manifest the vision.

Our Blue Heart veterans are also on board to continue the mission:
Stephanie Garcia- Vice President of Development
Lan Jefferson- Vice President of Operations
Tammy Blevins- Director of Programs and Events
Mercedes Tiggs- Mindful Heart Program Manager/Therapist
Ashley Lett- Administrative Assistant
Christie Johnson- Parent Liaison
Our Student Mentors
Amari Jackson
Dallas Edge
Djarese Blevins
Giordan Lee
Lydell Dunlap
Reggie Thomas
Xavier Tillis
My hope is that you continue to run with us as we take Tracy’s vision to the next level.
Together we rise!
April Ray Morris
Co-Founder, Board Chair, VP of Finance and Technology

Meet William

Meet William

by | Senior Spotlight

2020-2021 Graduating Senior of The Blue Heart Foundation

About William Dawson

My name is William Dawson, III. I am a 17-year-old senior currently attending Otay Ranch High School. I was born in Portsmouth, VA and I have lived in Chula Vista since the age of 5.

My parents, little brother and other family members are my biggest supporters. Since as far as I could remember, my mother has always talked to me about being the best person that I could be. For example, she has always told me that education would be the key to my success, no matter what path I choose.

It didn’t matter if I learned it through traditional education or trade-school, life experiences or lessons, it was important that I learned something as my education was the one thing that could not be taken away from me. With the help of my parents (who were both in the U.S. Navy), I’ve learned strength, resiliency, acceptance and adaptation and how to apply those qualities in my everyday life.

Being a part of The Blue Heart Foundation, I’ve learned so many valuable lessons, pertaining to being a Black man, but I also learned brotherhood, leadership, compassion, and responsibility.
Together We Rise!

Together We Rise!

The Blue Heart Foundation

 

 

 

Our Mission 

“Building community equity by providing an inclusive and secure path to higher education, emotional wellness, and personal development for underserved male youth.” 

 

Email
support@theblueheartfoundation.org

Location
San Diego CA 92154

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COMMENT AND SHARE!

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Support The Blue Heart Foundation as we Educate and Motivate Our Youth! 

 

 

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Meet Ezekiel

Meet Ezekiel

by | Senior Spotlight

2020-2021 Graduating Senior of The Blue Heart Foundation

About Ezekiel Rabb

Growing up in Southeast San Diego, California is tough for young Black males. There are very limited pathways to success. Without programs, we face problems. The following is a personal story about a Black boy with his head in the clouds who overcame the pitfalls of death, a prescribed identity, and found himself. Unexpectedly, through recovery, community service, and even earning his pilot’s license, he developed resilience. He learned that youth die young in “America’s Finest City.”

He buried three loved ones during the same holiday. His cousin was shot. His teammate was shot. His friend was shot. Knowing the limited opportunities for success, Zeke thoughtfully chose to put his energy into football, which he played since the 6th grade.

Zeke knows that life is about perseverance and improvisation. Since elementary school, football was his passion and allowed him to demonstrate strength and agility, mentally and physically. Zeke’s injury impacted him in many ways. He experienced memory problems, sleep deprivation, constant headaches, and light sensitivity, all of which affected him for over a year. He spiraled into depression. The experience of a life-threatening injury required him to evaluate his priorities and strengths.

This opened up his time to explore other interests, activities, and hobbies, including Blue Heart.

Zeke’s recovery process was difficult but he learned valuable lessons about his identity. Most notably, he realized that he is not only a football player, but also an advanced-level scholar. He also learned he has an affinity for science and coding. During his healing process he reflected on life. While recovering, Zeke also learned he has a love for coding. Through an eight-month course at University of California, San Diego, he learned how to create applications for iPhones using Xcode and Swift. Zeke also learned the core fundamentals of coding, and that his easygoing, patient and collaborative personality is the perfect compliment to computer engineering careers.

Another part of Zeke’s core identity and principles as a Black male began to emerge as he began to engage in Blue Heart’s volunteer service. Zeke’s love for service to others was sparked after his mentor invited him to volunteer at Sharia’s Closet, a community closet that provides clothes to people who are unsheltered. Another Blue Heart volunteer experience, with the National Society of Black Engineers, resulted in an internship that not only taught him how to write pseudo code, but also access to a network of African American specialists in the STEAM careers. Zeke joined The Blue Heart Foundation full time, and since his first volunteer experience freshman year, Zeke has contributed over 500 hours of community service, which has helped him to find meaning and joy in life.

This is a common story but a personal one for me. My name is Ezekeial, and my close friends call me “Zeke.”

Zeke is like many young Black males in Southeast San Diego, California, and across the United States: powerful beyond imagination with limitless potential. Zeke’s cousin, Deashan, his friend, Michael, and his football teammate, Bobby, did not make it. This is a common story but a personal one for me. My name is Ezekeial, and my closest friends call me “Zeke.” My background is relevant and meaningful to my identity as a Black man in America seeking to thrive and make a meaningful contribution to society.

My vision for the future is safe cyberspace. Upon completing my undergraduate and advanced degrees, I will create my own malware business to protect companies and corporations. I look forward to building upon the foundation that Blue Heart has created for me as a young man.
Together We Rise!

Together We Rise!

The Blue Heart Foundation

 

 

 

Our Mission 

“Building community equity by providing an inclusive and secure path to higher education, emotional wellness, and personal development for underserved male youth.” 

 

Email
support@theblueheartfoundation.org

Location
San Diego CA 92154

If you found value in this article please...

COMMENT AND SHARE!

YOUR DONATION COUNTS! Support Us Here

Support The Blue Heart Foundation as we Educate and Motivate Our Youth! 

 

 

Your Donation Counts