After spending 20 years serving in the military and supervising Lansing Correctional Facility, law enforcement is security guard Charles Thomas’ forte; however, he possesses another skillset: leading and counseling students in the club Can We Talk.

Can We Talk is a group that openly talks about a variety of popular topics. Race, personal experiences, cultural differences and similarities, grades and preparation for the future are among the many topics of discussion.

Originally started at Lawrence High, Can We Talk  had major success in members’ lives, and a branch was created at Free State.

“[Can We Talk] is a way to see people that’s in the group do good things with their lives such as Trei Jones, who became Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year,” Thomas said. “Since the group started …  we’ve had a one hundred percent graduation rate.”

Meeting every late arrival Thursday in the Black Box Theater, Can We Talk is a place where students can openly talk about their feelings and opinions without being judged.

Stereotypes and misconceptions suggest that Can We Talk is strictly for minority students; however, Thomas disagrees.

“Can We Talk is open to any and every one,” Thomas said. “The biggest misconception that people have about Can We Talk is it’s a black thing, and if you ever attend Can We Talk, you’ll find that’s far from the truth.”

Coming from the city of Paterson, New Jersey where crime rates soar to Lawrence where hippies walk downtown in Birkenstocks, Thomas relates to students of all walks of life.

“I try to be a role model to everyone here; not only to minority students but to everyone,” Thomas said. “I had a difficult life as a teenager but I overcame it. I was able to overcome those challenges and move on with my life, educational … family wise so when you reach a certain point of your life, there’s certain things you wanna give back and  … help other people get on the right track.”

To give back, Thomas takes time out of his personal schedule to take Can We Talk members on fields trips to college visits and elementary schools to talk to young students about the racial gap some may face. He has become a mentor and a guiding light for many students at Free State.

Junior Mersadees Sampson is just one of the many Can We Talk members that admire Thomas.

“He’s kinda the guy that just keeps it real with everyone; he doesn’t stand for phoniness,” Sampson said. “He’s just like a really honest dude, and he’s a great leader too.”

The whole point of Can We Talk meetings is to encourage students to talk about sensitive topics openly with their peers. Although the result is a loss of late arrival, Sampson thinks it’s well worth it.

“I definitely lost my late arrival …  but I’ve made a couple new friends,” Sampson said. “It’s a good place to talk about my opinion and not feel judged, and it’s opened me up.”

Along with Sampson, English teacher Carol Spring looks up to Thomas tremendously.

Spring makes it her obligation to attend as many Can We Talk meetings as possible.

“He has made it his personal mission to help students integrate, and [he has] given them a safe place to talk openly about how race affects us all,” Spring said. “He is tireless, positive, and [he is] constantly looking for opportunities for students to ‘dream big.’”

Just like Sampson and Thomas, Can We Talk has had an impact on Spring as well.

“[Can We Talk] makes me so proud to be a Firebird,” Spring said. “When I look around the room at a meeting, I am in awe that at least 80 to 90 students have given up late arrival to interact and discuss these issues. I see students from all races and socioeconomic backgrounds, administrators and teachers. We are the world!”