Tay Neal is a husband, father, educator, activist, and community builder with a heart for all children, especially Black and Brown boys, and a vision for liberation through mentorship, literacy, and character development. A proud Kansas City native, Tay grew up primarily in the project housing at 7 Oaks near 39th and Elmwood, an area deeply impacted by gang violence, drugs, and systemic disinvestment. He received his early education in the Kansas City Public Schools and the Center School District. Raised in poverty, relying on government assistance, and with a father who was incarcerated for most of his childhood, Tay’s early years were marked by a long list of traumatic exposures, including alcohol and drug addiction, family mental health struggles, domestic violence, community murders, incarceration, food insecurity, and generational trauma. He knows firsthand the silent toll that adversity takes on children just trying to survive.

In the later part of his primary education, Tay’s family relocated to the suburbs of Blue Springs through a Section 8 housing voucher. This shift gave him a powerful change in perspective and a firsthand understanding of how environment, access, and opportunity shape outcomes. After graduating high school in 2010, Tay returned to Kansas City and navigated many of the same challenges still facing Black families today. His story is one of survival, resilience, and the choice to become what he never had.

There was a chapter in Tay’s life when hardship and poor choices led him down the wrong path. He has had run-ins with the law and moments that could have ended his story early. But those experiences became fuel for transformation. He did the hard work to change the trajectory of his life and now uses that same energy to uplift young men facing similar crossroads.

Tay’s academic journey includes a combination of degrees and advanced certifications across multiple fields, including elementary education, special education, liberal arts, surgical technology, nursing science, marketing, business administration, and psychology. He has studied at MidAmerica Nazarene University, Anthem College, the University of Central Missouri, and the University of Missouri–Kansas City. He holds dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Elementary Education and Special Education and is currently completing his sixth degree, a Master of Science in Educational Leadership at Northwest Missouri State University, which will be conferred in December 2025. He is also pursuing a doctoral degree in educational or nonprofit organizational leadership.

As a 6th-grade teacher in the heart of Kansas City, nonprofit founder, and member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Tay moves with purpose in and out of the classroom. He has mentored youth from coast to coast and shows up with the same energy whether he is teaching a lesson, hosting a Saturday session, or helping a young man navigate pressure and pain. His approach is not about fixing boys. It is about pouring into them, protecting their potential, and walking with them through the work. Tay understands that just because he overcame the statistical predictions placed on Black boys, it does not mean others should have to do it alone. It takes more than determination and luck. It takes a village, protection, mentorship, and perspective-shifting opportunities. That is why The Talk KC exists, to give Black and Brown boys the extra eyes and broader vision they need to see that there is more to life than what meets the eye.

Under Tay’s leadership, The Talk KC blends barbershop culture with life-changing conversations, warm meals, mentorship, and monthly check-ins designed to raise the standard for how we love and lead Black and Brown boys. The program runs nine months out of the year and provides free haircuts, affirming guidance, and a sense of belonging that many young men have never had.

Tay is committed to building a village where every Black and Brown boy knows he is loved, valuable, and capable. He also honors the strength, stability, and creativity of his late mother, Ebony Neal, who instilled in him the spirit of hustle and the ability to make something out of nothing. Her example and love continue to shape his work, his vision, and his belief that no child should be counted out. And he is just getting started.