You may know Yung Joc for his music, television, and radio career, but the talented entertainer’s commitment to his community began long before he hit our TV screens and airwaves. Growing up in College Park, Joc jokes that his childhood felt more like a 90s sitcom, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”in particular, just without a Geoffrey. He initially grew up in the Westside, but after getting in more than just “one little fight,” he went to live with his father and attend school on the Southside. Moving between two neighborhoods shaped his understanding of how differently communities can look in regard to access and resources, even within the same city.
“Community is family,” says Joc. “Community means everything to me.”
As a kid, Joc reflects on how he has always been a community leader, even at school. While he describes himself as the class clown, he remembers being the person in his group who boosted morale and led the charge. This same congenial spirit informs how he shows up for his community today. “Every now and then your community just needs a pep rally.”
Joc recalls one of his first giving experiences as a child, participating in Hosea Feed the Hungry, where he witnessed a Black father overwhelmed by his inability to provide for his family. This moment made Joc realize just how many families could be only one paycheck away from that reality. Years later, this sense of responsibility for families like this one remains, especially when he sees people he grew up with in his community who have ended up where others might not have expected. In these moments, Joc ponders where people might be without organizations like Hosea Feed the Hungry and whether people in need give up on themselves or if their community gives up on them.
Joc brings that responsibility today to a growing number of initiatives across South Fulton, including annual Southside Day, where he has distributed more than 2,000 tablets and laptops and provided a scholarship. His efforts also include a Christmas Giveback in partnership with Walmart on Old National, a warming drive collecting warming items for unhoused neighbors, and an annual turkey giveaway. He is also a partner with the Next Level Boys Academy, an organization in Southside dedicated to redirecting youth. Joc finds this work especially personal, seeing himself in some of the kids he encounters. “They need heroes,” Joc says. “I’m not Superman, but I do what I can.”
For Joc, his work with the community is not about recognition but, in fact, quite the opposite. Whether he’s interacting with seniors, young people, or families in his community, he values the opportunity to show up and connect. In these moments, he feels full when he finds a sense of family with people he has never even met before. “It’s amazing how a stranger can make you feel so complete in just a few moments.”
Joc’s legacy is rooted in family and community, where he uses his talents, resources, and faith to show his community that “love is real” and that better is possible. His success is not separate from his community, as it gives him a way to pour directly back into it. Although his career may have taken him beyond College Park, Joc’s heart has never left.