Dropping bars: The creation of the Voyage Movement
- Carlee Hogsten
- Apr 2
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 2
After Terry Dumphord stepped into federal prison and was locked in his cell, he knew he had to change his life.
But only one thing let him leave his life of selling drugs — finding God.
"I used to run these streets, getting into drugs, and I found myself in federal prison," Dumphord said. "I just really had to challenge God and remember saying a prayer: 'If you can prove to me that you're real, I'll be your most loyal soldier' Then, he proved to me he was real."
He said God showed him that he could not only change his own life but also the lives of others by becoming a GED mentor at the prison. That's what started his love for helping others and made him realize what an impact he made on his community.
"I didn't really think I was doing anything wrong," Dumphord said "I'd tell myself, 'I'm a good guy. I'm just selling drugs. But it wasn't just me who was affected. There were families, communities — so much harm that I didn't see at first."
His GED work throughout his sentence soon became his passion and the other inmates, young and old, started to look up to him. He even implemented a rule that prohibited cussing, to create an environment of respect and discipline. If someone broke the no-cussing rule, they had to do push-ups as a consequence.
Something as simple as push-ups gave Dumphord the feeling that he wanted to do this "giving back thing" forever.
When he was released from prison, Dumphord said God gave him a mission to give back to a community from which he once took so much.
That's the moment when he created the "Voyage Movement," to give kids a community beyond the streets.
A decade later, on a sunny afternoon in Paris, Kentucky, the streets feel and sound different for Dumphord.
At the community center, right down the street from Paris High School, you can hear beats hum through the Voyage Movement Community Center doors.
Inside, young voices pulse in unison, rapping lyrics of hope and resilience. Confidence and a sense of possibility echo through the mission center, a place once troubled but now overflowing with promise.
Dumphord, the student's mentor, smiles as he films their latest performance of the rap song they've created together, "Pushing Peace."
He said the community center is where they share their creativity, with walls lined with posters of past music projects and positive quotes reinforcing Dumphord's vision.
"We do a lot of wrap-around services. We have a food pantry in the back and a clothing closet," Dumphord said. "About 50 youth come in every day to get free drinks and snacks. It's a safe space for the youth in the community."
From Dumphord's after-school programs and summer camps to a community garden and prison ministry, he hasn't stopped growing the mission of the Voyage Movement.
His dedication goes as far as bringing his children to grow up in the "movement."
"My kids have been passing out snacks since they were three," he said. "They know it's about looking out for your neighbor."
It's not just the family who volunteers their time, but several community members who commit their time to strengthen their efforts.
"One thing that Terry always talks about is giving back," said Doyle Lee, a volunteer with the Voyage Movement. "It's not work because we know that we have an opportunity to potentially impact somebody's life."
The job of growing youth into leaders extends beyond the center's walls. At the Success Academy, an alternative school in Lexington, Dumphord mentors students who may face challenges in traditional schools.
His work with students provides a more personalized and flexible learning environment, as they create music like their newest song, "Pushing Peace" which encourages teens to create music advocating non-violence.
"Mainstream music pushes violence and negativity," Dumphord explained. "We lost a young man last week, one of the kids we mentored, to gun violence. But we can't give up. If you save one life, it's worth it."
For students like Danayiah Leak, the program makes her feel like her dream of being a rapper could come true.
"People don't usually hear stuff like this from teenagers," she said. "It made me feel like I'm talented and like I can do anything."
Her journey to Success Academy began when she realized she needed a more personalized educational environment as the traditional school setting wasn't working for her.
"I really couldn't focus in a big school setting," Leak said. "My mind would just be off. At Success, I could just get my work done on the computer, and I was finished. Nobody was there to distract me."
She joined Success Academy at the beginning of August 2024, with just four credits left to complete her diploma. Through the program, she earned the necessary credits, and then some, boosting her GPA in the process.
More importantly, Success Academy introduced her to Dumphord after she heard he was coming to teach a group of young men about rapping.
Even though she was the only girl, Leak was adamant about joining the song and showing Dumphord her talent.
"I really saw she had a raw talent," Dumphord said. "She was kind of taking charge, and I noticed how the rest of the group rallied behind her."
Leak, while working on "Pushing Peace" worked on her music solo and recently released her first song on Spotify and Apple Music.
"It makes me feel good, especially seeing people on social media reposting my songs and using them in their stories," Leak said. "It makes me want to keep going. It inspires me."
As a new graduate of Success Academy, Leak is on a mission to get into the studio and produce more music. Now, Dumphord has become more than just a mentor but is planning to sign her as one of his artists at his music managing company to help her build a future.
"I never had nobody like Terry to mentor me," Leak said. "He talks more positive stuff into me so l can make more positive music. Now I can probably make more peaceful music, too."
Dumphord creates these relationships with all of his students, pushing them to come up with new ideas. Through his mentorship, another student Chozyn Hocker, found a community he never had.
"It gives me a sense that people care about me," Hocker said. "It tells me I'm doing something right."
Dumphord's influence extends far beyond the students and inspires his team of volunteers.
"Terry's like a beacon, man," Paris Sims Ill, a teacher at the academy said. "He's a beacon of hope and change for our students."
By sharing his story openly and his struggles with drugs, incarceration and redemption, Dumphord gives his students something rare.
He provides students with a guide who's walked their path and came back on the other side.
"I've been in their shoes," Dumphord said. "They see me as proof that it's never too late to turn your life around."
The Voyage Movement's impact ripples far beyond Paris and Lexington. Dumphord dreams of expanding the program to other communities as well.
His vision is to create a network of safe spaces where youth can grow, express themselves and find purpose.
"We're not just making music," he said. "We're building futures."
To watch this story's video, click below.
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