When I first heard the name Carl B. Moxie, I had no idea who that was. If you live in New York City or even the Tri-State area and don’t know who he is, you have been living under a rock. Well, I had the opportunity to emerge from my tiny pebble in the Bronx for a chat with Mr. Moxie.
As people, we are the sum of our experiences and the lessons from those experiences. How we use them later is a testament to our journey and the legacy we want to leave behind. Carl B. Moxie’s journey has taken him from the troubled young man with a speech impediment to a force and a staple in the Caribbean radio community here in New York and a proud Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organization student.
Mr. Moxie was raised in St. Thomas, Jamaica by his parents along with his five siblings. He described his early life as comfortable but miserable because when he learned to speak, he developed a stutter which created a life of misery for him. Mr. Moxie was made fun of by his peers because of his stutter but he fought back. Despite the stutter and being made fun of, he was thought of as a bright student, but because he fought he left school at the age of thirteen. He later moved to Kingston to live with an older brother who introduced him to boxing as a way to deal with his anger from being made fun of by the stutter. He became a really good boxer and got the attention of former light heavyweight boxing champions, Archie Moore and Muhammad Ali, who saw him in a match in Kingston. Mr. Moore brought him to California to further develop his boxing career. He was around many other famous boxers, including Sugar Ray Robinson. While in California, he donated money from his boxing purse to a charity organization called Any Boy Can, something he accredited to his upbringing, as his mother was always helping others. Mr. Moxie’s boxing career came to a halt when he suffered a back injury. He was encouraged to get surgery but declined. His stay with Archie Moore also put him in the company of Sidney Poitier who encouraged him to go back to school for acting. He had a few movie credits and was featured in the documentary about the life and times of Archie Moore narrated by Tony Randall; then there was Wagon Train and the Outcasts, country and western films. At this point, Carl felt he had accomplished what he went to California to do, and it was time to leave.
Mr. Moxie’s shift to radio happened when ITT downsized and computers were gaining popularity. He never healed from his anger and during that time he found the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organization. The organization believes that there is intrinsic goodness in everyone. They teach Raj Yoga meditation with value-based programs including positive thinking, relaxation, anger management in over one hundred countries and centers, in NY, Jamaica, and smaller locations. The programs are free and his wife runs the site in the Bronx but sadly, everything is now done virtually due to the pandemic. With the Raj meditation and practice, he got over his anger. Fortuitously, he was later approached by Bobby Clarke from Irie Jam radio and that was his new beginning.
Philanthropy and community have been at the forefront of Mr. Moxie’s journey. In the 80s he formed the Concerned Jamaican Citizens and Friends to raise funds for hospitals in Jamaica. His commitment to offering his support to the hospitals was triggered after visiting a relative who was hospitalized. He used funds from his events to raise over a quarter a million dollars in cash and equipment. His deep concern for the youth community drives him to constantly give of himself and his talent, so he records motivational poetry and distributes them for free in and around areas of need. When I asked about publishing a book, he said he had given it thought, but he is happy sharing everything for free because that is his contribution to society. He has given his voice to community and entertainment issues on other platforms.
Looking back he saw the arrogance he had, yet, he has no regrets. He made choices that put him where he is now, and although he did not get a formal education, he understands its importance. He was fortunate enough to have the experiences he had because he went through life the way he felt comfortable. He learned that even if he didn’t get the chance to attend school, his life wasn’t over.
He has been on the radio for the past twenty-four years and despite the struggles, he was able to keep it going; he aims to be able to reach others with his words. Mr. Moxie’s perspective about his journey is interesting: his perspective was to look ahead of challenges, resolve his anger issues, and never be discouraged when things come to an end. He understood when he had to move on and he was content.
Mr. Moxie has three shows, two on SoundChat Radio, 9 AM-11 AM on Fridays and 8 AM to 10 AM on Sundays, and on The Carl B Moxie Wake-Up Call Radio Show aired on 93.5 FM radio every Saturday at 11:30 AM. The Wake-Up Call is designed to evoke awareness through inspirational music, features, and messages.
