Q & A With Mario
So, you are on “Dancing With The Stars” this season. How did that come about?
I was in Stockholm and my manager called and told me about the opportunity.
Did you immediately agree to it?
Well, I met with the executives at ABC and told them that I would only do it if I could have Karina as my partner. She is the dopest dancer on the show. They usually don’t allow requests for dancers, but somehow they called me and told me that she would be my partner!
The winner receives money to donate to their favorite charity and you are going to donate the money to your non-profit, Mario’s Do Right Foundation. Why did you start a foundation?
I always wanted to do one. I want young kids and young adults to overcome those bad influences. The foundation is really about empowering. I want [to provide] young people the education and the tools to rise above.
You filmed a documentary called “I Won’t Love You To Death: The Story of Mario and His Mom”, which followed you and your mom while she struggled to overcome her drug addiction. Did that inspire the foundation?
It led to me starting my own foundation. I got a lot of support from fans that would bring their parents out and I would give them advice. I would love to see more young men, especially where I am from, rising around the obstacles.
How was your childhood in Baltimore?
It was crazy. I grew up in West Baltimore. I was raised by my grandmother and my mother. We pretty much lived in one house and there was a lot of drug activity in the house. My little cousins and I were happy to be together, [because] our parents were strung out. My grandmother took care of us. She was my second mother. I have other brothers and sisters but I did not grow up with them. For the most part, I had fun like any other kid, but seeing the drugs was the hardest thing.
So, what do you hope do with your foundation ultimately?
I want young adults to mentor young kids. I also want to have classes for kids whose parents suffer from substance abuse. I want to provide any counseling they may need or anything to keep them on the right track. This is why kids look to other things to get into. I was there. I know. I experienced that and want to give back in another way.
Interview by Isoul H. Harris, an entertainment journalist based in Atlanta, GA.