Black Self Help Information

YMEN Chicago

YMEN Chicago

Researchers from Jawanza Kunjufu to Na’im Akbar agree that society must make a greater effort and focus more resources to reach

African-American boys ages 10-16. Even with the recent growth and revitalization in North Lawndale community, we face serious challenges in the areas of community safety and academic underachievement, particularly amoung our African-American young men. In the past four years, over 10,000 North Lawndale boys were arrested and placed into the juvenile court system. According to Congressman Danny K. Davis, 70% of all adult men in North Lawndale ages 18-45 are ex-offenders. Homicide is the leading cause of death among African-American men between the ages of 15-24 years old. In Illinois, there are more than 10,000 more African-American males in prison or on parole than are enrolled in college. In North Lawndale, less than 35% of African-American young men graduate from high school, and less than 5% earn a bachelor’s degree. If African-American young men are essential assets of a healthy community, more must be done. Reaching African-American youth is a life or death proposition.

At YMEN, we have been a community leader in providing significant resources and holistic youth programming, including academic support, leadership development activities, community service opporutunites to young men in the North Lawndale community. YMEN was recognized as “one of the outstanding youth leadership development organizations in Chicago” by Professor Joseph Kahn (Universtiy of Illinois, Chicago).

Triple Threat Mentoring

Triple Threat Mentoring

Who We Are

Triple Threat Mentoring uses people’s passions to fight the cycle of poverty. Since 2007, we’ve used our passion-based programs and events to connect more than 32,000 at-risk youth with adults who love the same things they do. We help you Share Your Passion and Create Your Legacy.

Our Mission

To empower urban youth to realize their potential and inspire volunteers to leave a lasting legacy. We’re not just a youth organization. We’re an organization that facilitates relationships between youth and volunteers through our passion-based programs.

The KHEPRW Institute

The KHEPRW Institute

WHAT IS THE KHEPRW INSTITUTE?

Kheprw Institute (KI) is a community organization that works to create a more just, equitable, human-centered world by nurturing youth and young adults to be leaders, critical thinkers and doers who see the people in any community as the most valuable assets and are committed to working with marginalized communities to bring about change that leads to empowered self-sustainable communities.

Mentoring Young Black Men in Charlottesville

Mentoring Young Black Men in Charlottesville

Last month, a Charlottesville organization to mentor young men of color beat out more than one hundred other groups across the country to get the 100 Black Men of America’s chapter of the year award for mentoring.  WMRA’s Jordy Yager talked with some of the young men who have excelled in the program, and their mentors.

Belonging to the 100 Black Men of Central Virginia is no cake walk. It’s the largest African-American mentoring program in the area for more than 200 middle and high school students. And the kids fall under some pretty tight scrutiny.

Men of Vision program mentors youth

Men of Vision program mentors youth

Ebony Vision of Fond du Lac has launched a monthly mentoring program, Men of Vision, to reach out to area youth.

The group meets from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the last Saturday of each month in the Midstates training room at Fond du Lac Public Library.

The theme this month: "They will be what they see," features a panel of professional African-American men who will be investing in the youth as they encourage and inspire them to "be all they can be," said Daisy Frazier, president of Ebony Vision. Panelists include Fond du Lac Police Officer Keywon Brown; William Green, diversity relations coordinator at Moraine Park Technical College; Jerome Dillard, Dane County Jail re-entry coordinator; Dr. Richard Paye, Kettle Moraine Correctional psychological associate; and Dr. Thurmond Lanier, podiatrist at Aurora Health Care.

The program is open to all boys age 12 and older, along with young men. A key focus is on encouraging young African-American males to attend.

"Mentoring is a proven strategy that can help young people from all circumstances achieve their potential and build self-esteem," Frazier said. "It challenges mentees to live lives of responsible action and make a meaningful impact in the world. Mentoring is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Every young person who would benefit from a mentoring relationship has individual needs."

So far, the program has drawn up to 10 youth who attend meetings and events with mentors, including a Milwaukee Bucks game and bowling.

The Hidden Genius Project

The Hidden Genius Project

The Hidden Genius Project was founded in 2012 by five black male entrepreneurs/technologists who were unnerved by the dramatic juxtaposition between the high unemployment of black male youth and the plethora of career opportunities within the local technology sector. To address this challenge, the founders established a program to connect underserved, young black males with the skills, mentors, and experiences that they need to become high-performing entrepreneurs and technologists in a 21st century, global economy.

CODE 2040

OUR MISSION

CODE2040 creates pathways to success for Blacks and Latino/as in the innovation economy.

CODE2040 is a nonprofit organization that creates programs that increase the representation of Blacks and Latino/as in the innovation economy. We believe the tech sector, communities of color, and the country as a whole will be stronger if talent from all backgrounds is included in the creation of the companies, programs, and products of tomorrow.

/dev/color

/dev/color

We wanted a place where we could learn from the best. We wanted a place where we could teach others the lessons we've learned. We couldn't find that place anywhere else, so we made it for ourselves.

/dev/color is a non-profit organization that provides Black engineers with the connections and skills needed to start and stay in the industry, and advance into leadership roles. Founded by some of the top software engineers in Silicon Valley, we’re a community for software engineers, by software engineers. We work with members throughout their careers, from college to industry, through mentorship, training and events.

Black engineers join forces to boost diversity

Black engineers join forces to boost diversity

About 1% of engineers at Facebook and Google are African American. The population of Palo Alto, Calif. is 2% African American, Menlo Park, Calif., is under 5%.

Over the summer Adeagbo founded /dev/color, a nonprofit group for African-American engineers that officially launched on Wednesday. The group brings together engineers from top companies such as Facebook, Uber and Airbnb to provide support and a voice to African Americans and give them the opportunity to raise up the next generation, Adeagbo says.

Adeagbo says he hit on the idea while volunteering as a mentor to a couple of computer science students.

"These students knew they had someone who had their backs, whom they could look up to and reach out to when they needed help. I thought to myself: Every black software engineer could accomplish a lot if they had someone like this," says Adeagbo. .

The name /dev/color is a reference to a common directory on computer systems "as well as our efforts to strengthen the community of Black software engineers, engineers of color," he says.

Adeagbo's /dev/color is joining Black Girls Code, Code 2040 and the Hidden Genius Project, a new and growing wave of enterprising organizations founded by African Americans aimed at addressing the scarcity of African Americans in the tech industry.

YEP Village seeks to mentor young African American boys

YEP Village seeks to mentor young African American boys

Melanie Washington opens the door to 225 Peabody Hall each afternoon, Monday through Thursday, welcomed by dozens of fourth- and fifth-grade boys who relish their time under the campus’ stately oaks and broad magnolias.

A licensed clinical social worker, Washington is the program director for Youth Empowerment Program, or YEP Village.

YEP Village is the product of a three-year grant from the Louisiana Office of Minority Health to the university’s Office of Social Services Research and Development, which is part of the LSU College of Human Sciences and Education.

Youth Empowerment Project

The mission of the Youth Empowerment Project is:

“YEP engages underserved young people through community-based education, mentoring and employment readiness programs to help them develop skills and strengthen ties to family and community."

Tufts Black Alumni Association launches second year of mentorship program

Tufts Black Alumni Association launches second year of mentorship program

Tufts Black Alumni Association (TBAA) held a launch event on the evening of Oct. 10 to mark the second year of the group’s mentorship program, which aims to prepare students for the professional world through connections with alumni.

The event took place in the Sophia Gordon Multipurpose Room and featured several speakers, including TBAA President Biodun “BK” Kajopaiye (A ’07) and alumnus Groom Dinkneh (A ’13), the director of the TBAA mentorship program and Young Alumni Affairs, according to TBAA alumni ambassador Jared Smith, a senior.

Dinkneh explained that the mentor program creates connections by matching up students with alumni.

“The program is an opportunity for alumni to connect with undergraduates who are interested or share some interests in academic or professional affairs,” he said.

SFMSDC Launches Partners in Business Progress Mentor Protégé Program with the University of Miami

SFMSDC Launches Partners in Business Progress Mentor Protégé Program with the University of Miami

The Southern Florida Minority Supplier Development Council (SFMSDC) launched its sixth cycle of the Partners in Business Progress Mentor Protégé Program on October 30th. The program matches emerging minority-owned companies with senior executives from the University of Miami (U of M) to assist them in gaining the tools and techniques to improve their operations, gain more customers and accelerate growth.

Nine protégés were selected through a competitive application process. Protégés completed an assessment to determine critical business needs and were matched with individuals that have the expertise to assist them in building capacity. Senior U of M executives including Tess Stebbins, Executive Director of Medical Education; Ronald Bogue, Assistant VP of Facilities and Operations; Susan Montes, Executive Director of Purchasing, Edwin Hernandez, Director of Supply Chain Management; Cassandra Wiggins, Director of Human Resources; Kenneth Capezzuto, Executive Director of Environment Health Services; Tracy Mote, Director of Facility and Operations and Sandra Redway, Executive Director of Auxiliary Services are serving as mentors in the year-long mentorship program. “The Mentor Protégé Program provides an outstanding opportunity to support the ongoing business development needs of minority-owned companies”, said Beatrice Louissaint, President & CEO of the SFMSDC. “This program will provide assistance in accelerating the growth of these companies and help establish key relationships for success and the University of Miami is happy to be a partner,” stated John Square, Manager, Inclusion Programs Workplace Equity and Performance.

The Partners in Business Progress Mentor Protégé Program kicked-off with a training session and introduction of mentors to their protégés on October 30th on the campus of the University of Miami.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. event helps high school students

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. event helps high school students

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. recently gave 43 high school students a taste of college life with their inaugural event “AVID with the Alphas.”

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the achievement gap by preparing all students for college and other postsecondary opportunities. High school students from the North Texas area were selected as part of the program to spend a day with members of the Alphas and gain insight into the benefits of attending a university.

During a three-tier process, students learned how to apply for college, heard first-hand accounts of how to make the transition from high school to college, and participated in the social aspect of college by attending a tailgate with the Alphas

Relius Johnson, a former participant in AVID as well as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and several other organizations on campus, helped put together the event in terms of funding and management.

“We just wanted to get more students aware of college, especially minorities,” Johnson said. “Blacks and Hispanics aren’t going to college. So, we all came together and thought of this program.”

See more at the following link: http://tamuceasttexan.com/1344/news/alpha-phi-alpha-fraternity-inc-event-helps-high-school-students/

The fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in America Are Black Women

The fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in America

A new report finds that the number of women-owned firms grew 1.5 times the national average, and black women blow that statistic away.

The number of businesses owned by African American women grew 322% since 1997, making black females the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S.

Overall, the number of women-owned businesses grew by 74% between 1997 and 2015—a rate that’s 1.5 times the national average, according to the recently published “2015 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report” commissioned by American Express Open. Women now own 30% of all businesses in the U.S., accounting for some 9.4 million firms. And African American women control 14% of these companies, or an estimated 1.3 million businesses. That figure is larger than the total number of firms owned by all minority women in 1997, the report found.

<More at the link provided>