100 Black Men broadens effort to help area kids

The members challenge themselves to make a difference in a child’s life.

By HAROLD GWIN

VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — The 100 Black Men of Greater Youngstown-Warren have “adopted” one school, but plan to add a second next year and two more in 2009 as it works to make a difference in the community.

The group’s members are providing mentoring, education services and more to the young men at the Alpha School of Excellence for Boys in the Youngstown city school system, but plan to expand their offerings to both young men and women across racial barriers in both Youngstown and Warren.

Its mission is to improve the quality of life of its communities and enhance education and economic opportunities.

“It’s our way of giving something back,” said Shareef Ali, president and CEO and the driving force behind the creation of the local chapter of the 100 Black Men of America Inc.

The plan is to add a Warren school to the program next year and then one more from both Warren and Youngstown in 2009.

It’s important for the community to be able to identify with the group’s membership and to know what they’re all about, Ali said.

The local chapter has 32 charter members and is looking to expand with caring, motivated and responsible men until they have 100 members from Youngstown and 100 from Warren, he said.

It’s the first chapter to cover two cities in two counties, he said.

Women can participate in the organization’s committee work but don’t become official 100 Black Men members.

Working with Alpha

The chapter, which just received its national charter in December, “adopted” Alpha in January. Alpha serves boys from seventh through nine grade and the chapter intends to continue mentoring them through their high school and, hopefully, college careers.

Many children today don’t have a father figure in their home and regular visits to the school by members of 100 Black Men show the boys grown men who look like them and who go to work, lead productive lives and care about others.

But the mentors aren’t trying to be anyone’s father, nor are they posing as role models, Ali explained.

“I don’t want to be a role model, but I will be a living example for them to follow,” he said.

The idea is not to be like a mentor, but to see that mentor as an example and become even more than that person, said Jonathan C. Evans, chief technology officer for the group.

Mark C. Callion of Warren, a law student at the University of Akron, perhaps best summed up why people are willing to give their time and effort to the organization.

He said he had a lot of support from his family in all his endeavors as he grew up. His parents were positive motivators, he said, explaining, “I just want to share that with others. It’s about sharing my positive experience with others.”

Evans said more schools will be added as membership grows. Members go through mentoring training and the ideal situation will be to have eight members actively involved in each school, he said.

“We’re challenging ourselves to make a change in the hearts and minds of these children,” he said.

Mentoring, offering advice and friendship, isn’t the only thing members do.

Some also provide educational services. Evans, for example, conducts a computer class at the school every Tuesday and Thursday and other members are regular visitors as well.

The organization also sponsored what it called “Table Talk with the 100” in April at the Salvation Army on Glenwood Avenue, drawing about 30 young people and their parents to talk about things like public service, business and industry, entrepreneurship, education, religious and community service, technology and more. The plan is to expand that program, Ali said.

The group has also sponsored and manned tables at “300 Sisters in Red” at Youngstown State University, sponsored a basketball tournament at South Field House and provided FAMILY Empowerment plaques for Bunn, Taft, West, Harding, Kirkmere and Haddow elementary schools in Youngstown.

One of the major goals for next year is a fund-raising banquet for college scholarships. “We want to fund students for four years,” Ali said.