Here is Why More College Students of Color Should Become Mentors
An American tragedy is that one in three young people in the United States will reach their 18th Birthday without ever having a mentor. An even sadder tragedy is that there are people of color enrolled in colleges across the United States who have the power to change this harrowing statistic but do not.
Growing up in Philadelphia, I often heard the heartbreaking news that another young person was a victim of gun violence or the perpetrator of a violent crime. One of my first experiences as a mentor was when I studied at the Millersville University of Pennsylvania. During my sophomore year, I became a mentor to incoming first-year students. I did this simply because I knew the positive impact a mentor could have on a person’s life who was entering college.
I was lucky.
Growing up, my mother and I searched ardently for a mentor for my younger brother and me. I’ve had my fair share of screening mentors while working in the non-profit industry and as a program director.
A common factor I found in those interested in becoming a mentor and those who were inconsistent in their mentoring activities was each person’s childhood experiences. I found through careful analysis that each of my mentors who had a mentoring relationship with a trusted adult while growing up was most likely to be a dedicated mentor while a part of our program. Those college students who did not have a mentor didn’t quite grasp the importance of being consistent with their mentoring sessions and showing up to meet with their mentees.
One in three young people in America will grow up without a mentor.
Earlier this week, I received a text from a Morehouse College friend. As we texted about the God-awful week of finals, we discussed our future aspirations as political figures in government. We discussed law schools, and he asked if I recommended Temple Law.
I responded that I did. I explained that Temple is at the epicenter of many of our nation’s primary social justice issues. Urban planning, gentrification, public safety, and socioeconomic inequality are commonplace in Lower North Philadelphia. Even more apparent in our community and city are issues dealing with juvenile justice and low-resourced community schools.
The school-to-prison pipeline is accurate. In addition, so are children growing up without mentorship. Adults should know that our nation’s teachers experience problems ranging from low pay, administrative pressure, and straight-out ill-preparedness for the career of teaching.
Many of our nation’s teachers are white women, while many students in our slums are black and brown. More disturbing is that our students face an opportunity gap as wide as the distance between the United States Atlantic shores and West Africa.
Sadly, teenagers are killing other teenagers in our city. While this is a known fact, it still happens frequently with what seems to be little intervention.
Sadly, teenagers are killing other teenagers in our city. While this is a known fact, it still happens frequently with what seems to be little intervention.
So, what are we to do?
Part of our solution is giving our students group mentoring sessions twice a month. The conversations are usually referred to as Man-Up and SALT Conversations. During these discussions, we talk with our teen boys, girls, and non-binary students about respect, optimistic and edifying relationships, conflict resolution, and professionalism. We want our youth to know that young adults in their community care for them.
Care goes a long way, and in return, you get respect. When I heard about the sixteen-year-old who gunned down two of his high school-aged contemporaries in South Philly, I was appalled.
I felt like there were adults who failed that sixteen-year-old. That’s why conversations like the ones we hold on a bi-weekly basis with our students are crucial. We must teach them and reinforce the importance of conflict resolution.
In addition, many black and brown students are not performing at their full academic potential. Achievement and climate statistics show that our students are drowning in school environments destined for them to fail. Even worse is that some college students in neighboring schools don’t find it necessary to get involved in being a part of the solution. Mentoring in our community is crucial. The future of our community lies in the positivity that we, as positive young adults, have with our children. They are those same relationships that cultivate each mentee’s sense of self-esteem, importance, and worth. When they see you doing it, they believe they can, too.
Activism goes beyond the leading of marches, paid governmental positions, and social media coverage. Activism is being active in social change and supporting and advocating for someone who is just learning to advocate for themselves.
If there is one thing that I’ve learned, it is that caring for someone else is natural to a human being. It doesn’t take a genius or college degree to make a difference. College students of color have reached a level of success that many of their peers in the hood can only dream of.
Mentorship saves lives, cultivates greatness, and can steer a young person on the road to greatness.
More mentors are needed in our city, especially college students of color. As a fellow college student of color, I challenge you to invest in obtaining clearances and dedicate an hour or two a week for a school year. Don’t worry about getting paid, and understand that mentorship has a powerful impact. By pledging to become a mentor, you can inspire young people to go to college, help strengthen the relationship they have with their parents, and or steer them on a path away from crime and drugs. I know that mentorship makes a difference in children’s lives because it sure did save mine.
