PORTLAND - Black Male Achievement’s (BMA) Summer Youth Experience participants are hosting an event calling for action on the lack of culturally-specific mentorship for young Black men and boys. The event will take place on Saturday, August 12, 2017, at Unthank Park (510 N Shaver St., Portland, OR 97227), from 11:00 a.m to 1:30 p.m. The official program will begin at 11:30 a.m.

Mentoring in the Black community has been rooted in cultural and organic relational values. “No Role Models” will focus on building awareness and informing the greater community on the importance of mentorship. The event features local chapter mentoring booths, catering, speakers, and testimonials from the BMA Summer Youth Experience participants. 

The young summer program participants have been visiting local companies and learning from prominent business partners about how their lives have been positively changed by mentoring.

BMA’s Summer Youth Experience provides a culturally-specific emotional and social intelligence curriculum to provide a supportive base for young Black male participants. Secondly, the program sets out to support young Black men in summer jobs through professional mentoring, on-the-job problem-solving, access to BMA professional networks, strengths-based relationship building, supportive leadership opportunities, and more.

BMA Portland is a collective of over 20 regional organizations represented by Black men that acts as convener, facilitator, policy guide, and collective voice to exert influence and push for change for the betterment of Black men and boys.

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