Boys to Men provides a crucial opportunity for teen boys to forge deep connections between and among one another and with the Program Director, who is an invaluable male role model.
The culture of Boys to Men reflects the program’s focus on peer mentorship, taking responsibility for one’s decisions, and self-acceptance, and acknowledges the tremendous resiliency that young men of color need to develop as they move through our society. It seeks to equip youth with the resources, knowledge, and experience to make life-affirming decisions—particularly in areas that most impact the lives of young people, such as relationships, education, health, and career options. To address the critical challenges that young men face, the program utilizes youth development strategies that foster self-efficacy and community consciousness. The intent is CLEAR-Community, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Art/Academics, and Respect. Members of Boys to Men lead a weekly all-ages basketball club called Development League (D-League), which includes young women from That Goddess Power and youth from the community, and participate in the Young People’s Race Power and Technology Project (YRP-Tech), a youth documentary filmmaking program, in partnership with Northwestern University. The young men engage in volunteer work in the community including visits to the Salvation Army Evanston Food Pantry and park clean ups at Loyola Park.
