The word “Mentor” has its roots in Greek mythology.

The word Mentor originated in the Odyssey by Homer who describes the character Mentor as a “wise and trusted friend”. When Odysseus leaves to fight the Trojan War he asks his good friend Mentor to guard the household. Mentor watches over the kingdom and becomes guardian and teacher to Odysseus’ son Telemachus. Presently, the family support system that so many of us took for granted as we stumbled into adulthood is not as readily available to our young people. Today, we don’t look at that support system as mentors. Concerned Black Men (CBM) is stepping up to the plate to fill that gap with a mentoring program geared toward our young African American boys with potential (usually referred to as at” risk youth”) through our local Capital City Cares® Mentoring Initiative and our CBM Cares® National Mentoring Initiative. By focusing on, referring to and engaging in the positive, their potential, CBM is positioning the Organization to be a major advocate for our young boys to guide them into making wise choices for themselves. All the studies report the same findings; young people with a positive caring adult (mentor) in their life are less likely to participate in risky behavior. There are 5,040 hours in a year. Committing merely 96 of those hours over the course of a year, that’s .019 percent of your time you can dedicate to helping a young boy who needs someone to believe in him and help him believe in himself. We must ask ourselves… Is this asking too much? What’s the alternative?You don’t need initials in front or behind your name, a six figure income, a luxury car or a mansion, but we’ll consider you if you do. All you need is caring heart, the willingness to have fun and make a positive difference in a young boy’s life. But be prepared because it will make a difference in your life as well!
Want to become a Mentor? Contact the Concerned Black Men National Office toll free at 1-888-395-7816 or e-mail us at info@cbmnational.org.
Concerned Black Men…Caring for Our Youth Since 1975