Baltimore Homecoming Hero, Alphonso Mayo, leads Mentoring Mentors, an evidenced-based pipeline program of Black mentors paired mentees to develop positive relationships. Through this program, Baltimore City children will find effective ways to cope with their trauma, and African American males are provided with a sustainable opportunity to give back to young men of color.

Bobby is the founder of Son of a Dream LLC, an organization that uses youth development consulting and multimedia to empower youth and families. Through its multimedia arm, Son of a Dream LLC publishes pieces that examine social justice issues while promoting social, emotional learning and positive imagery.

Denzell Walker brings a wealth of knowledge about service to Baltimore City’s youth as the Program Manager for Project Pneuma. Missioned to breathe new life holistically into the young men by challenging them intellectually, strengthening them physically, nurturing them emotionally and uplifting them spiritually, Denzell and his team work to develop strong young men. He also works with the Middle Grades Partnership (MGP), aimed to reverse summer learning loss and prepare students to excel at strong high school institutions. He also served as a full time intern at BMe Community, the largest network of black male entrepreneurs.

The Founder/CEO of Ananizach, a mentoring consulting firm, Jeannette uses her 25+ years of mentoring expertise to provide technical assistance and training to emerging and established mentoring programs. She develops and facilitates trainings for the Maryland Mentoring Resource Center and is an approved Technical Assistance provider with the National Mentoring Resource Center. She is a consultant on research projects the support increasing the effectiveness of mentoring relationships with Michelle Kaufman, PhD Assistant Professor, JHSPH Department of Health, Behavior & Society.

Matt is the founder of Black Fathers, a 50,000+ member strong Facebook network that is missioned to create a network through which Black Fathers will work together to change the face of fatherhood. For 10 years this group has been a virtual resource for black fathers- as well as yet-to-be fathers- young and old. Matthews sees Black Fathers as becoming a major national entity that financially supports and provides other resources for fathers and families of color.

For over 25 years, Locy has been using his organization, Njia Ya Tayari (Swahili for “Way of the Ready”) to build black youth spiritually, mentally and physically. Progressive martial arts training and instruction through Afrikan consciousness are key methods utilized to culturally empower and support the forming of self- identities of its youth participants. Njia Ya Tayari is a program under the umbrella of W.O.M.A.N Inc.

A lifelong resident of the Sandtown-Winchester community, Paige is a graduate of Morgan State University and an accountant by trade. An avid supporter of returning citizens, she intends to create an organization that will assist young men, newly released from prison, with careers in accounting. Men of Valor, seeks to develop entrepreneurs focused on tax preparation and accounting.

Ras Tres Subria is the Founder/Director of Afrikan Youth Alchemy Inc. (AYA) where he leads the Griot’s Eye and I AM programs cultural education, media arts, and expeditionary learning programs that foster leadership as civic engagement. Most recently funded by the Baltimore Youth Fund, these programs will continue to introduce Baltimore’s city’s youth to media arts advocacy and develop cultural ambassadors.

Sabrina is the visionary leader for Brothers Who Can Cook, a healthy social justice event addressing health disparities through food and culture. A special project around a continuum of healthier culinary initiatives, Brothers Who Can Cook promotes a healthy dietary agenda and moves it forward through didactic community programs and chef-instructed cooking workshops. The program culminates with an annual culinary tasting event to address the health disparities of diabetes, addiction, obesity, and other systemic ills facing Boys and Men of Color.

A resident of the Penn-North Community, William Boston saw working out as a way to help him rebuild his life. Feeling that being fit and health conscious could better his community, he began to solicit equipment and offer healthy eating habits. From this, Will B Better Bodies was created. The organization is missioned to “provide safe and friendly physical fitness training for teens, young adults and the broader community, in neighborhoods where access to a fitness center is not readily available or affordable.”