Male Mentoring Program Prepares Young Men For Careers And Higher Education
I Am A Gentleman Founder and Executive Director Jermaine L. Anderson, with a student from I Am A Gentleman. PHOTO PROVIDED BY I AM A GENTLEMAN.
Jermaine L. Anderson founded I Am A Gentleman in March 2016. Anderson spent a number of years as a public speaker, making appearances at elementary schools, high schools and even some college graduations. He noticed that while there were young African American men who made it to these milestones, they didn’t have the tools and resources to make it beyond that milestone.
Anderson felt that he wanted to fill in the gap. He created Project Gentleman, which was designed to celebrate the accomplishments of young African American men who were high school seniors about to graduate. The eight-hour event featured speakers, workshops and seminars focused on higher education and career opportunities. There were also financial institutions on site to open bank accounts, as well as colleges and universities, and a grooming experience. At the end of the event, the young men could shop for business attire for graduation day and job interviews.
“At I Am A Gentleman, our young men meet on Saturday mornings, and we like to say they get up, they dress up and they show up,” Anderson said, a nod to the young men’s uniform of white shirts, pink ties and grey sweaters.
Anderson said I Am A Gentleman has crafted and curated a program that has a high level of youth engagement. The young men in the program are involved in every aspect of the organization. Because of that, they feel like they’re part of an organization where they have a real voice to create change among their peers and in their community.
I Am A Gentleman is preparing for the 14-week Male Mentoring Academy. It is the male mentoring and leadership arm of the organization. It gets the young men plugged into the opportunities the organization has to offer. In the course of the 14 weeks, the participants are exposed to 12 life skills which include respecting women, overcoming obstacles, how to become a better student and interviewing skills. Also during the program, the young men participate in at least two community service projects that they design and execute. The community service projects teach them to give back to the community. They also have cultural outings, which expose them to arts and entertainment, as well as a series of recreation days.
Since I Am A Gentleman was founded, Project Gentleman has grown to serve more than 1,000 young men. Project Gentleman Image and Grooming Studio was launched in November 2023 to fulfill the need of those looking for business attire. The organization recently acquired a location at 540 W. 35th St., where the image and grooming studio is located. It enables the organization to service the young men year-round.
I Am A Gentleman’s Season 15 kicks off Feb. 10th and Season 16 will kick off in the Fall. There also is a 12-week summer program which kicks off at the end of June. The year ends with a Christmas Eve giveaway, with the organization serving dinner to more than 250 families and providing them with coats, toys and educational resources.
Anderson said it is extremely important to have the support of the community. He referred to the adage “it takes a village to raise a child.”
“We understand that the village is not just one organization, but the village is built up of community members, it’s built up of city officials, it’s built up of educators, it’s built up of those who are in the religious sector and churches, it’s built up of parents, the village is also business owners. When we talk about community support, it is important that we each play our part so that the village, or the community, is not only healthy but it is also whole. Everyone has to play their part,” he said.
For more information about I Am A Gentleman, visit iamagentleman.org.
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