Four For The Future identifies the four program areas that are critical to achieving the commitment of the 100 Black Men of Syracuse to developing leaders and ensuring the future of African-American youth:
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Mentoring
Our primary mission is the mentoring of young African-American males. Mentoring is the cornerstone of what we bring to the community. Through mentoring, children are encouraged to be healthy, educated, contributing members of our society. The members of the 100 black men of Syracuse, Inc. give generously of their time, inspiring and motivating by example.
We guide youth in life experiences, foster a positive self-perception and self-respect, encourage excellence in education, and the pursuit of positive life-long goals.
We hold regular meetings with young men at Syracuse's Fowler High School and provide them with opportunities to dialogue with our members and exposure to new experiences. Some of the activities we offer include trips to see feature films that inspire, such as the "Great Debaters" film, and we facilitate formal debate discussions on current and local events and a review of African-American literature. We also provided financial support for some of these students to participate on a tour of Historically Black Colleges.
We have a presence in Percy Hughes Magnet School. During the school year, some of our members volunteer to read books in classrooms during the school's "Book-Men Day." Once a month, four students at the school are chosen to attend lunch at a formal restaurant with two of our members as a reward for positive achievements in school. We also participate in the school's end-of-the-year "Family Day Picnic."
Our plan. include working at a local middle school with. seventh and eighth-grade male students. The goal is to meet with them on a regular basis and lead them through a range of character building activities.
In addition to the programs in the schools, we also provide mentors to a local agency that targets youth between the ages of 12 and 18 with an incarcerated parent.
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Education
Education is the key to opportunity. Though we live in a society that espouses equal opportunity, equality is a forlorn dream without an adequate education. In the years since Brown v. Board of Education, African-Americans have made substantial progress in education. Today, although the college participation rate for blacks is increasing, the proportionate number of African-American males in higher education is decreasing.
The 100 Black Men of Syracuse provides college scholarships to youth in our programs and our members take an active role in primary and secondary education in their communities. The 100 Black Men of Syracuse is committed to the development of programs and initiatives that improve the performance of African-American students and thereby enhance the quality of education for all students.
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Health and Wellness
Health and Wellness is a vital component of a thriving community. Regrettably, good health requires work and effort. The 100 Black Men target conditions that disproportionately affect African-American males by partnering with other non-profit organizations and health care specialists and institutions to promote preventative health strategies, deliver screenings, and provide education on prevalent African-American diseases and conditions. We also seek to alter lifestyle and socio-economic factors that aggravate medical conditions or impair treatment.
Our Health and Wellness program, together with participation in health fairs and other educational efforts, disseminate positive messages to enhance the prevention, early detection and treatment of disease. We also design health and wellness programs that raise the consciousness of Central New York's African-American communities on health issues; implementation of health education workshops and screening, and violence prevention.
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Economic Empowerment
There can be no self-sufficiency without empowerment. The 100 Black Men of Syracuse economic empowerment program fosters financial responsibility, and encourages career training. We also encourage entrepreneurship by providing information and education about owning and operating businesses and aim to develop programs that address the economic underdevelopment of the African-American community. The challenge is daunting but we are prepared to confront it.
