While A²MEND has made an impact on hundreds of lives of African American male college students across California, thousands of Black men in community colleges have not been able to benefit from a mentor simply because of our organization’s limited service capacity.

To address this concern, A²MEND has partnered with MentorAndMatch.com to provide the technology infrastructure for the organization to scale its mentorship program. With this technology infrastructure, A²MEND has expanded its mentorship program and has set a goal to provide a mentor to every African American man enrolled in a California community college. Students will be matched with a mentor in our system based on similar educational and career interests. In addition, A²MEND will provide both mentor and mentee training that ensures that they receive maximum benefits for being a part of this game changing initiative.

Aligned with the California Community College Chancellor’s Office “Vision for Success” as well as the subsequent “Call to Action” in response to institutional racism that was prominently brought into focus by the killing of George Floyd, the A²MEND Statewide African American Men Mentorship Initiative was created with the following outcomes in mind:

• Improve educational outcomes (e.g., educational persistence, graduation or transfer rates) to close and eliminate opportunity gaps.
• Create a greater sense of campus connection and belonging.
• Develop a better understanding of career and academic options.
• Increase knowledge on how to navigate their academic journey.
• Provide additional academic and social support.

If you are interested in encouraging the success of African American male college students, please consider becoming a mentor by visiting here.

A²MEND presented $50,000 in scholarships to student mentees during the organization’s annual summit held earlier this year. The scholarship funds are annually donated to deserving students who are currently mentored through the organization.

A²MEND scholarships provide mentees with financial support for tuition, books and living expenses. Scholarships are awarded to students with special qualifications, such as academic achievement, artistic abilities, demonstrated leadership and/or athletic talents. Scholarships also are awarded to students who are in a particular field of study, are members of underrepresented groups or demonstrate a financial need. The students will use the funds to pursue their studies in community colleges or further their education at four-year universities.

Since launching the scholarship program a decade ago, A²MEND has awarded more than $500k in scholarships to African American students.

In early June, A²MEND was featured on Roland Martin Unfiltered, a daily digital show broadcasted from Washington, D.C. that focuses on issues important to the African American community. Conducted by award-winning journalist Roland Martin, the show interviewed A²MEND Co-Founder Ed Bush about the organization’s efforts to mentor Black men to help them succeed in California’s community college system.

Roland Martin concluded the A²MEND interview by allowing a group of panelists to ask extemporaneous questions about the mentoring organization. The A²MEND interview was aired during a segment of the show’s weekly Education Matters segment.

To view or share the A²MEND interview, please click here – interview starts at 1:58:30.

Over the past decade, A²MEND’s executive board members have accompanied student mentees to various African countries as part of its Africa Study Abroad Program. A²MEND’s leadership has seen first-hand how traveling to African countries have helped give students a greater sense of identity, a vital quality that is inextricably connected to their self-efficacy and wellbeing.

With this impact in mind, A²MEND’s leadership returned to Africa in December 2021 to purchase a parcel of land in Ghana. As part of this land acquisition effort, the organization will plan for the future construction of the A²MEND Racial Trauma and Wellness Retreat Center to provide a healing space where African American students and educators can be themselves and affirm who they are in a safe environment.

To transform this vision into a reality, A²MEND is seeking your support. Please join the organization in this endeavor by adding your name and contact information to the upcoming Capital Campaign for A²MEND’s Racial Trauma and Wellness Retreat Center by visiting here. A²MEND will remain in touch about how you and your network can help the organization materialize this dream on behalf of the futures of young Black men.