Do you have male adolescent children or siblings who you feel are in need of strong mentorship? Want them apart of an amazing organization, that would expose them to wonderful and positive role models? Well we have a point of contact for you, from the amazing organization 100 Black Men of Greater Washington, DC!
All the way from Cheraw, SC, Anthony Pegues is an Arlington County Employment Services Supervisor, of the Department of Human Services, and is apart of an amazing organization, 100 Black Men of Greater Washington, DC! With his daily motivation being creating a legacy, striving to break stereotypes, and putting on the Black race, it’s no wonder why he is a part of such a phenomenal organization.
With the number 100 standing for a solid, holistic approach and foundation, 100 Black Men of America, Inc., has made an impact by guiding young men that were slated to be a statistic, into colleges and professions that they thought were out of their reach. 100 Black Men of America, Inc. was founded in New York City in 1963, by a group of like-minded business, political and community leaders who advocated for improvement in conditions adversely effecting African-American youth. With their headquarters being in Atlanta, GA, Anthony’s Chapter office is located in Washington, DC!
100 Black Men of Greater Washington, DC is devoted to improving the quality of life for African-Americans–particularly young males–in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area through programs focusing on Health and Wellness, Economic Empowerment, Education and Mentoring, and Collegiate 100. Anthony serves as the Secretary of the Chapter and he also serves on the Membership and Mentoring Committees.
“My organization helps young men and women realize and reach their potential. We offer them resources that may otherwise not be privy too. We are breaking the molds of what society has placed on our young black men and letting them know that there is more to life than what they on social media or in the confines of their neighborhoods. And it’s not a bad thing to be intelligent and to be respectful, and you do not have to be a lawyer or a doctor to be successful and make an impact in this world.”
Many people have the misconception that the organization is selective in who they serve, but the organization welcomes any young man in 8th-12th grade, who is need of a mentor! 100 Black Men of Greater Washington, DC has partnerships with schools in Wards 7 & 8 in Southeast D.C, with those schools being chosen due to their student body population needing their presence and services.
100 Black Men of Greater Washington, DC has been involved in the kick start of their 2017-2018 Saturday Leadership Academy. For this event, the Chapter meets every other Saturday with their mentees and mentors them, with the focus being on public speaking, school, social issues, guest speakers, and field trips! Make sure you keep up with 100 Black Men of Greater Washington DC because they will have their gala in April 2018, and everyone is invited!
If you’re looking to start your own organization, Anthony has the following advice,
My tip would be, be prepared to do things on your own and with little support from others. People give beautiful lip service but when the rubber meets the road, they are nowhere to be found. And even if your organization is geared towards serving a specific demographic/population, it is imperative to diversify your donor base because sometimes our own people don’t support our causes.
Make sure you keep up with 100 Black Men of Greater Washington, DC by following their social media:
100BlackMenDC: www | facebook | twitter | instagram