100 Black Men Las Vegas Kicks Off 2023 Programs for Mentoring Black Youth

After another action-packed year helping youth address and recover from the pandemic in 2022, 100 Black Men Las Vegas is looking to the return of several core programs focused on mentoring Black youth, delivering the skillsets and guidance needed to cultivate the leaders of tomorrow.

An organization focused on improving the education, health and character of its student participants, 100 Black Men Las Vegas had shifted gears to address the immediate needs of the Black community amid continuing pandemic challenges. One of last year’s final initiatives was the distribution of 3,000 fully cooked Thanksgiving meals to support community members who don’t have the ability to store or prepare food.  “Sands was one of the biggest sponsors of this effort, helping us make the holidays brighter for people in need,” said Gentry Richardson, president and chief executive officer of 100 Black Men Las Vegas.

In 2023, 100 Black Men Las Vegas will return to delivering several core programs aimed at mentoring Black youth that had been put on hold or held virtually due to the pandemic. Kicking off 2023 efforts in conjunction with Black History Month in February, the nonprofit hosted Leadership the 100 Way on Feb. 25 at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The educational conference for high school juniors, seniors and college students taught leadership skillsets through an array of lectures and workshops, as well as provided tools such as personality tests to help attendees learn how to lead and work with diverse groups.

February also marked the return of 100 Black Men’s Youth Economic Empowerment Club, one of the organization’s key programs for mentoring Black youth. Running throughout the month, the program teaches teens financial literacy, family wealth building and entrepreneurship. When participants successfully complete the curriculum, they receive $200 in a bank account to begin financial planning.

“Understanding the basics of financial literacy and how to increase wealth is the first step to achieving economic empowerment, a necessary step toward creating a just society, not only here in Las Vegas, but for Black people around the world,” Richardson said.

Looking ahead to the spring, 100 Black Men’s signature youth mentorship program, Crossroads, also will return. This four-month program pairs sixth to 10^th-grade youth with an adult mentor to help them develop a variety of skillsets, from communicating effectively and standing up for their rights to interacting with law enforcement and understanding ways to increase self-esteem. 100 Black Men also offers a Crossroads program that focuses on older students to help them prepare college applications and career paths.

“Crossroads has been one of the major areas supported by Sands Cares and goes to the core of our mission, which is to empower and develop the next generation of Black leaders in business, culture and community advocacy,” Richardson said. “We have greatly appreciated Sands’ involvement in Crossroads, which helped us keep it available during the height of the pandemic, as well as ensure its long-term sustainability.”

The Sands Cares engagement with 100 Black Men Las Vegas supports the organization’s mentorship programs with the goal of providing developmental opportunities to help Black youth overcome barriers and reach their highest potential, in line with the company’s commitment to helping build the workforce of the future

To learn more about 100 Black Men Las Vegas, please visit https://100blackmenlasvegas.org/.