Wisconsin consistently has one of the largest academic reading gaps between Black and white students in the nation. Mentoring students is one of many ways to get young people interested in school and reading.
Here's a list of some mentoring programs available for youth of color in the Milwaukee area. Most are free or low cost:
BLACK AND LATINO MALE ACHIEVEMENT
This Milwaukee Public School's program connects students with Black male leaders. The youths attend field trips with mentors, helping to foster positive relationships. Mentors also moderate group discussions. The group meets the first Thursday of every month at an assigned school.
Website: mps.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/News/BLACK--LATINO-MALE-MENTORSHIP.htm
Phone: Earl Arms, media relations manager, (414) 688-9664, or Shahree Douglas, director communications and outreach, (414) 940-2702
Email: armsev@milwaukee.k12.wi.us; douglas@milwaukee.k12.wi.us
HEAL THE HOOD MILWAUKEE
This program teaches young people stage presence, literary terms, character building and leadership through repetition and application using spoken word. The workshop is interactive and rooted in boosting confidence in reading, writing and public speaking.
Website: https://healthehoodmke.org/
Phone: Ajamou Butler, founder of Heal The Hood Milwaukee
Email: Ajamou Butler, founder of Heal The Hood Milwaukee, ajamou@healthehoodmke.org
100 BLACK MEN OF GREATER MILWAUKEE, INC.
This program provides mentoring for young people through partnerships with schools and through community events. It addresses topics including health and wellness, financial literacy and social responsibility.
Address: 4300 W. Lincoln Ave., #340616, Milwaukee, WI 53234
Email: milwaukee100@gmail.com
Website: www.milwaukee100.org/
I WILL NOT DIE YOUNG CAMPAIGN
This program uses workshops/seminars, writing classes, performances and spoken word to get young Black boys to talk about their traumas.
Website: http://www.iwillnotdieyoungcampaign.com/
Phone: Muhibb Dyer, (414) 793-6346
Email: dmalik@iwillnotdieyoungcampaign.com
MENTOR GREATER MILWAUKEE
This program runs a database connecting volunteers with mentoring programs and provides a place for these programs to recruit much-needed mentors.
Website: https://www.milwaukeementor.com/
Address: 1543 N. 2nd St., 6th Floor Milwaukee, WI 53212
Phone: (414) 908-1081
Email: LaNelle Ramey, executive director, lramey@milwaukeementor.com
MILWAUKEE SUCCEEDS
Third-grade reading and eighth-grade math are two key milestones for measuring school success. Literacy is critical to a child’s academic success because it is the foundation for all future learning. Until third grade, students learn to read; after that, students read to learn. Third-grade reading is also a crucial milestone because third graders who do not read proficiently are four times more likely to not complete high school than their peers who are proficient readers. This is a particularly pressing issue in Milwaukee, as 19% of third graders read at a proficient level. The organization is working with more than 80 network partners to ensure that each child succeeds. Volunteers can participate in Kindergarten Readiness, School Success, College and Career Readiness, and/or Social and Emotional Learning.
Website: https://milwaukeesucceeds.org/
Phone: (414) 336-7035
Address: 101 W. Pleasant St., Suite 210
Email: info@milwaukeesucceeds.org To learn more about joining one of Milwaukee Succeeds' Networks
MKE FELLOWS
The MKE Fellows initiative was created in 2012 to encourage young students from Milwaukee to pursue and complete their college education and to serve as a vehicle to attract African American college graduates to return to the Greater Milwaukee area.
Website: https://www.mkefellows.com/
Phone: (414) 386-5432
Address: 1527 N. Astor Street, Suite A, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Email: fellows@alivemke.com
OPERATION DREAM WEBSITE
This program works with young people of color ages 4 to 19 , providing mentorship, life skills, health, fitness and nutrition education, social activities and cultural awareness programming.
Website: www.operation-dream.org/
Address: 1555 N. Rivercenter Drive, Suite 114, Milwaukee, WI
Phone: (414) 226-5305
RUNNING REBELS BE THE CHANGE
This Black male leadership program connects youths with male mentors. The youths attend field trips with mentors, helping to foster positive relationships. Mentors also moderate group discussions and trips.
RUNNING REBELS JUVENILE JUSTICE PROGRAM
The program assists high-risk youths involved in the juvenile court system who have been assigned court-ordered mentoring. The program provides mentorship services and activities that assist the youths through their probation and beyond.
Website: runningrebels.org/programs
Phone: (414) 264-8222
Email: info@runningrebels.org
WE GOT THIS GARDEN
This is a community garden providing mentorship and gardening skills to Black boys ages 12-17 on the corner of North 9th and West Ring streets. This is a summer program that runs from mid-May through August. Young people are paired with male mentors to discuss different topics weekly. The program teaches neighborhood responsibility through weekly clean up efforts and the youths receive a $20 stipend each week.
Website: wegotthismke.com/
Phone: Andre Lee Ellis, (414) 779-2476