Mayor Michelle Wu, launched the R.E.A.C.H. 1000 Mentoring Program in Boston earlier today. The program is the result of a collaboration between the Mayor’s Office of Black Male Advancement, the Boston Public Schools (BPS) Division of Student Support, and My Brother’s Keeper Boston. By providing resources, cultivating skills, and creating genuine interactions, Mayor Wu seeks to use mentorship as a tool for transforming the lives of young individuals across the city.
The City of Boston reports that the R.E.A.C.H. 1000 program (Relationships Empower and Affirm Community Healing) intends to support Black boys in the BPS system. It aims to grant them enhanced access to opportunities, resources, and mentors that spur personal and intellectual growth. The ambition behind the program is to recruit 1,000 adult mentors over two years, offering a comprehensive approach to youth development.
Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper endorsed the timely initiation of the R.E.A.C.H. 1000 Mentoring program, expressing the valuable role mentors have in directing young people toward positive choices and enriching their academic accomplishments. The Office of Black Male Advancement Executive Director Frank Farrow shares this sentiment and reflects, "Mentors in Boston have done more than just facilitate academics and careers; they've boosted self-confidence, altered futures, and instilled purpose in countless young individuals."
Alongside offering mentorship, the R.E.A.C.H. 1000 initiative also introduces a variety of subsidiary programs developed to strengthen the mentees' skills and knowledge. The included schools and mentees can access Black studies through dual enrollment, financial literacy courses, reading and digital literacy programs, college and career pathways, along with the Generational Talent Small Grant. As mentioned on the City of Boston website, the Opportunity Lab will provide technical support tailored to BPS Black seniors to ensure a smooth transition into their post-secondary plans.
