One well-known actor and rapper is giving back to the community.
Actor and rapper Joey Bada$$, who was once known as Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott, is providing free mentorships for men of color, according to The Grio.
“I’m excited to announce that I’ve been silently working on a free mentorship program for men of color in the US (and) Puerto Rico called @impactentorship,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “I recruited an impressive network of incredible mentors in the areas of art, culinary, fashion, film/TV, media, music and sports.”
How did this all come about? The rapper was inspired by his participation in his friend Sophia Chang’s mentorship program, which is Unlock Her Potential. Her program supports women of color, and looking at this, he decided to work as the founder and mentor in the ImactMentorship initiative.
“When I saw the impact we had on (the Unlock Her Potential) mentees, I knew I wanted to create something similar for men of color who could benefit from the knowledge and experience of industry experts,” he said in a statement on Afrotech. “When I lectured at Harvard and NYU years ago, I was moved by the curiosity and enthusiasm I saw in the students. ImpactMentorship is proud to offer one-one-one guidance to anyone who qualifies, regardless of education level.”
According to a study by the Brookings Institution, it revealed that “Black men have the highest unemployment rates of any race/gender group, and the lowest labor force participation and employment rates among men.”
ImpactMentorship hopes to bridge this gap by providing career guidance and instilling the confidence needed to excel in any industry with the mentorship of industry pioneers fashion designer Tremaine Emory and NBA star Jaylen Brown.
After the ethos of Unlock Her Potential, “Imagine what 12 hours could do,” accepted mentees will receive one-hour, one-on-one sessions with these mentors every single month for a year.
“Due to the high profile of our mentors, we anticipate significant demand for the program,” Joey Bada$$ said on Instagram. “To increase your chances of matching with your chosen mentor, we strongly encourage all applicants to carefully research the program and mentors, prepare your application in advance, and submit early.”
Applications have already opened, according to the program’s website.
