Mentoring the Future: 100 Black Men of North Metro Atlanta’s Hope for a Better Tomorrow

“There’s a saying that it takes a village. It takes all of us supporting each other and working with the youth because these are the kids who will be taking care of our future.”

This community mentality is the foundation of the 100 Black Men of North Metro Atlanta, an organization that offers mentorship and educational opportunities for African American youth.

Wayne Ellison, chairman & president of 100 Black Men, first connected with the organization in 2010 when a friend invited him to an information luncheon. He not only saw the need for mentorship and father figures in the community, but also recognized how 100 Black Men of North Metro Atlanta was meeting these needs.

“I grew up with my father primarily; however, I spent a lot of time with my mother and my stepfather. Some people may be lucky to have one male in their life. I was fortunate enough to have two,” he shared.

He realized the importance of having a male role model in his life to give advice and support. “Somebody who has already been there, done that, got a t-shirt,” Wayne said. “Somebody who can help you navigate life. That is going to increase the likelihood of you being successful just because you have those people to look to and talk to.

“Being able to see people who look like me who were successful encouraged me and let me know that I too could be successful.”

While the organization mentors elementary and middle school students, the focus is their “Men of Tomorrow” program that serves several hundred high schoolers in Cobb, Gwinnett and Fulton counties. The program meets every other Saturday and emphasizes four areas: mentoring, health and wellness, economic empowerment and education. Adult male mentors match with students and offer guidance and support in these four areas of focus. 

These mentors are filling roles that, in some cases, are not being filled at home.

“I think the moms in single parent houses are doing the best that they can possibly do,” Wayne said, “but I certainly think there are some things that some individuals are missing by not having that male role model in their life.” 

100 Black Men selects mentors who can relate to each student, understand their struggles and encourage them toward a successful future.

“It’s definitely good to have those people in your life,” Wayne said. “Somebody that you can emulate, that you can learn from, that you can bounce ideas off of and that you can share things with.”

In addition to mentoring sessions, mentors take student groups on field trips and college visits. Recently, students attended a fireside chat with former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young and to a documentary screening about Alonzo Herndon, who persevered out of slavery to become the founder and president of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company and one of the first Black millionaires in the country!

The program has offered life-changing paths for students, from empowering teens struggling in school to becoming honor roll students and opening up career opportunities students may not have considered before.

100 Black Men’s partnership with Delta and Arizona State University has helped students’ dreams take flight. Literally! 

“We send students to a flight academy every summer,” Wayne explained. “We have a couple students who earned full scholarships to Arizona State and other schools to become pilots. They may or may not have thought about becoming a pilot, but because they’ve been in this program, now that excited something within them.”

Every student who finishes the mentorship program receives a $1,000 scholarship when they graduate. 100 Black Men gave nearly $40,000 in scholarships in 2024.

Wayne feels a sense of responsibility to mentor and equip the next generation.

“None of us got to where we are on our own merit,” he said. “I’m certainly appreciative of the people who supported me and helped me get to where I’m at. So I feel an obligation to help those who are coming behind me so they can be as successful as possible.”

As more families learn about the organization, the waiting list of students needing a mentor is growing. Wayne hopes more men will volunteer to support students in their community.

“All you need to do is give your time,” he said. “No matter who you are, everybody has a story and everybody has something that they can contribute.”

Through its partnership with the Community Foundation of Northeast Georgia, 100 Black Men plans to expand its outreach.

“The Community Foundation helps a lot, because as a nonprofit, I can tell you that there’s no manual that’s given,” Ellison said. “I would say the biggest benefits are tapping into their tools and resources, being able to network with other nonprofits to see what’s working and what’s not working, and being able to learn about different grant opportunities. It gives you access to things that you otherwise would not have access to.

“We are very appreciative of the Community Foundation, what it offers, the doors that it’s opening and how it’s helping us be in a better position to make a difference.”

With the support of faithful members of the community and devoted mentors, Wayne Ellison and 100 Black Men are empowering the next generation of pilots, leaders and community changemakers.