Over the last few months, WBEZ higher education reporter Lisa Kurian Philip has been looking into the barriers that can keep young Black men from graduating college, and the kinds of support that can help them finish their degree.
She heard from researchers, professors, teachers and students themselves that having a mentor is one strategy that can make a big difference.
Some mentors provide academic guidance or help navigating complicated financial aid forms. Others can offer advice on choosing a major or a career. Still others can be there to listen when their mentee is at a crossroads and needs help thinking through next steps.
But she also heard that it can be hard for young people to find a mentor. It’s not always clear where to look, or how to make the initial ask.
So we turned to Charles Brown, a professor at Malcolm X College and a pastor in Austin on Chicago’s West Side, who has mentored many young people over the years. He coordinates a mentoring program at Malcolm X and has informally mentored young people through his church.
Brown shared with Kurian Philip his top tips for finding and connecting with a mentor, and WBEZ digital producer Mendy Kong turned that advice into a zine.
You can find a printable version of the zine here and below. (Never folded a zine? Learn here.)
We’ll also be distributing the zine in the Chicago area. Have a suggestion for where we should drop off some copies? Please email education editor Kalyn Belsha at kbelsha@chicagopublicmedia.org.
More reporting from The Persistence Project
