AI-Powered Coaching to Train Better Mentors
How to Use AI-Powered Coaching to Train Better Mentors (Without Losing the Human Touch) Marcus was a “natural.” At least, that’s what everyone at the community center said. He was a successful project manager, a father of two, and had a heart for his neighborhood. But six months into mentoring Leo, a 14-year-old struggling with […]
Dr. Darnell Leatherwood on Freedom, Greatness, and Serving Others Through MBK Chicago – Village Talks Ep. 38
https://youtu.be/AhOq-C38ctM Dr. Darnell Leatherwood: Chasing Greatness So Others Can Live Their Best Lives When Dr. Darnell Leatherwood talks about his purpose, he doesn’t hesitate: “The purpose that God has put on my life is to help other people live their best lives.” That one line says a lot about who he is — and how […]
Joyful, Safe Spaces for Chicago Girls – Village Talks Ep. 37 with Darryca Brim-Mims, EdD, MBA
https://youtu.be/a_yozStyIjs How Darryca Is Protecting Joy for Black and Brown Girls in Chicago When you listen to Darryca talk about her work, two words keep coming back: joy and safety. She doesn’t use them lightly. She grew up on Chicago’s South Side, born on 53rd and Racine, later moving to Fuller Park. Her walk to […]
Staying Lit for Chicago Youth – Village Talks Ep. 40 with Dr. Carol Collum
https://youtu.be/iIIDFkqajd0 Dr. Carol Collum Is Building the Village Chicago’s Young People Deserve When you ask Dr. Carol Collum what she does, she doesn’t start with titles. She starts with responsibility. As founder and executive director of True Believers Community Connections and its youth initiative Stay Lit, Dr. Collum has planted herself on the corner of […]
Making Mentoring a Statewide Movement in Minnesota – Village Talks Ep.39
https://youtu.be/4F2-OC92a8c How Sarah Schaefer Is Making Mentoring a Statewide Movement in Minnesota When Sarah Schaefer talks about mentoring, she isn’t speaking in theory. She’s describing her life. Today, Sarah serves as Executive Director of Mentor Minnesota, supporting around 200 mentoring programs that collectively reach an estimated 130,000 young people across the state. But her commitment […]
Village Talks 36 – Bringing Hidden Youth Struggles to Light with Yolanda Ratliff
https://youtu.be/hvoN-wN4pDo Program Director Yolanda Ratliff is shining a light on a reality many people miss: the South suburbs of Chicago are facing the same youth challenges as the city’s South and West sides – they’re just quieter. In this Village Talks conversation, Yolanda shares how Chicago Wall of Fame, a nonprofit public charity founded in […]
Village Talks Ep. 35 — Dr. Nate Landis with Urban Youth Collaborative on”Activating The Village”
https://youtu.be/kMq6xZLXrb4 How Nate Landis Is Activating the Village to Reach Every Student, Everywhere When Damien Howard sat down with Nate Landis for this Village Talks conversation, one thing became immediately clear: This work isn’t just about mentoring.It’s about mobilizing an entire village—across schools, churches, and communities—to reach young people where they are. And not just locally… […]
Village Talks Ep. 34 — Kelvin Riddle of Military Mentors on “Beyond The Uniform”
https://youtu.be/_QuPBSRL14I Beyond the Uniform: How Mentorship is Transforming Military Communities Featuring Dr. Kelvin Riddle, Military Mentors There are some conversations that introduce you to a new idea. And then there are conversations that make you realize…we’ve been overlooking something that’s been right in front of us the whole time. That’s what this conversation with Dr. […]
Village Talks Ep. 33 — Marcus Strother with MENTOR California on”Building a Mentoring Ecosystem That Actually Works”
https://youtu.be/s1DAHwvZ5a4 Building a Mentoring Ecosystem That Actually Works Featuring Marcus Strother, Executive Director of MENTOR California There’s something powerful about hearing someone say, “I’m just a kid from Kankakee.” Not because it sounds humble.But because it reminds you that the people leading national movements… often started in the same places as the young people they’re trying […]
Village Talks Ep. 32 — Velez Childress on”From ‘Grandma’ to Movement Builder”
https://youtu.be/mz6vLMhlk4I From “Grandma” to Movement Builder: How Velez Childress Is Reimagining Mentorship There’s a moment in every mentoring journey where young people stop showing up just because they have to… …and start showing up because they want to. For Velez Childress, that moment looked like a group of high school students walking into a room […]