Young men of color achieving their full potential: Becoming a Man (BAM)

May 25, 2023
Boston

BAM helped transform Devon’s mindset and academic trajectory by providing him with a supportive brotherhood and strategies for success, empowering him to overcome challenges and embrace a brighter future.

Devon entered 9th grade with little interest in school. Living in a single-parent household, Devon had significant financial and caretaking responsibilities at home and school had become the place where he could shed that burden. With additional challenges during his sophomore year, he disengaged from his academic work and his relationships with his teachers suffered. BAM changed that for Devon — his BAM Counselor helped him to formulate a plan for success. Devon began implementing some of the techniques he learned in BAM to tackle challenges one day at a time and, with the support of his BAM Counselor and BAM brothers, he climbed his way out of the hole he was in at school.

“BAM introduced me to a brotherhood that I thought I’d never have. All my brothers in BAM are family, not friends… I know I got them and they got me. I love each and every one of them even if we don’t always agree or get along. Without them I wouldn’t be who I am today.”

Devon continued, “The college tours have motivated and inspired me to have self-determination and to have goals to reach in the future. They also showed me a different environment of my people working together instead of against each other, and that made me want to join them. I can’t wait till it’s time for me to go to college.”