Confidence to Be Whatever You Aspire to Be
Our Community Hope Mentor program is a structured mentoring and literacy program that addresses the individual learning needs of students living in affordable housing communities in Raleigh. Jonathan is one of our mentors who volunteers each week and has seen an impact in his own life in addition to the student he mentors. We asked Jonathan about his experience with Community Hope and this is what he said:
Tell us a little about you
I am a native North Carolinian, born and raised in Durham. I completed my undergraduate studies at North Carolina State University and earned my law degree from North Carolina Central University School of Law. I now practice real estate law in Raleigh, North Carolina.
In my free time, I enjoy volunteering with and being involved in the American Bar Association, North Carolina Bar Association, Wake County Bar Association & 100 Black Men of America – Triangle East as well as YMCA Community Hope. I also enjoy playing & watching sports, trying new restaurants, as well as trying my hand at cooking.
Why did you decide to become a Community Hope mentor?
I was encouraged to be a mentor with Community Hope when I noticed a lack of minorities in the legal profession and other professions. I wanted to do something concrete to facilitate a more diverse representation in my field and other professional areas. In my opinion, education is vital for youth, particularly minorities, to reach their dreams, goals, and career aspirations. I wanted to inspire children in my community to reach their academic goals as well as instill confidence in them that they can be whatever they aspire to be.
Why do you continue to mentor with Community Hope?
I continue to mentor with Community Hope because I truly love seeing the growth and progress of the children from year to year. For example, when I first started working with one mentee a few years ago, he did not like reading and it took some effort and negotiating to get him to read, but over time his reading has greatly improved and now he reads ahead in a book and on his own when I’m not there. When mentoring, it’s a euphoric feeling to witness improving reading levels. It’s amazing to see a kid grow physically, emotionally, and intellectually. The staff and site coordinators are also amazing.
What advice do you have for anyone that is considering becoming a mentor?
My advice to anyone considering becoming a mentor with Community Hope is to come ready to get to work, not only on the academic aspect of helping with school work but also developing a relationship with your mentee as well as with your mentee’s parents and family. By developing a relationship with your mentee’s parents and family outside of the program, it truly shows you’re investing in your mentee’s success.
Do you have any fun stories from your experience?
There are too many! One that I know the kids will love is the time we were all playing GaGa Ball, a variant of dodge ball played in an octagonal pit, and I slipped while playing. There were lots of laughs from the kids that day at my expense! I even had to laugh at myself.
But on a more serious note, one of my favorite memories at Community Hope is the end of the year celebration where the families can see their child’s progress throughout the year as well as celebrate all their accomplishments and with all the mentees, families, other mentors, site coordinators and others involved.
Just two hours per week can change the trajectory of a child's life. Learn more about how you can get involved.
