Saving Our Boys Through Mentorship: Calvin Mann on Youth Development & Community Healing
By Lana Reid | December 14, 2022
As part of the Black Men Matter Series, Lana Reid sits down with Calvin Mann, author, mentor, community activist, and founder of Encourage Me I’m Young (EMIY), to discuss saving our boys through mentorship and intentional youth development. Calvin shares how addressing social and emotional needs through early intervention, accountability, and consistent guidance is essential to strengthening families and communities. The conversation centers on proactive solutions that support young people before crisis occurs.
In this episode of The Male Perspective, Calvin Mann delivers a powerful conversation on mentorship, youth advocacy, and community responsibility.
Calvin explains how Encourage Me I’m Young (EMIY) was created to support the healthy development of boys and men through mentorship, education, and structured guidance. He emphasizes that many challenges facing young people stem from unmet emotional needs and a lack of consistent support systems.
Throughout the conversation, Lana Reid and Calvin explore the importance of early intervention and accountability. Calvin shares how mentorship programs provide stability, direction, and positive reinforcement, helping young people develop confidence, discipline, and decision-making skills that extend into adulthood.
The discussion also highlights community-based solutions and family restoration. Calvin reflects on initiatives such as Smash Suicide, Good Fathers Only, and the EMIY Mobile Mentoring Bus, which bring resources directly into neighborhoods. He underscores that effective youth development requires collaboration among families, schools, mentors, and community leaders.
This episode reinforces the idea that saving our boys is not about punishment, but about proactive care, consistent mentorship, and creating environments where young people are supported, seen, and encouraged to succeed.
About the Guest
Calvin Mann is an author, mentor, and community activist, and the founder of Encourage Me I’m Young (EMIY), a nonprofit organization dedicated to youth development, mentorship, and family restoration. His work focuses on early intervention, accountability, and building strong support systems for boys and young men.
For more information on Calvin Mann:
https://www.emiyworld.com/
https://www.instagram.com/emiyworld_/
https://www.youtube.com/@EMIYTV
https://www.facebook.com/Encouragemeimyoung
https://twitter.com/EMIYWorld
https://thegoodfathersonly.com/
About the Series
This episode is part of the Black Men Matter Series, highlighting Black men who are mentors, nonprofit leaders, and advocates working to uplift youth and strengthen families through intentional community engagement.
About the Host & Organization
The Male Perspective is hosted by Lana Reid, founder of Conversations in Color, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) grassroots organization dedicated to providing uplifting and community-building spaces of dialogue for Black voices.
Conversations in Color’s Current Initiatives
THE MALE PERSPECTIVE
The purpose of The Male Perspective is to dispel stereotypes and increase awareness of the experiences of Black men through open discussions, thought-provoking interviews, and the sharing of personal experiences that highlight the diversity and depth of the Black male experience.
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Sistas Rebuilding Sisterhood is an intergenerational community of Black women who come together for relaxed, non-judgmental gatherings to exchange ideas, share experiences, and collaborate in a collective effort to improve the quality of sisterhood interactions in everyday life.
TAPESTRY OF BLACK VOICES AWARDS
The Tapestry of Black Voices Awards honors local communities and showcases the creativity, brilliance, and lived experiences of Black voices across the United States.