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  "path": "/education/2026/04/10/looking-for-a-mentor-in-chicago-our-illustrated-zine-has-you-covered",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-10T10:30:00.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.wbez.org",
  "tags": [
    "one strategy that can make a big difference",
    "It’s not always clear where to look",
    "printable version of the zine here",
    "Never folded a zine? Learn here.",
    "Education",
    "In Austin, Black mentors are making college possible",
    "Lisa Kurian Philip | WBEZ",
    "Mentors can make the difference for young Black men in college. Here’s how to be a good one.",
    "Chicago Urban League",
    "Young Black Men of Honor",
    "College Mentoring Experience",
    "I am an African American Male",
    "Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago",
    "iMentor",
    "Urban Male Network",
    "100 Black Men of Chicago"
  ],
  "textContent": "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.\n\nShe heard from researchers, professors, teachers and students themselves that having a mentor is one strategy that can make a big difference.\n\nSome 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.\n\nBut 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.\n\nSo 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.\n\nBrown 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.\n\nYou can find a printable version of the zine here and below. (Never folded a zine? Learn here.)\n\nIllustrations by Mendy Kong/WBEZ\n\nWe’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_.\n\n##  More reporting from The Persistence Project\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEducation\n\nIn Austin, Black mentors are making college possible\n\nBlack men in the West Side community face some of the biggest hurdles to getting a degree. Just one out of four who make it to college graduate in six years.\n\nBlack men in the West Side community face some of the biggest hurdles to getting a degree. Just one out of four who make it to college graduate in six years.\n\nListen\n\nBy Lisa Kurian Philip | WBEZ\n\n\n[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]\n\nEducation\n\nMentors can make the difference for young Black men in college. Here’s how to be a good one.\n\nListen\n\n[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]\n\n### Looking for a mentor? These organizations are a good place to start.\n\n\n\n\n### South Side\n\nChicago Urban League\n4510 S. Michigan Ave.\n_nsamuels@chiul.org_\n\nYoung Black Men of Honor\n3509 South King Dr., Suite 2B\n _communityinfo@blackstarproject.org_\n\n\n\n### West Side\n\nCollege Mentoring Experience\n5100 W. Harrison St.\n_info@collegementoringexperience.org_\n\nI am an African American Male\n1900 W. Jackson Blvd.\n_cbrown218@ccc.edu_\n\n\n\n### Greater Chicago area\n\nBig Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago\n130 S. Jefferson St. Suite 200\n _bbbschgo@bbbschgo.org_\n\niMentor\n20 N. Wacker Dr., 12th Floor\n _nlongino@imentor.org_\n\nUrban Male Network\n7637 S. Laflin St.\n_cturner@urbanmalenetwork.org_\n\n100 Black Men of Chicago\n308 S. Jefferson St.\nSouth Side – Claude Gibson: _claude.gibson@100bmc.org_\nSouth Suburbs – Rodney White: _rodney.white@100bmc.org_\nBrogrammers – Aaron Dorsey: _aaron.dorsey@100bmc.org_",
  "title": "Looking for a mentor in Chicago? Our illustrated zine has you covered",
  "updatedAt": "2026-04-10T10:30:28.636Z"
}