Empowering Black Youth Through Mentoring

By Abra L. Taylor

When we think about our youth, we think about the future, their ideas, and their energy. We want the youth to contribute their ideas and energy to create a bright future for society to resolve social issues, to be great leaders, and to make a difference in other people lives. In Empowering Black Youth Through Mentoring, author Abra L Taylor offers a blueprint to assist with guiding today’s youth.
A co-founder of a nonprofit agency that focuses on young Black men, Taylor aims to encourage more Black males to step up and mentor young Black youth. He also seeks to inspire young Black males to strive for greatness and to be productive individuals. Mentoring can be one of their pathways to success, helping them navigate the transition from school to work/entrepreneurship, and from childhood to adulthood.
Empowering Black Youth through Mentoring promotes a positive outlet to educate, encourage, and empower young, Black males transitioning to manhood. It aims to inspire and motivate Black youth to be successful, find their purpose, and create a path that affects generations to come in a positive manner.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Feb 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9781665702768

Abra L. Taylor

Abra L. Taylor was born and raised in Gulfport, MS. He is married to Bianca Taylor, and together, they have three children. He is one of the founders of Gulf Coast Outreach and Leadership. Through the years, his drive has always been to create an opportunity that has a major impact on the community and a lasting effect on our youth along the Gulf Coast area. With the help of the other advisors, his mission is to strengthen, collaborate, and expose the youth to a wealth of knowledge because knowledge is power. Growing up in Turnkey, he was exposed to a lot of things, good and bad. It was a challenge for him because the world had so much to offer. However, he wanted more. He wanted greater, and God gave him an outlet and a mindset to surpass all the various obstacles thrown in his path. With those challenges, that made him thrive to be a successful, Black man. Through his own personal experiences, he wants to be able to offer that same outlet to those around him. He believes it is his responsibility to lead by example and show these young males a better way of life through his character, conversation, and conduct.

Book preview

Copyright © 2021 Abra L. Taylor.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Archway Publishing

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.archwaypublishing.com

844-669-3957

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used with permission.

ISBN: 978-1-6657-0275-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6657-0276-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021902366

Archway Publishing rev. date: 02/18/2021

CONTENTS

Disclaimer

Acknowledgments/Dedication

Introduction

Poem

Chapter 1 The Importance of Mentoring

Chapter 2 The Power of the Mind

Chapter 3 Financial Literacy

Chapter 4 Break the barriers

Chapter 5 Second Chance

Chapter 6 Media

Chapter 7 HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)

Chapter 8 Gulf Coast Outreach and Leadership/The League of Distinguished Gentlemen

Chapter 9 My Prayer & Black National Anthem

DISCLAIMER

The goal of writing this book is to promote a positive outlet to educate, encourage, and empower young, Black males transitioning to manhood. This book is not intended to promote racism or teach racism, nor was it written to offend anyone: male, female, Black, or white.

In addition, this book is not intended to be bias against young Black girls because young Black females are just as important. Ultimately, if we can build strong Black gentlemen, they will grow to be an asset to empowering Black women.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS/DEDICATION

My Entire Family

Full Gospel Holiness Church

Gulf Coast Outreach and Leadership

The League of Distinguished Gentlemen

To all mentors in the world

To our youth

To our soon to be mentors

To my friends

INTRODUCTION

I am Abra Taylor, Sr., and I was born and raised in Gulfport, MS. I am one of the founders of Gulf Coast Outreach and Leadership. During my adult years, my drive has always been to create an opportunity that has a major impact on my community and a lasting effect on our youth along the Gulf Coast area. I know my community and the rich, positive history that exudes throughout the Gulf Coast has more to offer than one may think. With the help of the other advisors, my mission is to strengthen, collaborate, and expose the youth to a wealth of knowledge because we all know knowledge is power.

I always saw a need to mentor young Black youth, and I made it my priority to be a man of action. In April of 2015, my brother and I, Derick Taylor, put together a youth male summit at our father’s church, Full Gospel Holiness of Gulfport, MS. Immediately after the summit, a few of my childhood friends and I put together a plan of action to create a mentoring program for the youth across the MS Gulf Coast. It was an honor to collaborate with Jor’Dan Beard, Darrion McInnis, Jeremiah Morman, and Delvin Morgan on this exciting opportunity. Together, we created Gulf Coast Outreach and Leadership (G.O.A.L), which I will discuss further in the later chapters.

Although, I grew up in a great household, I struggled with my behavior and making bad choices. My parents gave me great, positive teaching, but once I got outside of my parents’ doors, I was exposed to things my parents were against. In my teenage years, I made the choice to take route my parents less approved. I indulged in many of the various activities I saw in my environment-good, bad, and indifferent. It is safe to say, I had my fair share of trouble in school and with the law, but as I became more mature and began using wisdom, my behavior changed for the better. Each time I would get into trouble, I could hear my father’s voice in my ear, and as I grew older, everything my parents taught me finally started to stick.

As a parent and/or mentor, it may seem like your shared wisdom and positive teachings are not working, but that child will soon get it. Although I grew up in a great household, I still made mistakes. The saying, It takes a village to raise a child. is so true. I grew up with great parents, but there was also a need for positive role models or mentors outside of my parents’ home. I believe mentors can have a strong impact that is beneficial to children around the world.

I have two goals for this book. The first is to encourage more Black males to step up and mentor young Black youth. I could not appreciate a better way to volunteer your time and efforts. The second goal is to inspire young Black males to strive for greatness and to be a productive individual. Mentoring can be one of their pathways to success, helping them successfully navigate the transition from school to work/entrepreneurship, and from childhood to adulthood.

Eric Thomas once stated, Don’t cry to quit but cry to keep going.

Never quit and never allow yourself to become discouraged of something you want to accomplish. Always remember action is the key to success.

DEDICATED TO OUR BLACK MEN

AND YOUNG BLACK BOYS

Knowledgeable & Intellectual

Noble, a GAME-CHANGER

For the King in you

Keeping it cool while being Intellectually smooth

Never conforming to society’s abnormalities, but constantly

Going against

Reviews for Empowering Black Youth Through Mentoring

[Phillip Ford · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent short read. It was very encouraging. If you desire to build a mentoring program read this book to find encouragement.