LHENA 2021 Community Mentorship: Why Mentorship Matters in Minneapolis and How You Can Help

LHENA believes in the power of neighbors helping neighbors. We’re hoping you do too. Brothers EMpowered is making a difference in Minneapolis and can make an even bigger impact with our help. The Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association (LHENA) has partnered with Brothers EMpowered to support the organization’s work to bring back that village mentality. At this moment in Minneapolis, we need all hands on deck to address the trauma that is impacting our communities. Young people need more positive role models, and mentorship can have positive ripple effects in youth lives to create real, generational change.

You can play a part in funding the work of Brothers EMpowered to prepare youth for greatness and equip them to excel in every aspect of their lives. Our aim is modest: to raise a total of $5,000. This money will support Brothers EMpowered programming, services, and events, and help them expand their community outreach. Anyone can contribute, and every contribution will help build a bridge to a brighter tomorrow and a more equitable future. 

Donate today. 

Everyone deserves an opportunity to reach their full potential. But not everyone gets that opportunity. We have an opportunity gap in America, and public safety has become a pressing issue in Minneapolis because of it. Since George Floyd's death in 2020, violence is up, and public morale is down across the city. The crime problem is primarily in the 3rd and 4th Precincts, but everyone living in Southwest Minneapolis (the 5th Precinct) is being impacted. The saddest part is that many of the people committing crimes and being hurt or killed are young people. Now is the time to remember that it takes a village to raise a child and figure out how we can help be part of solutions.

A number of unsung community organizations in the city already are doing this. One of those is Brothers EMpowered in North Minneapolis, led by Charles Caine, who has a simple mission: bring back that village mentality. Caine started Brothers EMpowered in 2014 to help men of color overcome the barriers in their lives and the lives in their communities. They work with youth starting at the age of 9 and provide life coaching, mentorship, healing and restoration, business training, community peacekeeping and community outreach.

Brothers EMpowered has a strong connection within the community in North Minneapolis. They believe there is no positive influence in the urban community without positive action in the urban community, and their community engagement mentorship program teaches youth how to engage with their community by giving back. They have organized food share programs, school equipment drives and more. Through their programming and services, inner-city youth learn skills to develop leadership, accountability, discipline, self-respect, good work ethics, and a positive sense of purpose and direction — skills that can close the opportunity gap and help youth reach their full potential.

In these times, it’s easy to feel cynical and perhaps even powerless. But we have more power in the community than sometimes we realize. We hope you'll give what you can (even if that's just spreading the word about this fundraiser) to help us increase the peace and create more opportunities for all people in Minneapolis. By bringing people together from different neighborhoods and walks of life, we can build that village all children need. 
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We are filled with gratitude for the love and generosity of this community we get to serve. Thank you, everyone, for whatever part you can play in community mentorship. We're doing something necessary and great together.

If you are interested in being a community mentor for youth in Minneapolis in the future, we would love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts on community mentorship.  ​

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