Instead, he is now using his resources and relationships to help uplift the lives of struggling young African American men in Detroit.
Even though in the annals of history Bing will be remembered for being the last mayor before the city entered into a historic bankruptcy, the man who once commanded the 11th floor of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center is on a mission that has always been his passion: mentoring Black boys.
Through BINGO — Boys Inspired Through Nurturing, Growth and Opportunities — which is part of the Bing Youth Initiative, Bing, the basketball legend, is partnering with organizations and groups, including the Detroit Public Schools, UAW-Ford, Retired NBA Players Association, Retired NFL Alumni Association, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Project Safe Campus, to help young men overcome the dififculties that prevent them from succeeeding. In a report, BINGO noted that the lack of fathers in many Detroit homes accounts for a significant number of problems.
“Nearly 62 percent of youth in Detroit are from single-parent homes. Statistics further indicate that African American males appear to be struggling the most to obtain positive outcomes. African American males account for 80 percent of deaths for persons 15-24 years of age when compared to their female counterparts,” the report stated. “Only 54.6 percent of African American males are reported to have graduated in four years from the class of 2010. Incarceration statistics further highlight why graduating from high school is significant. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice reported that 68 percent of African American male prison inmates did not graduate from high school. Thirty-five percent of prisoners reported behavior, academic problems, and academic disengagement as the main reasons for not obtaining their high school diploma.”
As a start, BINGO will be a one-year mentoring program that will take place at designated DPS schools, where mentors are expected to have weekly contacts with their mentees.
Team mentoring will be implemented so that each mentee will have access to two mentors and will have in-person contact with at least one mentor every week.
The program is designed to have both mentors and mentees go through an extensive application process and mentees will be required to attend one of the participating schools in the pilot program.
“In addition to completing an application, mentees must have parental approval and attend orientation. Mentees will attend one social-emotional learning (SEL) session per month. The program will also provide a monthly mentoring activity, in the community, to expose mentees to a variety of experiences,” according to the BINGO program.
In an interview with the Michigan Chronicle, Bing said programs such as BINGO are urgently needed.
“The need for Black men to support our young Black males is more critical now than at any other point in our history. Our schools are empty and our jails are full,” Bing said. “People need to do what their heart tells them to do, and my heart tells me that young Black males need our help.”
Bing said his message to young men who are looking for a helping hand is, “We have not forgotten about you. Don’t give up on your future. We are here to help you achieve your goals and dreams.”
Detroit and other cities are not without mentoring programs like BINGO. Often it is the impact or lack thereof of such groups that determine their effectiveness. Bing said this program will be different and will make an impact.
“In many cases, young men have no fathers in the home and no positive male role models in their lives. Mentoring can help fill this void by reinforcing positive decision making, increasing their self-esteem, and helping them to become more productive individuals,” Bing said. “Hopefully, we can decrease the dropout rate. In the process we also increase their job readiness.”
Asked if other political leaders who exit office should follow his example by devoting their time to mentoring, Bing responded, “This is not a political issue, it is a humanitarian issue. Our citizens and the community at large need to stand up and help support the needs of young Black males. We don’t need any more lip service, we need commitment and action.”
President Obama’s recent initiative, My Brother’s Keeper, has reignited the need for mentoring in urban communities. In launching the program Obama, said society has given a “numbness,” to the plight of Black males.
Bing said Detroit is missing, not mentoring, its young men.
“What we are missing is the opportunity for our young Black males to be successful, productive, and viable members of our community. All of our young people deserve a chance to succeed in life. We have to give them that chance,” Bing said.
To contact BINGO, call 313.392.7016.
Bankole Thompson is the editor of the Michigan Chronicle. E-mail bthompson@michronicle.com.
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