Today, Susan L. Taylor spoke for a national meeting of Blacks in criminal justice. She arrived yesterday, and met with a group of about 50 community leaders last night to launch Little Rock Cares as part of the Essence Cares movement. She opened by citing Marian Wright Edelman, who said that today's Black children are in their worst crisis since slavery. She cited the stats we all know, and talked about Essence Cares.

This is not another mentoring program, but rather a way to connect people with the programs already in existence. The emphasis is on Black mentors, noting that when the call for mentors goes out, the order of response is (1) white women, (2) white men, (3) black women, and (4) black men. Essence Cares has partnered with a number of groups, including 100 Black Men of America, to really address this issue.

We hosted the meeting at Philander Smith College, where we just learned this week that Chinelo Bivens, a junior from Sacramento, CA, is the 2009 BBBS of Central Arkansas Big Brother of the Year for a school-based program. So we are realy pushing students, faculty and staff to find ways to serve as mentors.

Please consider being a mentor.

The Prez