The 100 Black Men of Chicago, Inc. (100BMC), the areas preeminent organization focused on mentoring African American youth, will host their 20th Annual Benefit & Awards Gala on May 6, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
Keynoting the event will be Dr. George Fraser, CEO of FraserNet, Inc., a global networking movement that brings together diverse human resources to increase opportunities for people of African descent. Fraser is considered one of the foremost authorities on economic development, networking and building effective relationships. The topic of his address will be “Economics is the New Black Power. “The evening, under the theme “20 for 20” begins with a reception at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner and an awards program hosted by Fox Chicago News Anchor Darlene Hill, recipient of numerous awards including the Peabody and Chicago Emmy Awards. Proceeds from the event go towards the mentoring programs of 100BMC. The night will also include a silent auction and raffle. The DJ for this year’s Gala is Maurice Culpepper, whose popular mixes can be heard on iHeart Media’s V103.
“The 100 Black Men of Chicago is excited to celebrate this year’s milestone event,” said Carl Tutt, president of the 100BMC. “The organization continues to grow and expand its programs to serve more of our regions young people, and the funds raised during this Gala are an important part of expanding our outreach to serve more students.”
100BMC’s focus is closing the achievement gap between African American youth and their peers academically, health wise, and with wealth accumulation. To that end, the organization oversees four mentoring academy sites across the Chicagoland area: South Side, Bronzeville Scholastic Institute; West Side, Build, Inc.; South Suburbs, South Suburban College, Oak Forest; and Western Suburbs, Quad County Urban League (QCUL). Additionally, the organization partners with the University of Illinois Chicago’s African American Advisory Council, formed to address the disparity in African American administration, staff, and student body at the institution, and they are a member of the Mayor’s Cabinet for the “My Brother’s Keeper” Initiative.
Other programs include ACT and college prep workshops, health and wellness forums, in conjunction with the State of Illinois Department of Health, and economic development forums for both youth and adults targeted to achieving economic independence.
100BMC mentees, both boys and girls, participate in numerous field trips during the year. Most recently select mentees traveled to the Nissan plant in Smyrna, TN., where they toured the plant, met with engineers and previewed Nissan’s yet unveiled technologies.
Perhaps the organization’s most well-known event is their College Scholarship Fair (CSF), held each fall for the past 14 years. Each year the CSF attracts over 5,000 students from high schools and community organizations in the Chicago area, downstate Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Missouri. These students interact with recruiters from over 250 colleges and universities. To date, this event has resulted in over $50 million in scholarships offered, and is slated to be held October 7, at the UIC Pavilion.
Other events scheduled for this year include a Summer networking event to support the organization’s scholarship program at the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI), and the organization’s annual Holiday Toy Drive to support underserved children.
Tickets for the May 6 Black Tie event may be purchased by clicking here. For information on sponsorships contact Nate Ward, Gala Chairman via e-mail at [email protected]. Follow the event on Facebook, Twitter and IG, and use the hashtag #100BMCGala.
About the 100 Black Men of Chicago
Since its inception in 1994, the 100 Black Men of Chicago, Inc. (100 BMC), a Mentor Illinois 2016 Gold Star Award Recipient, has worked to enhance the lives of those youth and their families who live in socially or economically deprived communities. The organization’s primary mission is to help improve the quality of life and enhance educational opportunities for young African American males throughout the Greater Chicago area. The 100 BMC provide on-going educational training programs, mentoring, tutoring, student scholarships, and economic empowerment seminars through the help of their volunteers and community partners.
