Commitment to equal opportunity - a society in which every child has the same chance for success regardless of his or her background - is among the most deeply-held convictions shared by Americans yet immense disparities continue to exist in outcomes between black male children and their peers.

That's why we launched our Black Male Achievement initiative, and recently asked a few of the organizations receiving Black Male Achievement Innovation funds two questions about mentoring for their youth and Black History Month (it is February, you know!).

Here are some of their answers:

Because of mentors, kids in our program:

• "Will learn to become leaders in their schools, homes and communities."
        - Kentucky National Black MBA/Leaders of Tomorrow
  
  
  
• "Spend quality time with positive male role models."
        - 2Not1
  
  
  
• "Have more options and decisions in life."
        - Highland Park CDC/All About Boys
  
  
  
• "Know that they matter and will find the powerful purpose for their lives."
        - 10th Street Cardinals
  
  
  
• "Will improve their thinking and conflict resolution skills."
        - First Gethsemane Child Development Center
  
  
  
• "Look forward to being at school and know that someone values, appreciates and loves them for who they are and who they are becoming."
        - Elevate
  
  
  
• "Learn music and increase literacy!"
        - AMPED
  
  
  

What is one thing you would like our community to know about Black History Month?

• "Larry Bonnafon was the first black fire chief in Louisville and was a member of Highland Park Missionary Baptist Church."
        - Highland Park CDC/All About Boys
  
  
  
• "How important the March on Washington was."
        - Highland Park CDC/All About Boys
  
  
  
• "The achievements of African American inventors and their contributions on a global scale."
        - First Gethsemane Child Development Center
  
  
  

Join the conversation about Black Male Achievement on Twitter at #BMALouisville and see for yourself the work that's being done in our community year-round (not just during Black History Month) to ensure black boys and young men have their basic needs met, a good education and sufficient employment opportunities.

Better yet, sign-up to mentor through our BMA initiative now: www.metrounitedway.org/rtm