iMentor’s learning and engagement program helps mentors cultivate an understanding of systemic inequities and mobilizes lifelong advocates of educational equity and social justice.
New York, February 16, 2021—iMentor has announced a new partnership with Bloomberg LP to expand a national anti-racism program that engages mentors of young people and deepens their understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion and the structural inequalities that have impacted U.S. education. This call to action is made even more urgent by the ongoing struggle for racial justice and the disparities exacerbated by COVID-19.
Through this three-year national initiative, iMentor will continue to strengthen engagement with its mentors and build an even more impactful community of volunteers who will leverage their networks and influence around issues of systemic racism and educational equity.
“We believe that all students deserve an equitable chance to pursue their ambitions, and the mentors who engage with our students believe this as well,” said Jana L Reed, iMentor’s Interim CEO and COO. “By cultivating transformative relationships, mentors gain a unique perspective of the achievements and challenges in students’ lives, in our public schools, and in the communities with which we partner. We are thrilled to have Bloomberg as a partner in educating and mobilizing mentors. Our goal is to support them in their work to be lifelong advocates of change who are deeply informed about issues surrounding racism, educational inequity, and economic mobility.”
“Mentoring is about the power of relationships to open doors, and build stronger communities,” said Jemma Read, Global Head of Corporate Philanthropy at Bloomberg. “We are incredibly proud to be the founding sponsor and founding partner for iMentor’s national anti-racism program for mentors helping create stronger bonds with the communities where our employees live, work, and volunteer.”
“Understanding racial justice and educational equity is key to improving student outcomes and strengthening our communities,” said Chris Michel, Bloomberg’s Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Americas. “This training aligns directly with the internal resources and tools we provide to our colleagues to create a more inclusive environment in our workplace. I am proud that our Bloomberg employee mentors will be among the first in the nation to receive this anti-racism training as they work with iMentor’s diverse population of public school students, while building trust and providing guidance on their path towards success.”
iMentor builds authentic mentoring relationships in order to bring greater equity to students’ educational journeys. More than 6,000 volunteer mentors in the iMentor program currently work with young people in New York, Baltimore, the Bay Area, and Chicago, each committing a minimum of three years to a single student.
Through these relationships, first-generation students of color increase their access to the knowledge, experiences, and resources required to succeed in college or their post-secondary pathway of choice, and to pursue their career ambitions.
With support from Bloomberg, iMentor will continue to deliver programming aimed at ensuring that all mentors engage deeply in anti-racism work, and which enable mentor-mentee pairs to engage in healthy and important dialogue about race and racial justice. Over the three-year period, iMentor expects to scale programming from 600 mentors to 6,000 mentors, including the many Bloomberg employees that currently volunteer as iMentor mentors in New York City. Through this partnership, iMentor will also recruit Bloomberg employee mentors in Baltimore, the Bay Area, and Chicago. Bloomberg has been a proud supporter of iMentor since 2001.
iMentor’s Mentor Education Program (MEP) will enable mentors to become more effective in their mentoring relationships with young people and support their development as individual changemakers at the workplace and in their communities. Developed in partnership with the Perception Institute, the three-year curriculum consists of Monthly Learning Moments, in-person trainings, and other community-building activities, all of which are designed to result in measurable change in mentor perceptions and behaviors.
About iMentor
iMentor builds mentoring relationships that empower students in underserved communities to graduate high school, succeed on their post-secondary pathways of choice, and achieve their ambitions. iMentor was founded in 1999 by John Griffin, Richard Buery and Matt Klein. Launched with just 49 students in a single school in the South Bronx, today iMentor serves more than 10,000 students through our direct-service programs in Baltimore, the Bay Area, Chicago, and New York City, and through our partnerships with local non-profit organizations that implement our model in 47 schools.
About Bloomberg
Bloomberg, the global business and financial information and news leader, gives influential decision makers a critical edge by connecting them to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas. The company’s strength – delivering data, news and analytics through innovative technology, quickly and accurately – is at the core of the Bloomberg Terminal. Bloomberg’s enterprise solutions build on the company’s core strength: leveraging technology to allow customers to access, integrate, distribute and manage data and information across organizations more efficiently and effectively. For more information, visit Bloomberg.com/company or request a demo
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