Young Milwaukee men have a better future, and a bigger family thanks to those in the community determined to help them shine.
"We want to make sure that young men in the community have a chance at college," explains Kim Robinson President of the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation of Southeastern Wisconsin.
The group has given more than $250,000.00 worth of $1,000.00 dollar scholarships to young men through the "Dare to Dream" program.
The members work hard to lift young black men.
"We feel very positive about the amount of money that we've given out since 2001 over $250,000 to the community, and we try to make sure that every year, we give out $10,000 in scholarships or more to deserving youth in the community," adds Robinson.
Donors can choose the types of fields they want their scholarships to support.
"I worked in law enforcement, my whole career. I try to concentrate on giving my scholarship to some young man who wants to go to school in law enforcement, or a lawyer and things of that nature, as well as like for my dad Alonzo Robinson, who was the first black registered architect."
But there's more than scholarships. There's Kappa League. a mentorship program the fraternity sponsors, No student is turned away.
Secretary of the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation Alan Goodman explains, "Our program has been around nationally for over 50 years. And so really we focus on developing leaders in our community."
And so helping our young men with not only their education, but their occupational exposure, and then socially, to be able to relate with not only each other but with folks who don't look like them."
Robinson states, "It's just setting them up to be leaders, hoping that they stay in our community. We mentor young men from the 6th grade to the 12th grade. We set the program up so that the young men can learn about positive things that are going on within the community. We offer etiquette class, where they learn how to properly sit down and dine, things of that nature. We've taken them on field trips to the Chicago classic football game, where they had the college day signing for young kids when a lot of the HBCUs were set up there, and they can learn about going to college at a young age. We try to promote self-awareness, we promote reading, and we promote them doing community service within the community."
Young men we talk to give Kappa League a high five, Charles Griffin and Roland Goodman, have nothing but praise.
"It's real fun like we get to go to like Chicago and stuff like meet new people. The help and support is here," says Griffin.
Goodman adds, "I would say it's worth supporting because I believe has been part of my life since 2016. And it is really, truly developed me to become a man."
Mentors teach real-life lessons like the potential of racial challenges.
Robinson shares, "Here's a book that we gave to all of our young Kappa Leaguers. It's called 'Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Male.'"
Goodman explains, "We don't want our young men to leave our program and go to college and confront racism or discrimination for the first time and be shocked by it. It's all about giving young men strong roots for the future. Wherever they go, we want to set them up to be as successful as they can be."
Robinson admits, "It's really touching. A lot of times when you walk around a community, and you see people having grown up here in this community. We try to encourage all the young men in the community to be involved. With our Kappa League program, we like to encourage them that once they go away to an HBCU or wherever they may go to college, to come back and give back. "
And as a flame is lit for students, the young men discover they're part of a huge family. The men of Kappa Alpha Psi are like extra dads using their wisdom to light the path for leaders of tomorrow.
Charles Griffin smiles as he advises, "If you need a helping hand come get it. If you need support come, get it."
Roland Goodman concludes, "Kappa league is something that every young man and every parent should really consider because it's not only for the betterment of the student but for every parent to watch them grow and like succeed."
