Mentor Mentee Match

Elder Lucien, Mentor
“My experience with my mentee Khalil Vinson was incredible.  Khalil is a reserved, intelligent and powerful young man. He is a well mannered, presentable, affable and likeable person.  His main issue was his bashfulness.  He had to find his voice.  Khalil was very reserved and I had to literally pull information out of him.  He told me various things about himself, his likes, dislikes etc.  We established a good rapport and I constantly gave him positive reinforcement and demanded that he look me in the eye, speak up and share his opinion.  He was resistant initially but after a few months his confidence grew and he started to slowly come out of his shell. Khalil is a special mentee for me because I see myself in him (I too was incredibly shy and awkward as a teenager). Like Khalil, I was content to excel academically but socially I preferred staying in the background.  I came out of my shell in my late teens. I didn't want Khalil to miss life's many opportunities because of his bashfulness.Khalil is a pleasure to mentor and we have a nice relationship.  He occasionally calls me and he shares his life with me, albeit in very small increments. All in all he and I enjoyed the BNP experience and we are continuing in our journey through life together as strong, intelligent, responsible black men”--- Lucien

Young Son Khalil, Mentee
“When I first saw my mentor, Elder Lou Humphries, he seemed like a very laid-back person. It was interesting that he was a pharmaceutical representative, like my dad so in didn’t know what to expect. As time went on I learned to trust him. That was very unusual for me, because then like now, I still have a hard time trusting people easily. But Elder Lou was there for me when I needed a friend. He helped me pass through Blue Nile. That was a feat by itself. I was a freshman in high school and having a hard time getting my work done and going to Blue Nile on Saturdays. I was always tired. He was young enough to understand me, but old enough to have life experience to help me. During my Blue Nile time I don’t think a really appreciated what Lou meant to me. As time goes by I realize that he was always on my side and what it means to have a mentor. As time goes by his being my mentor means more to me that it did two years ago. Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and get to use my mentor to his fullest. I hope I will always have a relationship with Elder Humphries. I am thankful that he got me through Blue Nile and the ninth grade.”--- Khalil