GROW: Movement Starts Now

Issue #114, December 14, 2025

Welcome back, G-Tribe.

If you're a new reader, welcome to G.R.O.W. (Guidance Redefines Our Way), the weekly newsletter from A Few Good MENtors.

It’s the community of parents, mentors, and young men committed to growing every week through guidance, leadership, and real-life lessons.
If you’re new, you’re part of the family now.

As we move toward the end of 2025, one thing is clear.

AFGM is not standing still.

2026 will be a year of movement and momentum.
Not noise.
Not hype.
Real movement.
Intentional growth.
Expanded reach.

We are building something bigger than a program.
We are building a mentoring force across the DMV.

And if you’re reading this, you’re already part of it.

Growth Spotlight: The Year of Movement and Momentum

2026 marks a shift in how A Few Good MENtors engages with the community.

Here’s what’s coming:

• Echoes of Freedom Tour 2026
  A guided educational experience highlighting African American history, resilience, and local impact across Northern Virginia.

• The AFGM Connect App
  A centralized platform to support communication, engagement, and connection across mentors, parents, and youth. You can download it now.

• A Stronger Hybrid Mentoring Model
  Combining virtual consistency with in-person connection to meet families where they are.

• New Mentor Recruitment Tools
  Clear pathways for men who want to serve but need structure, training, and support.

• More Community Events
  Increased opportunities for families, mentors, and partners to engage throughout the year.

This is expansion with purpose.
Every step is intentional.

Success Spotlight: Why Momentum Matters

Momentum matters because:

• Parents are actively requesting mentors

• Boys need structure and consistency

• Men want to give back but need direction

• Communities need reliable support systems

Growth does not happen by accident.
It comes from planning, preparation, and people who are willing to move.

2026 is about aligning our mission with systems that can sustain it.

Michael's Hot Take: Momentum Doesn’t Come From Talking - It Comes From Moving.

Let me say something that might step on a few toes. Everyone loves the word momentum.
Few people actually like what it requires.

Momentum means movement.
Movement means effort.
Effort means change.
And change is where people start getting uncomfortable.

I’ve spent decades watching organizations talk themselves into circles.
Big vision statements.
Long meetings.
Co-workers full of good intentions.

Very little movement.

Whether it was in federal service, nonprofit leadership, or organizational development, the pattern is always the same.
People confuse discussion with progress.

They are not the same.

Momentum doesn’t come from ideas.
It comes from decisions followed by action.

That’s why I want to be clear about where A Few Good MENtors is headed.

Our 2026 vision statement is simple and direct:

2026 will be “The Year of Movement and Momentum.”

Not as a slogan.
Not as a catchphrase.
As a commitment.

We’re not rebranding.
We’re not chasing trends.
We’re moving.

We’re expanding because the need is real.
We’re building systems because passion without structure burns out.
We’re creating pathways because good men want to serve — they just need direction.

Here’s the part some people don’t like hearing.

You don’t get momentum by waiting for perfect conditions.
You get it by moving with what you have.

Families don’t need perfection.
They need presence.

Boys don’t need speeches.
They need examples.

Mentors don’t need praise.
They need preparation.

And communities don’t need more conversations about problems.
They need organizations willing to show up consistently and do the work.

That’s what The Year of Movement and Momentum means for AFGM.

It means fewer delays.
Clear expectations.
Stronger follow-through.
More action at every level.

Not doing everything.
Doing the right things — better.

Momentum isn’t loud.
It’s steady.
It’s disciplined.
It builds quietly until people look up and realize something changed.

Yes.
It did.

And we’re just getting started.

Parent Insight of the Week

Ask your son where he feels confident right now and where he feels stuck.
Listen without fixing.
Momentum starts with understanding.

Try This With Your Mentee

Ask him to name one goal he wants to make progress on before the school year ends.
Break it into small steps.
Movement beats waiting.

Watch & Learn (Optional)

A short video on why consistency matters more than intensity.
Watch together.
Use it to spark a real conversation.

Upcoming Events

New Mentor Training Course (NMTC 26-01)

January 17, 2026 | 9 AM – 1 PM
Format: Hybrid (Virtual)
Who: All new mentors

This training prepares mentors to lead with clarity, structure, and confidence.

Register here:
https://afgmentoring.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/mentor-volunteer-form

AFGM Signature Events for 2026

These events anchor our year and our impact.

Boys Becoming Men Youth Summit

April 11, 2026
Includes dedicated sessions for parents to support their son’s growth and development.

AFGM 5K Run/Walk

June 27, 2026
Promoting health, unity, and community engagement.

AFGM Brotherhood Awards Luncheon

September 12, 2026
Honoring mentors, leaders, fathers, educators, and partners.

AFGM Annual Gala Celebration

November 7, 2026
Our premier fundraising and celebration event.

Join A Few Good MENtors:

• Be a Mentee: Learn what leadership looks like from men who've served something bigger than themselves.

• Volunteer as a Mentor: If you're a veteran, your service isn't over. Young men need what you have to offer.

• Share G.R.O.W.: Forward this newsletter to a veteran in your life and ask them how they're continuing to serve.

Real men don't just serve once. They serve for life, one mentee at a time, one example at a time, one act of leadership at a time.