Blog
Community Changemaker Spotlight: 100 Black Men of Western Pennsylvania
At A Second Chance, Inc. (ASCI), we honor organizations that are reshaping communities through vision, commitment, and lived experience. 100 Black Men of Western Pennsylvania is one such changemaker that for nearly 40 years, has created opportunities, built leaders, and empowered young people throughout the region through mentorship, education, and community engagement. Guided by the belief that young people can achieve more when they are exposed to positive role models and meaningful opportunities, the organization continues to invest in the next generation while strengthening the communities they call home.
Programs That Serve and Empower Youth
While the organization’s name reflects its leadership and history, its youth programming serves both boys and girls. Through its free Saturday Academy and other youth development initiatives, young people ages 12 to 18 are given access to mentorship, leadership development, financial literacy education, career exploration, and life skills that help prepare them for future success.
A Personal Mission Rooted in Lived Experience
Under the direction of President Al Valentine, 100 Black Men of Western Pennsylvania provides mentorship, leadership development, financial literacy education, academic support, technology exposure, and career exploration opportunities for youth across Western Pennsylvania. Their work reflects a commitment not only to individual success, but to creating a stronger future for families and communities.
For Valentine, this mission is deeply personal. Growing up after the loss of his father at a young age, he was supported by uncles, mentors, and men throughout his community who helped shape the person he would become. Those experiences inspired his desire to one day give back in the same way.
If it were not for men in my community, I would not have become the man I am. I benefited from that greatly. It was always something in the back of my mind that when I was in a position to do so, that I would do it.
Al Valentine
That commitment eventually led him to 100 Black Men of Western Pennsylvania, where what began as volunteer service quickly became a passion.
Expanding Dreams Through Expanded Reality
Through mentorship, Valentine believes young people gain guidance and access to possibilities they may have never imagined for themselves.
We do a very good job of encouraging our young people to dream big. But we forget that our dreams are tied to our reality. If you don’t expand their reality, then their dreams don’t get any bigger.
Al Valentine
By connecting youth with professionals, community leaders, and mentors who reflect their experiences and aspirations, 100 Black Men of Western Pennsylvania helps young people envision futures that may have once felt out of reach.
The Power of Representation and Mentorship
The organization’s impact can often be seen in small moments that reveal larger transformations. Valentine recalls one experience that affirmed the importance of their work. After participating in the organization’s financial literacy program, a teenage participant approached him with questions about investing in Facebook’s initial public offering.
She said, ‘I think Facebook is going to be big. How can I get involved?’ At 16 or 17 years old, she wasn’t just listening, she wanted to act. That showed me that what we’re doing is working.
Al Valentine
Visibility, Leadership, and Advocacy
For Valentine, mentorship is also closely connected to representation and leadership. He believes that when Black men are visible in leadership and advocacy spaces, they help ensure that decisions affecting their communities include authentic voices and lived experiences.
If you’re not in those spaces to advocate for yourself, who will? The only way the full truth comes out is that you’re present and that you speak for yourself.
Al Valentine
The Power of Collaboration
Creating meaningful change, however, requires more than individual effort. Valentine emphasizes the importance of partnerships, collaboration, and collective action. He believes that no one person or organization has all the answers, and that lasting impact is only possible when communities work together to address challenges and create opportunities for young people.
Whether connecting youth to technology education, career exposure, academic resources, or mentorship opportunities, collaboration allows organizations to meet needs that may fall outside their own expertise while ensuring young people receive the support they deserve.
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
Al Valentine
This philosophy shapes how 100 Black Men of Western Pennsylvania, Inc. approaches community impact, recognizing that no single organization can meet every need alone.
Authenticity, Purpose, and Youth Voice
When asked what message he would share with young Black men and boys searching for their voice and purpose, Valentine encourages authenticity, patience, and self-discovery.
Know yourself. Your voice should be authentic to you. Give yourself time and be authentic to yourself. That’s when your voice is effective.
Al Valentine
A Legacy of Service and Community Responsibility
As 100 Black Men of Western Pennsylvania approaches four decades of service, Valentine hopes the organization’s legacy will be remembered for its commitment to mentorship, leadership, and community responsibility.
Black men care and are involved in their community. Black men stand up and make a difference. We are our community, and it is important for you to be a part of your community.
Al Valentine
Building a “New Village” for the Next Generation
Through its free Saturday Academy program, mentoring initiatives, and continued investment in youth development, 100 Black Men of Western Pennsylvania continues to create what Valentine describes “new village” as a network of support that helps young people discover their potential, pursue their goals, and become leaders in their own right.
For families, youth, and communities throughout Western Pennsylvania, that village continues to make a lasting difference one relationship, one opportunity, and one future at a time.
To learn more about 100 Black Men of Western Pennsylvania and their impact through mentorship and community engagement, visit their website, and for additional local supports and services, explore ASCI’s Community Resource Guide.