Concerned Black Men of Los Angeles Honor Leaders and New Members at Holiday Mixer

By Marion Apio

Concerned Black Men of Los Angeles celebrated another successful year of mentoring hundreds of at-risk youth at the nonprofit organization’s annual December gala.

This event, held at Diners Comfort Kitchen on Dec. 14, reflected the organization’s prominent role in the community by attracting current members, prospective volunteers, and leaders both past and present. 

CBMLA is a mentoring and scholarship program that has been operating in Los Angeles County for 20 years and nationally for five decades, focusing on guiding young men and women of color. 

The organization’s leaders say they have achieved their mission through robust programs such as Welcome to Manhood and Womanhood, which offer group and one-on-one mentorship, as well as the Emerging Leaders college prep program. 

The CBMLA’s stated mission is to uplift black and brown youth. The organization reports serving 300 youths annually, supporting them with 74 active mentors and distributing $100,000 in total scholarship funding.

“We focus on providing guidance to young men and women through our programs,” said Richard Crawford, president of Concerned Black Men of Los Angeles. “This event was our appreciation to our membership and those connected with the organization who contribute financially or contribute their time.”

Gwen Shim, who serves on CBMLA’s membership committee, emphasized the organization’s impact.

“Our main effort and goal is that we work with youth and help to encourage and inspire them,” Shim said. “We do this based on the data that is known for our African American youth and children of color, in particular, our male students, who tend not always to have those resources that they should have in place to help them gain success as they mature.”

Approximately 40 people attended the casual, appreciation-focused mixer, which also served as a successful recruitment opportunity.

Crawford said the organization recruited about 14 new members throughout the year and successfully re-engaged older members, bolstering its operational capacity and funding for field trips and free program lunches. And the gathering served to highlight CBMLA’s community values.

While the organization was founded in 1975 by men who saw a need for mentorship in the inner city, Crawford clarified that its scope extends beyond just African American youth.

“It reflects a group of men and women who are willing to give some of their time, effort, and their money towards the upliftment of the community,” he said, noting that the programs welcome Hispanic and Asian participants as well.

A highlight of the evening was the recognition of the exemplary dedication of former President Mark Anderson, who served in the leadership role from 2015 through 2024. Anderson was praised by current leadership for his phenomenal efforts to advance the organization’s mission. 

He took the role to give back to his community after retiring from his long-term career in postal services, including stints as postmaster in Detroit, Michigan; St. Louis, Missouri; and Los Angeles. 

He also worked in California for five years as a district manager, and with the Postal Service for about two years, half the time in the state of New Jersey and then in Delaware. 

Anderson called the CBMLA recognition a highlight of his career.

“We know we have careers, we have things that we’re doing, but we have a greater calling to give back and to influence the next generation,” Anderson said. “The impact that Welcome to Manhood is making is a real impact.”

Javon Hines, an 11th-grader at Da Vinci School, received the organization’s Dr. Donald Brown Servant Leadership Award. The award included a $500 stipend. 

The CBMLA’s future hinges on mentorship and brotherhood, according to Crawford, who noted the organization’s role in many single-parent homes by encouraging participants to do well in school. 

“We’re encouraging them to attend college. We’re encouraging them to look at career options,” Crawford said. 

Crawford expressed the hope that the holiday mixer made every member “realize how important each one is to the organization and the organization’s mission and that they feel appreciated and acknowledged and seen.”

CBMLA is a registered nonprofit that seeks continued community support through financial donations, membership, and volunteer mentors via their website, www.CBMLA.org