program’s distinctive look: students receive the program’s signature red necktie and other professional attire and materials, creating a sense of pride and belonging. Academic and personal achievements are recognized with additional gear, including a branded sneaker, all made possible through partnerships with businesses and organizations across the country. “When these children come to the ALC in Washington, DC, live in a hotel, go to the White House, meet President Obama, meet Vice President Harris, that changes their whole block, whole school, whole church, whole family. The impact is huge,” Wilson said. Mentors are at the heart of it all, providing both one-on-one and group guidance. The program has even welcomed men in prison who volunteer to speak with
students during visits about the consequences of life choices.
including Udonis Haslem of the Miami Heat and Barrington Irving, the first Black pilot to fly solo around the world, were once also mentees themselves. “All came through the 5000 Role Models,” Wilson noted. “They all attest that if it were not for the program, they would not be where they are today.” Wilson points to Kionne L. McGhee, vice chairman of the Miami-Dade County Commission, as one of the program’s most notable mentees turned mentors. Labeled “emotionally handicapped” as a child, McGhee overcame a difficult start in life and has used his story to inspire and advocate for youth. His journey from struggling student to lawyer and elected official was so compelling that it became the inspiration for the 2025 film “The Reject.” McGhee has
remained deeply involved with the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project, even launching a satellite event to introduce mentees to environmental conservation work. “When I first went to the school board, it was 500 role models,” Wilson recalled. “Right now, if we were really truthful about this whole thing, it would be like 5 million, all over the United States and all over the world.” Today, the program reaches thousands of students, but Wilson remembers how difficult it was to get there. The initial expansion beyond her elementary school wasn’t easy. As the only Black member on the Miami-Dade School Board, Wilson faced resistance. “They knew nothing about prevention,” she said. “One board member said, we don’t have any money for anything like that.” Wilson said she stressed
“These are people who understand the mission,” Wilson said, noting that the program’s philosophy was shaped by leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Frederick Douglass. Over the years, mentors have also included nationally recognized figures. In 2024, Grammy-nominated artist and entrepreneur Rick Ross was inducted as a mentor. During his remarks at the program’s MLK Scholarship Breakfast, he encouraged mentees in the room to chase success with integrity. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be wealthy,” he told them. “It’s just the way you go about and do it.”
Some high profile role models,
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