500 Men Making A Difference celebrated the 10-year anniversary of their Black Men’s Brunch (BMB) on Saturday at the Simpson Restaurant & Bar in Brooklyn. Mayor Eric Adams, who started the event, was in attendance.
The BMB is a community-building, mentoring event that patronizes small businesses citywide. Born from an idea by Adams, the gathering is a community-building initiative geared toward bringing together impactful organizations and the men of the city to work together to provide top tier mentoring, internships, programs and opportunities for young Black and Brown men in the city.
“We’ve stumbled onto a village of men that care about these communities … this city, and we are seeing how working together we can do great things,” said Cyriac St.Vil, Vice president, 500 Men Making A Difference, and Coordinator/Host of the BMB.
Over the years, the BMB has mentored more than 200 young men, spent more than $30,000 at local establishments and helped form meaningful bonds between men of all ages. The topics discussed range from education, finance and investment, mental health and wellness, and the future of tech.