Creating next generation of Black male teachers a top mission for educator's nonprofit

When educator Curtis L. Lewis noticed he was the only Black, male teacher in a district of 20 elementary schools, he says he decided to do something about it.

"I began to think about what are some ways in which we can begin to shift this narrative. How do we begin to engage younger people, younger males, into the profession?" Lewis told ABC News.

In the United States, Black male teachers made up 1.3% of all teachers in K-12 grades in public schools for the 2020-2021 school year, according to data from the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS). That makes them the second least-represented demographic in teaching, with Asian men representing just 0.5% of all teachers.

Lewis, who holds a Ph.D., founded the Black Male Educators Alliance, or B.M.E.A, in 2017, a nonprofit that is dedicated to creating equitable educational environments where Black male educators and students can thrive.

"I began to focus on Michigan," Lewis said. "And so that sort of also helped to facilitate that sort of the idea and grow that idea. I was really hyper, you know, hyper-focused, focused on getting quality teachers, but also really wanting to see if there are ways to engage Black men."

As B.M.E.A. grew, Lewis and his educators implemented the Youth Leadership Development Program, which follows an intergenerational mentor model to increase math and literacy proficiency among Black and Brown male students in pre-K through fifth grades.

This program engages students in relevant issues that affect them directly. The goal is to help them develop essential leadership skills, including communication, collaboration, and creative problem-solving, which they will need as they grow older.

The B.M.E.A program currently has 77 high school mentors in the Youth Leadership Development Program and just under 250 elementary school mentees.

"We believe our Youth Leadership Development Program has many benefits, but one is to help rebuild a pipeline of Black males interested in becoming teachers," educator Joseph said. "And that program is an intergenerational model of mentoring, in which you have supervisors that serve as mentors and supervise the high school Black males who work in the local elementary schools."

The B.M.E.A. website states that the organization has a 100% retention rate for their Teacher and Principal Fellowships, as educators nationwide are committed to transforming education.

In Detroit, students feel the impact of B.M.E.A. and its programs. It's a ripple effect, with teachers influencing high school students and those same high school students becoming mentors for middle school students, according to Lewis.

"They help me grab my voice, like I know how to speak up for myself and speak up for others," high school student DeRick McCalebb said. "Now, especially since I've been around elementary students and I've noticed like to recognize when something's wrong and kind of stand up for that in a way."

The program is designed to positively impact students like McCalebb, who can go back and be a role model to younger students. Mentors on elementary school levels prepare kids for high school while at the same time recognizing their influence by simply being themselves while striving to be the best versions of themselves.

The B.M.E.A. website reports that 91% of students in the math fellowship have shown growth through various assessment tests. A summer program for 150 Black males in grades 2-11 also continues the year-round Youth Leadership Development Program. The program offers math intervention, social and emotional learning, and cultural and identity development, according to the B.M.E.A. website.

"It's a fun job to do," high school teacher Walter Mathis said. "Teaching is not really about the salary. Just seeing kids being inspired by, you know, look at it, me being a product in this community to, you know, give them the knowledge to say, OK, well, if he did it, I know I could do it, too. And so it is just a joy."