Meet Jermayne Myers, 2024 Jefferson Award winner

Jermayne Myers and his twin brother Jamarr started looking for ways to give back and help men of color in Rochester.

They started with a bi-monthly magazine. Pop-up events catered to Black and brown men followed.

In 2018, the first Black Men Achieve Awards were created to honor men in both the public and private sectors, highlighting the contributions of men who felt unseen in the past.

The brothers also began to focus on Rochester’s youth, taking to hear Frederick Douglass’ message that “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

With that, the Black Men Achieve Youth Mentorship Program launched in 2019. More than 800 young men between the ages of 8 and 21 have received guidance, support, and nurturing.

Learn more about Myers’ commitment to cultivating our youth into good citizens at 5:30 p.m. May 16 on News10NBC.