When 22 students from South Florida traveled to Manhattan this summer, they went expecting workshops, new connections and a wider view of what their futures could hold. They returned with something more: national recognition.

At its 40th Annual Conference, held June 17–21, 100 Black Men of America named the 100 Black Men of South Florida its 2026 Medium Chapter of the Year. The award recognizes the chapter’s work in mentoring, education, leadership development and community service. But chapter leaders say the honor belongs to a much larger circle.

President Pierre E. Rutledge credited the mentors and volunteers who give their time, along with the parents, partners and supporters who help sustain the organization’s programs. For the chapter, founded in 1989, mentorship is less a single activity than a long-term commitment.

That approach is visible in the Dr. Harold E. Guinyard Leadership Academy. Young men gather twice a month for lessons in financial literacy, conflict resolution, academic achievement and leadership. They also encounter STEM fields, explore careers and participate in service projects.

The chapter’s reach extends further, through middle-school mentoring, college-based programs, summer academies focused on law and health sciences, and annual food and holiday initiatives.

One student’s achievement offered a particularly personal measure of that work. Chai Footman II, a Leadership Academy participant and recent dual-enrollment graduate of high school and Broward College, was named the 2026 National Mentee of the Year. Footman also received a full-tuition Posse Foundation leadership scholarship and plans to attend Franklin & Marshall College.

An official video from 100 Black Men of America commemorates the South Florida chapter’s recognition:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OI_BtzwSz4

Awards can mark a moment. The work behind this one has taken decades—one Saturday session, one conversation and one young leader at a time.