Jersey City, NJ — By Niko Chopper
The Boys to Leaders Foundation proudly hosted its 12th Annual Young Men’s Leadership Conference in partnership with New Jersey City University (NJCU) and its Men of Color Initiative on Saturday, October 25, 2025. This year’s conference, themed Leading with Purpose, welcomed young men from across New Jersey to the NJCU campus for a day of leadership development, mentorship, and empowerment.
The purpose of the annual conference is to train and inspire young men to become effective leaders in their schools, communities, and future careers. Through a series of interactive workshops and inspiring keynote sessions, participants gained valuable insight from accomplished community leaders and professionals. The conference featured several workshops on topics such as:
· Financial Literacy Workshop led by M&T Bank
· Minds Matter Workshop led by Donnell Pierre
· From Scholars to Leaders: The Men of Color Initiative Experience Panel Discussion led by Lenny Williams
The Keynote Speaker, Alvert Hernandez, Assistant Dean for the Center of Inclusive Excellence at Moravian University, shared his personal journey and spoke on the importance of resilience, academic persistence, and leadership grounded in purpose. Mr. Hernandez’s role at Moravian University focuses on student retention, first-generation and pre-college programs, first-year advising, and academic support. He is also a published author, national speaker, and higher education consultant.
This year also marked the launch of the VIP Table Host initiative, led by Boys to Leaders Foundation board member Goldin Martinez. The initiative paired students with accomplished community and business leaders for small-group mentorship and career guidance. Table hosts included Ivan Arrocho, Dr. Jamar Q. Chiles, Jeffrey Dessources, Amod Field, Walter Green, Dr. Daniel Jean, Benz Jean, Michael-Dann Joseph, Vladimir Sterlin, and Sharrod Young.
“At Boys to Leaders Foundation, our mission is to build a strong leadership pipeline for the next generation of men,” said Sara Peña, Founder and President of the Boys to Leaders Foundation. “Hosting this year’s conference in Jersey City for the first time allowed us to reach even more young men with the tools, mentorship, and inspiration they need to succeed. We are deeply grateful to our sponsors, partners, and volunteers for helping us continue this important work and empowering our youth to lead with purpose.”
The success of this year’s conference would not have been possible without the generous support of the organization’s sponsors and partners:
· Rutgers University–Newark, Center for Health Excellence and Community Empowerment, School of Public Affairs and Administration – Benefactor Sponsor
· North Jersey Federal Credit Union – Champion Sponsor
· Jersey City Public Schools – Community Partner
· New Jersey City University and Men of Color Initiative – Community Partner
· ASPIRA NJ – Community Partner
· Get Focused – Community Partner
· M&T Bank – Community Partner
To make a donation, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boys-to-leaders-foundation-donations-tickets-1596752623079?aff=oddtdtcreator
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About Boys to Leaders Foundation
The Boys to Leaders Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower, motivate, and inspire young men by providing leadership training, educational programs, and personal and professional development opportunities. The organization aims to unleash the full potential of young men while equipping them with the tools, confidence, and support they need to succeed.
To learn more about the Boys to Leaders Foundation or to support its mission, please visit www.boystoleadersfoundation.org.
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