OUR MISSION
To provide scholarship and educational support to African American male students in the pursuit of higher education.
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To provide educational and financial support to qualified community support organizations within the Hampton Roads community whose goals are to support and uplift the ongoing development of
African American males to become productive citizens in the community.
WHY WE ARE HERE
The G.W.C. Brown Legacy Education Fund, in association with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., provides mentoring to young boys of color out of a deep commitment to service, community, and preparing the next generation of leaders in Hampton Roads. Many of the professional men involved have personally benefited from mentorship, education, and opportunity, and they see it as both a responsibility and a calling to extend those same supports to today’s youth. Through cornerstone initiatives such as Go-to-High-School, Go-to-College and Project Alpha, the organization emphasizes academic achievement,
college readiness, personal responsibility, leadership development, and healthy decision-making. These programs are designed not only to improve outcomes, but to change mindsets—showing young boys that success is attainable through education, discipline, and purpose. By placing professional Black men in direct, consistent mentorship roles, the G.W.C. Brown Legacy Education Fund and Alpha Phi Alpha demonstrate positive examples of leadership, integrity, and service, while offering real alternatives to the limited pathways often presented in underserved communities. This work affirms that with guidance, accountability, and opportunity, young boys of color can grow into confident, capable leaders who will strengthen and uplift Hampton Roads for generations to come.
WHY IT MATTERS
Supporting young men of color through mentoring programs led by professional men—such as those organized by the G.W.C. Brown Legacy Education Fund in association with Alpha Phi Alpha—is critical to addressing long-standing inequities and expanding life opportunities. Young Black men face disproportionate involvement in the criminal legal system: although Black Americans comprise about 13 percent of the U.S. population, they account for roughly 37 percent of the incarcerated population, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Research has also shown that nearly one in three Black men in their twenties is under some form of correctional supervision, including incarceration, probation, or parole. These realities are often shaped by broader structural challenges. For example, data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that Black children are more than four times as likely as White children to live in single-mother households, which can limit access to consistent male mentorship and professional role models during critical developmental years.
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Extensive research demonstrates that higher educational attainment significantly reduces the likelihood of arrest, incarceration, and premature death. Economists studying education and crime have found that increased years of schooling—particularly high school completion—are associated with substantial reductions in arrest and incarceration rates, with especially strong effects for Black males. Education is also linked to improved employment prospects, better health outcomes, and lower exposure to violence, all of which contribute to longer life expectancy. Mentoring programs that emphasize academic achievement, college readiness, and personal accountability have been shown to increase school engagement, strengthen self-esteem, and reduce risky behaviors. National mentoring research consistently finds that young people who have strong, supportive relationships with adult mentors are more likely to stay in school and avoid contact with the justice system.
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In this context, the work of the G.W.C. Brown Legacy Education Fund in association with Alpha Phi Alpha is especially powerful. By pairing young boys with professional men who reflect their cultural background and lived experience, these programs provide guidance, stability, and tangible examples of success. Such mentorship helps counter negative stereotypes,
builds social capital, and reinforces the importance of education as a pathway to opportunity. Ultimately, supporting these young boys is an investment in safer communities, stronger families, and a more equitable future—one where young men of color are empowered not just to survive, but to lead and thrive
HOW MUCH HAVE WE DONE?
(SINCE 2010)
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
DONATE NOW
WE ARE ASKING THAT YOU PARTNER TO AID THOSE WITHIN THE GREATER HAMPTON ROADS REGION TO MATERIALLY TRANSFORM YOUNGS MENS POTENTIAL INTO LEGACY
ADDRESS
GWC BROWN LEGACY EDUCATION FUND
436 W. 35TH STREET
NORFOLK, VA 23501