1 Brotherhood Empowered

Invest in the Next Generation of Leaders

Joshua grew up along Richmond Highway surrounded by challenges many young people face but few talk about openly, drug addiction in his community, gun violence, and the trauma that comes from witnessing it all too often. For many young men growing up in communities like his, it can feel like the systems around them were designed for them to fail. 

Everything changed one afternoon after football practice.

Without a ride home, Joshua’s teammate offered him a ride, not home, but to a meeting. Curious (and convinced by the promise of pizza), Joshua climbed into a crowded SUV with a group of guys he barely knew. That ride led him to 1 Brotherhood Empowered, a teen leadership program that would change his life. 

When Joshua walked into the room, he saw something he had never experienced before: a group of young men his age sitting together discussing ways they could improve their community. 

Week after week, Joshua and his brothers began planning community events, developing leadership skills, learning about mental health, and building a supportive space where young men could grow and lead together. What started as a meeting became a mission. 

Today, 1 Brotherhood Empowered has grown from 6 founding members to more than 30 active teen leaders. Together, they serve over 50 teens each month and reach more than 500 youth annually through leadership development, mentoring, community events, mental health conversations, college exposure, and cultural enrichment experiences.

Through the Brotherhood, Joshua helped organize youth events, launch a podcast amplifying the voices of teens on Richmond Highway, and develop the confidence to lead in his community. Today, his goal is not to escape his community, but to pursue higher education so he can return with resources to support the next generation, just as mentors did for him. 

Stories like Joshua’s are why LAZERA Ministries created 1 Brotherhood Empowered, and why the program continues to grow.

Through Spring2ACTion, we are raising funds to strengthen the infrastructure needed to sustain this impact, including program leadership and operational support that allows the program to expand responsibly and support more teens.

Your Gift Makes an Impact

$50 – Keep Youth Voices Amplified
Supports one month of podcast production tools, allowing teens to share their stories, ideas, and perspectives with the community.

$100 – Empower Youth Leadership in Action
Provides stipends for mentors and teen leaders facilitating workshops, speaking engagements, and community conversations.

$250 – Remove Barriers to Opportunity
Covers transportation for teens to attend college visits, leadership events, and enrichment experiences.

$500 – Build Brotherhood & Growth Experiences
Supports one teen’s participation in our annual spring leadership retreat focused on healing, connection, and leadership development.

$1,000 – Expand Outreach & Youth Engagement
Funds six months of outreach and marketing efforts to recruit new teens, promote events, and elevate youth voices across Richmond Highway.

$2,500 – Strengthen Program Operations
Supports essential program coordination, supplies, and logistics that ensure weekly sessions, mentorship, and events run consistently and effectively.

$5,000 – Sustain Program Leadership
Provides two months of program management support to coordinate mentorship, partnerships, youth programming, and community engagement.

$10,000 – Invest in Program Growth & Infrastructure
Helps expand capacity by funding part-time staffing, systems, and infrastructure needed to serve more teens while maintaining quality and impact.

Your gift directly fuels leadership development, mentorship, and opportunity for the next generation.