About Us

Our Mission

To Inspire and guide African American boys to pursue successful and productive futures through a “village” approach involving recreational activities, long-term mentorships, civic responsibility, leadership development, educational attainment, life-skills training, and career exploration.

About Us

We are a non-profit organization of an assembled team of committed parents. Our founder, Dr. Jennifer Gardner-Jordan incorporated on October 4, 2018 in Atlanta, GA. She and her husband have two boys. Being a mother of two boys, she was seeking an organization that would provide opportunities for African American boys from a holistic “village” approach encompassing social, economic, and identity development along with leadership opportunities, life-skills training, mentorship, employment/entrepreneurial programs, athletic/recreational programs, as well as spiritual growth, all in one place. Upon searching and inquiring fervently, she was unable to find it. As necessity is the mother of invention, The Boys’ Village was born.
Dr. Gardner-Jordan believes in the old African Proverb that it takes a village to raise a child. She experienced and benefitted greatly from the “village” approach.
Although she grew up in a loving Christian home with her dad, mom, and two little sisters, she considers it a blessing and a great opportunity to have been afforded a childhood where she was raised in the small town of Decatur, MS. With a loving and wise grandmother just across the street (who by the way lived to be 105.5 years old) and a small church community that was truly vested in the youth of the community through various youth leadership programs, 4-H club, etc., Dr. Gardner-Jordan was blessed and truly understands the significance of the village. While she recognizes that training starts in the home, it is critical that families have the support of the “village” to help reinforce those values. In these challenging times, our village has never been more essential than it is today. With many families having moved away from their home roots, due in part to job and/or educational opportunities, children are missing that part of the village. Young people today are inundated with a sundry of distractions competing for their attention in a negative fashion. We now live in a fast-paced, instant information, and pressure-packed world where youth are faced with a myriad of challenges and opportunities. As no one is isolated from bad, life-altering choices, we must look for potential dangers to our children, work together, and provide the tools needed in a safe and positive environment that will help our students make positive future choices that empowers them to succeed and be productive citizens, fathers, and family men in this world.

Our Goals

  • 1

    Prep African American boys to be productive adult citizens in society with a holistic development approach into manhood.

  • 2

    Change the trajectory of the futures of African American boys and build the type of collaborations and partnerships that go beyond the simple provision of mentoring to a more holistic focus on the socialization of healthy, principled, successful, and engaged citizens.

  • 3

    Provide a forum where African American boys are valued, nurtured, and engaged in all aspects of their lives, learning and working alongside their friends, family, and community members.