‘We Can’t Give Up on Our Youth’: Men of Southeast Raleigh Step Up to Mentor Next Generation
RALEIGH, NC – With July ushering in the peak season for violent crime, one grassroots group in Southeast Raleigh is working to flip the narrative—and protect the next generation of young Black men.
The Men of Southeast Raleigh, founded by longtime educator Anthony Pope, is a group of about 70 older Black men committed to mentorship, presence, and preserving community history in a rapidly gentrifying corner of the city.
“We can’t give up on our youth,” said Pope. “We’ve got to support them, guide them, and hopefully say something that helps them realize—it’s for their good.”
From Black Wall Street to Disconnection
Pope, 67, was born and raised in Southeast Raleigh. He remembers a time when the neighborhood was a hub of Black enterprise and communal care.
“If you go a couple blocks down Hargett Street—that’s where the original Black Wall Street was,” Pope said.
But today, he says that tight-knit village feel has started to erode, worn down by economic shifts, displacement, and changing family structures. “Back then, we had a village to raise children,” he said. “Now, it’s hard for a mother working two jobs to give a young man the time he needs.”
Rebuilding the Village, One Mentor at a Time
After retiring from education four years ago, Pope co-founded The Men of Southeast Raleigh alongside several childhood friends and former neighbors. The group’s mission: to be a steady, visible presence in the community and to serve as role models for boys and teens coming up behind them.
“We make sure a male presence is always there,” Pope said. “We’re in the schools, on the corners, at community events—just so the youth can hear us say, ‘What you’re doing is not right,’ and know someone is watching and cares.”
Their work includes:
- Mentorship and life guidance
- Collaborations with other community groups
- Hosting cultural events that honor the neighborhood’s history
- Showing up in spaces where young men need support
Summer Months Bring Urgency
As the calendar turns to July—when crime statistically spikes in urban centers across the country—Pope says the stakes couldn’t be higher.
“This generation has to continue the work we’ve started. We’ve put four years into this, and I don’t want it to go to waste.”
Whether they’re redirecting anger, affirming self-worth, or simply being present, Pope and his fellow mentors are fighting for their community—not through politics or protest, but through love, history, and accountability.
“This work is my calling now,” Pope said. “Because Raleigh is home—and we’re not giving up.”
For more information about The Men of Southeast Raleigh, click here.