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The Fellowship Initiative

TFI provides comprehensive and hands-on academic, social, and emotional support to Fellows, young men of color in high school who dedicate three years to the program.

The Fellowship Initiative (TFI)

The Fellowship Initiative, founded and funded by J.P. Morgan Chase in 2010 and in partnership with Vibrant Emotional Health since 2015, provides young Black and Brown masculine people access to opportunities through mentorship, skill and leadership development, and social and emotional care.

Each site employs one or more clinical youth leaders to provide enhanced, clinically-informed support, including care management services, crisis intervention, and social-emotional wellness workshops for Fellows, parents, caregivers, and staff. The clinical youth leaders serve 40 to 80 Fellows in their city, and most are master-level clinicians licensed in their respective fields. These clinicians also close the gap for Fellows and families with unmet needs by finding tangible support.

Clinical youth leaders are integral to the program; they build lasting relationships with the Fellows, their families, and community partners. These relationships lay the foundation for planning, programming, and support–connecting Fellows and families to long-term resources providing community wellness workshops, and forging meaningful crisis interventions. 

TFI has provided comprehensive and hands-on academic, social, and emotional support to more than 1,000 Fellows who dedicate themselves to the program from tenth grade through their first year post-high school. The program has maintained a 100% high school graduation rate and 100% college admission rate among graduating Fellows, more than half of whom are the first in their family to attend college.

TFI partners with community-based organizations that have adopted the TFI framework of college attainment mentorship in each of its seven cities. It now operates in Oakland, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Houston, and New York City. 

City-by-City Highlights

– New York City: Launched in 2010, the program is led by Brothers@, a nonprofit founded by a graduate of the first TFI cohort. Local partners include Bard College and Groundswell.

– Chicago: Launched in 2014, Youth Guidance leads the program. Local partners include Young Chicago Authors, and Chicago Scholars.

– Los Angeles: Launched in 2014, Social Justice Learning Institute leads the program. Local partners include Brotherhood Crusade and ScholarMatch.

– Dallas: Launched in 2017, the program is led by Big Thought. Additional local partners include The University of North Texas at Dallas and Young Leaders Strong Cities.

– Oakland: Launched in 2020, the program is led by Kingmakers of Oakland.

– Houston: Launched in 2020, the program is led by Discover U.

– Washington, D.C.: Launched in 2024, the program is led by Youth Guidance.

Cohort History
1st Cohort graduated 40 Fellows in 2013 from NYC.
2nd Cohort graduated 120 Fellows in 2017, from Chicago, LA, and NYC. 
3rd Cohort graduated 200 Fellows in 2020 from Chicago, NYC, LA, and Dallas. 
4th Cohort graduated 260 Fellows in 2023 from Oakland, LA, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, and NYC. 

Eligibility

Recruitment takes place every 3 years. The next recruitment date will be in the Summer of 2026. The Fellowship Initiative program at each site determines final eligibility, so please refer to each site for additional information about eligibility.

  • Resides in one of our seven sites (LA, Oakland, NYC, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, D.C.) 
  • Rising 10th grader committed to the 3-year program
  • Identifies as a person of color (Black and Brown)

Questions:
Please contact us directly by phone or email for further information about our program.  

Contact Information:
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 646-630-3211

 

“During my time with TFI, I overcame many academic and emotional obstacles. As a man of color, I was taught not to verbalize my emotions and to keep things bottled up— otherwise, I’ll be seen as weak. However, with the help of my TFI brothers, counselor, and mentors, I was able to normalize voicing my emotions and seek help when I needed it.” Brendan, Chicago What’s Next: Attending Oberlin College, getting my Ph.D. in Public Policy and Urban Education, Law School, and one day running for office.
"The Fellowship Initiative at Vibrant Emotional Health provides social and emotional wellness support to Black and brown boys nationwide. We create brave and affirming spaces for our Fellows and families that reinforce the strength and depth of the relationships between Youth Specialists and Fellows. Partnering with youth and families informs us of unmet needs, showing us where we can collaborate and continue breaking down barriers.” Damon Watson Vibrant TFI Program Director
"I've never had a more rewarding position than to watch black and brown young men and families break the stigma of mental health. To hear and watch them go from, "I don't trust therapists," to "I know I can come to TFI Staff for help if I need it," is monumental. Being a Youth Specialist for TFI allows me to live in my passion of uplifting, building, and empowering others to seek and understand their place in their homes, in the world, and most importantly, within themselves. I love what I do!" Donae Patrick, LPC Dallas Youth Specialist
“One of my favorite parts about my role as a Youth Specialist at The Fellowship Initiative is the partnership we developed with our families. We acknowledge that parental involvement is significant to academic success. We work collaboratively with our families from day one to ensure they are active supporters of their children’s college planning. Upon completion of the three-year TFI program, our families have an increased knowledge and awareness about college planning, a sense of confidence in their ability to engage in conversation regarding higher education, and an expanded network of people and resources that can continue support their children in college.” Mayra Perez Gonzalez, LCSW,MBA Los Angeles Youth Specialist
“Una de mis partes favoritas de mi función como Especialista de Jóvenes en el programa The Fellowship Initiative es la relación que desarrollamos con nuestras familias. Reconocemos que la participación de los padres es importante para el éxito académico. Trabajamos en colaboración con nuestras familias desde el primer día para garantizar que apoyen activamente la planificación universitaria de sus hijos. Al finalizar el programa de tres años de The Fellowship Initiative, nuestras familias tienen un mayor conocimiento sobre la planificación universitaria, mas confianza en su capacidad para entablar conversaciones sobre la educación universitaria y una red ampliada de personas y recursos que pueden continuar apoyando a sus hijos en la universidad.” Mayra Perez Gonzalez, LCSW,MBA Especialista en Juventud