By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
Last Friday, The Breakfast Group hosted its 34th Annual Tie-One-On Luncheon at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle. Established in 1976, The Breakfast Group is the oldest non-fraternity, all-male African American organization in the Pacific Northwest. This nonprofit comprises civic-minded and professional Black men dedicated to mentoring and addressing challenges faced by at-risk youth of color, with a particular focus on Black males. Their primary goal is to support low-income youth of color in achieving educational objectives and to engage closely with the community’s highest-risk young men.
The luncheon serves as a “rite of passage” for approximately 85 young men who complete the Project M.I.S.T.E.R. Program or are selected by school staff for participation. Each student is paired with a business or professional community member who acts as their host for lunch. During the event, mentors exchange business cards with students and encourage future contact. Each student receives a necktie and a dress shirt, symbolizing their passage into adulthood. The “rite of passage” is marked when mentors teach the students how to tie the necktie.
Amidst a three-course meal, the event featured special guest speakers, including Seattle Public School Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones as the keynote speaker, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown, and Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka, among others.
“So, this time-honored event is so essential to confirming the African American men’s commitment to the young African American men in this community, in their evolution, in their transformation,” said Dr. Jones. “I so appreciate what the Breakfast Group has done since 1976, to really try to find ways to add value, to uplift and to really create the conditions for our African American young men to thrive.”
Mayor Harrell expressed his honor in attending the event, highlighting it as an example of Seattle’s commitment to community support.
“I am really honored to be here with these fine young men, who to be mentored by these fine older brothers,” he said. “This is Seattle at its best in terms of giving back to these young men and who need this type of mentors in their lives, so I am really proud to be here.”
The luncheon provides a safe and transformative environment where young Black men can interact with successful Black men, offering them positive role models to learn from and emulate as they transition into adulthood.
“The Project Mister and the Breakfast Group is an amazing opportunity to keep our young Black men in this city in a nice safe culture, a nice safe and comfortable environment, where they can see themselves, where they can thrive and know that they are our future leaders of the city,” said Dwane Chappelle, Director of Seattle’s Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL). “This event for me is something that I look forward to every year but most importantly it is for these young men to make sure that they have the support system here in Seattle. So, I always look forward to this and I love what the Breakfast Group is doing.”
Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka, representing District 1, shared his pride in being part of the event and supporting the young men as they embark on the next stages of their journey.
“I am incredibly proud of these young men. I am honored to be here today,” he said. “Today marks an opportunity for us to make a transition as individuals and as a community and I have been a part of this event for 10 years since I’ve been to my first one. Even now I am honored to come and support and be an advocate and cheerleader of these young men as they take on the next stage of their journey.”
For Romaree Fleeks, a senior at Rainier Beach High School who will play college football in California next year, the event was inspiring.
“This is a great event, I met a lot of good people, learned a lot of new things in general,” he said. “Becoming a man, being around successful men, who have been to college, in fraternities and being a part of a brotherhood that has enticed me to do that and I loved the conversations and knowledge these men gave to me.”
The Breakfast Group’s Project M.I.S.T.E.R. Program, which stands for Male Involvement & Service to Encourage Responsibility, is a school-based initiative operating in several Seattle high schools. The program focuses on life skills education, employment preparation, and personal responsibility, aiming to empower young men to achieve their highest potential. Through mentorship and structured curriculum, the program addresses the unique challenges faced by young African American men, providing them with the tools and support necessary for success.
Source: Seattle Medium
