News
What's Happening at MB2M?
Support our Spring Appeal!
My first few months as Executive Director have been incredibly inspiring. I want to thank our community for the amazing outpouring of well wishes as
Announcing our new Executive Director, Bruce King
We are thrilled to announce that Bruce King has joined us as our new Executive Director! Bruce is an activist, advocate, and public speaker who
Announcing 2024 Training Institutes
We are pleased to announce our first Training Institutes in 2024! We will be traveling across the state again this year, teaching people how to
2023 Impact Report
Check out our 2023 Impact Report! Huge shout out to all of you that joined one of our programs or paved the way to bring
Changes and opportunities
Dearest friends and supporters, For eight years, I have been honored to serve our community through Maine Boys to Men’s critical mission and programs. Partnering
Have you heard of the Continuum of Harm?
This #GivingTuesday, we’d like to share a little bit about the Continuum of Harm and why we teach it as a violence prevention tool. The
July 8, 2021
Introducing Our New Program Specialist
We are pleased to welcome Jordan Hebert as our new Program Specialist and Facilitator. Jordan embodies Maine Boys to Men’s mission every day in his professional and personal life, and will be a fantastic addition to our program team.
Jordan writes, “After six months of an incredible internship with Maine Boys to Men, an internship that afforded me profound personal and professional growth, I am overjoyed to share that I have accepted the role of Program Specialist.
“This is such a humbling transition for me because I am joining a team of individuals who I look up to and admire. The authentic experiences that resonate from the programs MB2M delivers is a reflection of the staff’s own genuine benevolence and compassion. I am so grateful for this opportunity to align my passions for social justice and human rights with the righteous mission of advancing gender equity and healthy masculinity.
“I’m excited to collaborate with all of our stakeholders, including our youth, parents and families, youth-serving adults, schools, community organizations and partners, and this amazing team at MB2M to move this mission forward together!”
Jordan has extensive experience working with youth. In the past, he has worked within school settings, coached basketball, and individually tutored and mentored students. He is deeply passionate about elevating youth voice and scaling youth leadership. During a six-month internship with MB2M, Jordan facilitated with skill and compassion our virtual high school programming, our Educators and Coaches program, and our Fatherhood program.
June 25, 2021
Summer is for RSVP
Do you know a Middle or High School student who is interested in a unique leadership education opportunity this summer?
We are pleased to be offering three sessions of our youth-focused, youth-informed Reducing Sexism & Violence Program (RSVP)™ for middle and high schoolers in July. This is the only opportunity this year for youth to experience RSVP outside of the school environment.
RSVP is fast-paced, fun, and interactive. Through a variety of activities, participants will engage with and discuss important topics while discovering new information about themselves and their peers. We will explore societal pressures and narrow definitions of gender and how both can lead to a culture of self-harm, disrespect, harassment, and violence. Topics also include healthy relationships, setting boundaries, and communication skills.
Participants will leave better prepared to navigate the pressures of adolescence and with knowledge they can use to help make their school communities safer and more inclusive. This workshop empowers students to play a central role in confronting sexist attitudes and behaviors that are limiting and harmful to everyone.
All Sessions will take place at STARS Learning Cooperative in Freeport. Cost is $100 per session. Youth participants will have FUN, be challenged in new ways, and learn tools to make their communities safer and stronger.
Middle Schoolers (male-identified youth age 11-14)
Session 1 – July 12-14, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Session 2 – July 19-21, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
High Schoolers (all genders age 14-18)
July 26-28, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
To sign up, contact STARS Learning Cooperative directly at info @ stars-success.com. Space is limited! For more information about RSVP, get in touch with us at info @ maineboystomen.org.
May 11, 2021
New Roles, Familiar Faces
It is with pleasure that we share some exciting role changes within our program team at Maine Boys to Men.
Chris Kelleher is shifting to a new role as the first ever Training Institute Program Manager. He will begin to assume full lead over our Modern Masculinity Training Institute expansion, including marketing, development, and delivery. Chris’s extensive work experience over the past seven years with Maine Boys to Men positions him well to lead this program growth. Chris is a trusted and highly respected member of the Maine community. Expansion work is not new to Chris; since 2015, he has assisted as we have grown to include collaboration with various at-risk and in-risk service providers in Portland. In addition, over the last three years, he has developed and delivered new programming in collaboration with the New Mainer community.
Chris says, “The work that we do as a team is so close to my heart and I am pleased to be able to share our programming with an ever-expanding reach of communities. Ending gender-based violence and working towards equality and safety for all in communities continues to be a passion of mine. I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such an amazing team as we look collectively towards the future and growth of this important organization.”
Danny Mejia will lead our program team as the new Program Director. While at college, Danny became committed to the work of ending male violence, leading a weekly men’s discussion group on topics of masculinity affecting the community. Soon he began working with Maine Boys to Men as a summer intern and his research informed the development of our middle and high school programming. Upon graduation, he became a program facilitator, and then joined us full time as a program specialist. Danny has led our Coaches and Educators trainings and Youth Advisory Council and he played a key role over the last year in shifting our programming to online delivery. Danny is a strategic thinker and can problem solve with ease. He is uniquely capable of delivering quality programming in the present while simultaneously envisioning the future, making him a great fit for our ever-evolving programs.
Danny says, “I have seen firsthand the impact our programming has on young people and i remain committed to reducing gender-based violence in our community, specifically male-violence towards self and others. I believe that through a broader understanding of what masculinity is and isn’t, we can encourage boys and men to step away from harmful gender stereotypes and create safer communities for all. I am energized to grow our programming and continue our invaluable work!”
Maine Boys to Men is grateful to both Chris Kelleher and Danny Mejia for their willingness to step forward and lead impactful programming and for their courageous commitment to ending male violence and self-harm.
April 30, 2021
Support from the Maine Masons
We are so honored to have received a grant from the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation! The grant will help support our train-the-trainer work, in which we help youth-serving adults from Maine bring our trademarked Reducing Sexism and Violence Program (RSVP) curriculum to their communities.
You can read more about our train-the-trainer program, called the Modern Maculinity Training Institute, here.