The Future Men of Distinction (FMOD) creates an environment for a select group of young men to empower themselves with knowledge necessary to be both pillars and positive contributors to society. Our mission is to develop a network of young men that embrace a level of brotherhood that bonds them for life.
The three principles of FMOD – Brotherhood, Knowledge and Service – are present in everything we do.
The path to empowerment is gained through self-mastery. FMOD utilizes education, entrepreneurship, economics and environment to establish this, and position it as an underlying element of the other principles. A critical component of this empowerment is brotherhood with the creation and respect for relationships among young men. We teach that without relationships there is no one to build, exchange, or learn with. Therefore, social, financial or political opportunities will not arise. The way we handle our relationships directly determines our opportunities.
Education is an important aspect of FMOD, as it encompasses critical thinking, skills acquisition as well as addressing and impacting community issues, and increasing the knowledge base and awareness of others on critical issues.
FMOD houses some of the brightest minds in the state. Students from seventh grade to high school seniors come together to share and learn from each other. FMOD hosts forums, community engagement initiatives and informational sessions that spotlight various concerns.
With an emphasis on youth development community service and self-mastery, education is at the heart of FMOD’s work.
Much discussion and time is given to the impact of academic knowledge on one’s life. We meld that dialogue with discussions about life experiences to give the young men perspective that is applicable to their daily lives. During our meetings, each young man is asked to give an update on their social and academic experiences. We then perform a root-cause analysis on any issues and talked about them in an open forum. Every conversation is not pleasant, but productive. Through FMOD, young men are held to a high standard, and are accountable for their actions. The focus is on developing habits that directly their scholastic achievement.
It is our job to teach young men to be aware of who they are and they are perceived in society. The world’s social climate shows us that young black men must be cognizant of themselves always because any situation may be about life or death.
FMOD grants our mentees the opportunity to learn from and converse with mentors and community leaders, while teaching critical skills through bi-weekly sessions covering an array of topics.
Classroom sessions take place from 10:00am to 1:00pm
This year’s theme is “Education and the Future of Work”. Over the course of the year, FMOD mentees will cover topics including :
| Date | Session Topic | Description |
| Sept 20th | FMOD Kickoff | Program intro and preview for parents and mentees |
| Oct 4th | Make it Make Cents | Real world personal finance |
| Oct 18th | College Prep | Tips and strategies to prepare for college |
| Nov 1st | Career Etiquette | Etiquette in cyberspace and the office |
| Nov 15th | Future of Work | Exploration of the careers of today and tomorrow |
| Dec 6th | Project Alpha | Discuss teen relationships, pregnancy, prevention and STDs |
| Dec 6th | Public Speaking | Interview and networking role-play |
| Dec 20th | Game Day | Board games, Video games, Basketball, etc. |
| Jan 10th | 2nd Semester Prep | Craft 2nd semester plan of action |
| Jan 17th | Day of Service | Food pantry volunteering |
| Jan 31st | HBCU Fair | Volunteer and participate in the fair |
| Feb 21st | Building with AI | Technology Workshop |
| March 7th | Project Alpha | Sexual health education |
| Mar 21st | College Tour | Tour of the Atlanta Universities |
| Apr 4th | Game Day | Board games, Video games, Basketball, etc. |
| Apr 18th | TBD | |
| May 2nd | End of Year Session | Yearly awards and program wrap-up |
Dress Code
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