Alphonso Mayo

Alphonso “Mayo” is a first-generation college graduate and the Founder and CEO of Mentoring Mentors Inc., a nonprofit organization that develops and teaches youth the importance of self-development, leadership, integrity, accountability, and a passion for serving the community.

Mayo overcame significant challenges in his own life, including growing up in poverty, being labeled with a learning disability, and being socially promoted without earning his grades. However, he persevered and graduated from high school in the top 10% of his class, and later earned a bachelor's degree in counseling and human services from Stevenson University and a certification in nonprofit management from Johns Hopkins University.

Mayo is a passionate advocate for youth and believes that everyone has the potential to succeed. He is a frequent speaker at schools and community events, and his story has been featured in several publications.

"I am a Baltimore native who has overcome immense challenges, born to a drug-addicted mother and an incarcerated father. Days of relying on free school lunches as my only meal and facing police discrimination have shaped my resilience. Enduring physical, verbal, and emotional abuse, coupled with learning disabilities, I was socially promoted and entered high school reading at a first-grade level. Yet, I defied the odds, teaching myself to read, graduating in the top 10 percent, and fulfilling my promise to be the first college graduate in my family. Despite community ostracization for not engaging in drugs or gangs, I'm proud of my achievements."

Founder and CEO, Mentoring Mentors