A diverse group of young adults in a classroom or conference room, some wearing masks, posing for a group photo.

Mission

Our mission is to empower, validate, and nurture black and brown adolescent boys through a targeted values-based curriculum and intentional mentorship to promote equity within the Juvenile Justice system

Vision

We envision a world in which black and brown boys are persistent, self-aware leaders with the authority to leave a positive longstanding footprint amongst society.

Values Statement

We mentor intentionally, ensuring we take time to fully understand our mentee’s purpose. We create space for their individual success while aiding them in their push through adversity. We accomplish this while having a deliberate focus on celebrating authenticity and having a mentee first model.

7 Core Values

  • Visionary Goal Setting

    Members will learn to envision their futures and to make clear connections between their current behaviors, attitudes, and values to their vision. 

  • Self-determination

    Members will learn the importance of focus and perseverance for reaching one’s goals while facing self-defeating feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that can become obstacles or barriers to goal attainment.

  • Presentation

    Members will learn the necessary skills to dress for success, understanding the importance of the world’s perception of them, and how to properly carry themselves in any setting. 

  • Accountability

    Members will learn how to take ownership of their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors while also learning that a man does not project or put blame onto others for the consequences of his own bad decisions. 

  • Integrity

    Members will learn to identify their core values, reflect on their actions, and understand the importance of ensuring that the two align in every space that they enter. 

  • Positive Emotion Expression

    Members will learn how to identify and face their traumas, pain, and faulty thinking patterns that cause them to act in destructive manners.

  • Respect for women

    Members will dissect their personal views towards women and relationships, and taught how to leverage their position to, not only empower, but value the women in their lives.

About Our Program

We believe young men of today can work to improve all these values.

  • Sessions occur on Saturdays from 11am - 2pm.

    Outside of these sessions, there are opportunities for mentees to be assigned a mentor who will meet with them on a monthly basis

  • Sons of Sophistication prides itself on providing programming free of charge to the families we serve. Thank you to our dedicated sponsors, community supports, and donors for helping us make this happen.

  • Customized Curriculum and Instruction: Programming is curated to the needs of our mentees and promotes mentee’s growth in social, emotional, prosocial, and academic/career development.

    Opportunities to be paired with a mentor: SOS operates in a manner where sessions are structured in a group mentorship setting. Mentees can be paired with a mentor who meets with them outside of session time and supports them towards their goals.

    Complimentary Laptop Access: If programming is needed, SOS provides laptops to support mentee’s needs.

    Connection to resources and service providers: During the intake process, a needs assessment is conducted to establish what supports SOS can provide for the family vs those that require a referral to one of our partners.

  • Saturday sessions are hosted in the Third Ward. SOS typically services youth in the surrounding areas (between Sunnyside and Fifth Ward).

    Families outside of the service areas can be a part of programming, however, we are unable to support with transportation concerns.

  • Sons of Sophistication serves Black and Brown young men ages 14–18 and their families in Houston’s Third Ward, Fifth Ward, and Southwest communities.

  • Mentors are predominately Black and Brown men between the ages of 18-35 who reside in the Houston, TX area.

    Mentors must be able to pass a background check.