Who is Everett D. Browning Sr.?

SPOTLIGHT

Who Is Everett D. Browning Sr.?

Article By Alyson Turner

Mr. Everett D. Browning Sr. is a leader and man who makes it his mission daily to help our community. He currently serves as the Executive Vice President of 100 Black Men Prince George’s County Chapter, Inc. and their head of Public Policy. He is the founder of the Coalition of Minority Business Owners (C.O.M.B.O), ran for State Senate in 2018, owns a business, works with veterans in the area, is a veteran himself. Mr. Browning tells us about his 100 chapter, “We are a non-profit organization. Our chapter is one of roughly 110 chapters around the country and around the world. 100 Black Men, INC has been around for over 55 years with the mission of empowering minority youths in our community. Black men in successful professional careers including doctors, lawyers, business owners and those in other professions come together to create a better path for future generations and to better the community. We have four focus areas: Mentoring, Education, Economic Empowerment, and Health and Wellness. There are chapters all over the world with men who have a similar fight to protect our communities; not only young people, but their parents as well. Our 100 Way theme is “Mentoring across a lifetime.”

Mr. Browning credits his father (the past President of the Peninsula Hampton Roads Chapter) and the program for shaping him into the man he is today. “I was around strong mentors as a young person, then I served 21 years in the military and I started my own DoD Consulting business. During my military career I saw so many minority young adults who should have been in college if only someone had really invested in them. I was a teenage father, and a single father for a time, and it has been a blessing to me to see men who are pillars of our community invest in young people. We like to say, ‘What they see, is what they will be.’ We really try to show these kids the value in themselves and what they can achieve,” he says, “The

100 Black Men County, Inc – Prince George’s Chapter Signature Programs & Events

Saturday Leadership Academy – The primary mentoring vehicle each Saturday that is being held virtually currently. They serve over 75 to 100 kids both male and female from third grade to high school and provide them with general life skills and success skills.

Emerging 100 – Continuing the mentorship after graduation as college student go into the workforce and learn soft skills to mirror the education.

Financial Literacy & Investment Program – How to invest in the stock market and how to save money. Encourage the importance of financial health and stability.

100 Way Golf Program –Teaches kids the fundamentals of golf and the life skills that golf teaches you. It also shows kids that you can use golf as a networking tool in the business world.

Silicon100 Initiative – The stem program that teaches kids coding, stem skills and programming skills. The kids participate in robotic conventions across the state.

100 Pathways to Success – Helping kids get their first job and how to go into the workforce and make a good impression. “Mentees participated in a Shark Tank Competition as part of the Wells Fargo Sponsored Pathways to Success Program. A new breed of entrepreneur leaders are being prepared for financial and business careers.”

Boys Read Club – Partnership with the Suitland Library to encourage boys to read and to take away the stigma that reading isn’t “cool”.

Politics 101 – Co-Hosted a virtual event with local political leaders to teach kids about politics at a local level. Getting beyond the media and into real politics. This was an amazing thing to have events that create real conversations within the community.

100PrinceGeorges.org

personal involvement in the community is so important. In 2018, I ran for State Senate and while I didn’t win it was an amazing opportunity to get to know the community better and show our mentees and our kids that you can’t always wait for someone else to do things. You have to stand up for our community. Myself and the other members truly get involved to be a part of the solution.” One of the most satisfying parts of being a part of the 100 Black Men, Inc organization is seeing the kids succeed. “We help many of our kids get jobs and internships. Then, the employers will reach out and say, ‘Do you know any other kids like this?’ Parents will call us with pride saying that their kids are applying for college and changing their focus and their determination. They feel that they have purpose,” Mr. Browning says, “I am part of an incredible team. It is a team effort where everyone is working together and I am blessed to be a member of this chapter. I was nominated and elected to be the Executive Vice President which is a true honor coming from my peers. As our current chapter President Mr. Mike Lanier often says, “This is an elite organization, but we are not elitist.” We refuse to be mediocre and we are all about rolling up our sleeves to get things done whether that means picking kids up from school, feeding them, or working with them. Our greatest disappointment is that we cannot help more kids because of limited resources. We are always looking for more members to serve our kids and to gain corporate sponsorships and partners in order to serve more children.” The organization gives out $30,000 + in scholarships and rewards each year with the help of community partners. “We do fundraise and we have had amazing support from elected officials such as County Councilman Mel Franklin and Ms. Aisha Braveboy, State’s Attorney, has been a wonderful partner. Her commitment to the community and the job is amazing and humbling. A huge part of our success is our relationships with other mentoring organizations in the area and partnerships and cultivating relationships,” he tells us. Mr. Browning says it is greatest joy that his own children have grown and are doing well. “One of my daughters is a Special Education teacher in Baltimore, and my other daughter has her MBA and works for a real estate developer in Florida. One of my sons just earned his law degree and passed the Bar and my other son is a military veteran who is now a Jet Propulsion Technician, and I have four amazing grandkids. I served multiple combat tours in Iraq and I am a retired Navy Chief. God brought me home to help the community. I have been blessed beyond belief in my life.”

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