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Improve Your Tomorrow

Updated: Nov 6

Closing the College Opportunity Gap for Young Men of Color


blue logo of young man wearing a graduation cap holding up diploma with the words improve your tomorrow underneath

Across California, the numbers tell a devastating story:


Only 70% of Black males and 77% of Hispanic males graduate high school. Fewer still enroll in college, and even fewer complete it.


These statistics aren’t reflections of potential — they’re reflections of systemic failure.


Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) was founded to change that story — not with theory, but with sustained, generational investment. Founded in 2013 by two men of color, IYT’s mission is simple but powerful: to increase the number of young men of color who attend and graduate from college.


From 17 students at one school to now serving thousands across California and beyond, IYT has become a national model for what’s possible when mentorship, education, and community work together to rewrite outcomes that were never meant to be fair.


Their Model: A 12-Year Commitment


chart showcasing the 12-year commitment that is dedicated to young men from middle school to college graduation

IYT doesn’t just show up for a season — they walk beside their scholars for 12 years, beginning in middle school and continuing through college graduation and early career. Their programs are built on four core pillars that reinforce one another through every stage of development:


  • Near-Peer Mentorship: College students serve as mentors, providing relatability, guidance, and lived proof that success is possible.

  • College Access & Advising: Scholars receive hands-on support navigating A–G requirements, financial aid, and applications.

  • Career Preparation: From internships to leadership development, IYT helps young men turn education into empowerment.

  • Leadership Development: Building changemakers who lead within their schools, communities, and professions.


What They Offer


Improve Your Tomorrow provides a robust continuum of programs designed to support young men of color from middle-school through college and early career transitions. Their services include:


  • Mentor Fellowship Program: Year-long paid fellowships for college students and recent graduates who mentor younger scholars, lead workshops, and support academic and life-skills development. 

  • College Access & Advising through IYT’s College Academy: Academic and leadership support that helps students complete A-G requirements, navigate financial aid, and prepare for higher education. 

  • Community College & University Support: Programs that support young men through community college and into four-year institutions, reducing drop-off and improving completion rates. 

  • Project RISE – Trauma-Informed Wrap-Around Services: A specialized program addressing students with high adverse childhood experience (ACE) scores, offering academic support, social-emotional mentoring, internships, and health/wellness-based practices. 

  • Leadership & Policy Engagement: Opportunities for scholars to engage in leadership development, civic education, advocacy, and career exposure beyond the classroom. 



Measurable Impact


chart showcasing the impact made on percentages of Hispanic and black men graduating high school and completing college

The results speak for themselves — proof that investment works:


  • Black IYT scholars graduate high school at a 99% rate (vs. 70% statewide).

  • Hispanic IYT scholars graduate at 100% (vs. 77% statewide).

  • College attendance: 78% for both Black and Hispanic IYT scholars (vs. 52–54% statewide).

  • A–G course completion: 57–59% for IYT scholars (vs. 33–36% statewide).

  • IYT isn’t just closing the college gap — they’re redefining what success looks like for young men who’ve been counted out by traditional systems.

How to Connect


Bay Area Region (serving middle schools, high schools, and colleges)

Contact via website to become a mentor, partner, or supporter


Partnership Acknowledgment


The organizations featured in our Miles of Connections profiles are part of a county-wide effort to advance health, healing, and well-being within Contra Costa’s Black communities. Along with The Miles Hall Foundation, twelve organizations received funding through Contra Costa County to expand culturally rooted care and community support.


This work is built from the voices of over 4,000 Black residents who shaped the vision for a stronger ecosystem of services. In response, on August 12, 2025, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the launch of what will become the Federal Glover African American Holistic Wellness and Resource Hub — a coordinated network of Black-led wellness services to be anchored in East County.


The Contra Costa Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice (ORESJ), in partnership with the East Bay Community Foundation, is supporting this first cohort of organizations to ensure services reach the community now while the Hub’s long-term infrastructure is built.


As part of this initiative, The Miles Hall Foundation leads the “Miles of Connections” outreach effort, helping residents learn about, access, and connect with these vital healing resources.


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