Newsom launches initiative to support young men

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling on men across California to step up as mentors, coaches and tutors as part of an effort to support young men who are struggling with isolation and disconnection.

This week, the governor kicked off the Men’s Service Challenge, a statewide initiative with a goal of recruiting 10,000 men to volunteer in their communities. The program builds on an executive order Newsom signed earlier this year to address the well-being of boys and young men.

“We have a crisis in this country of men and boys,” Newsom said during an event at a Sacramento high school. “For decades we’ve neglected it because some of us have been scared to enter into the fray — because somehow we felt it was a zero-sum game…that somehow if we’re focusing on the needs of boys and men, we’re taking away from our advocacy around gender equality.”

Newsom highlighted growing research that reveals young men are becoming increasingly disconnected from school, work, and relationships.

A 2021 survey from the Survey Center on American Life found that 28% of men under 30 reported having no close social connections..

The governor also highlighted concerns about mental health and suicide. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, men account for nearly 80% of suicides in the U.S.

“This notion of being seen and heard is profoundly important at a time when people don’t feel seen,” Newsom said. “We have an epidemic of loneliness.

For 22-year-old Bart Renderos, having a mentor in high school was life-changing. When Renderos faced food insecurity and shouldered the responsibility of caring for his siblings while his single mother worked two jobs, a mentor stepped in to provide resources and emotional support.

“Having someone to talk to, someone who could check up on me through tough times, made all the difference,” Renderos said.

That experience inspired him to become a mentor with the Sacramento-based nonprofit Improve Your Tomorrow, which helps young men of color pursue higher education.

Renderos says many of his peers don’t have a clear direction in life, which is why he answered the call to serve as mentor and he hopes others will do the same.

Newsom’s remarks also touched on the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed last week during a speaking event in Utah. The governor, who hosted Kirk as the first guest on his podcast earlier this year, condemned the shooting as “disgusting, vile, and reprehensible.”

He said the tragedy underscored the urgency of engaging with young men before feelings of alienation or despair turn into violence.

The governor also shared that his own son called him after hearing about the shooting, asking if Kirk was alive. “That was very impactful,” he said, adding that the event sparked difficult conversations in classrooms across California.

Californians interested in volunteering can find opportunities to mentor, coach or tutor through a variety of community organizations. More information is available at www.mensservicechallenge.com.