Village Talks Ep. 33 — Marcus Strother with MENTOR California on"Building a Mentoring Ecosystem That Actually Works"

Building a Mentoring Ecosystem That Actually Works

Featuring Marcus Strother, Executive Director of MENTOR California

There’s something powerful about hearing someone say, “I’m just a kid from Kankakee.”

Not because it sounds humble.
But because it reminds you that the people leading national movements… often started in the same places as the young people they’re trying to reach.

That’s how Marcus Strother shows up.

Not as a distant executive.
Not as someone speaking from theory.
But as someone who has spent nearly three decades in the work—classroom teacher, school leader, district administrator, and now Executive Director of MENTOR California—focused on one thing:

Helping adults show up better for young people.

The Real Problem Isn’t Just Youth… It’s Adult Readiness

We spend a lot of time talking about what young people need.

Programs.
Opportunities.
Interventions.

But Marcus said something that stuck:

“We’re really good at creating programming for young people…
but we don’t always make sure the adults in front of them are ready.”

That’s the gap.

Because mentoring isn’t just showing up.
It’s a skill.

And when adults aren’t supported, trained, or even healed, the relationship can break down before it ever becomes impactful.

MENTOR California flipped that focus.

Instead of asking only, “How do we help kids?”
They’re asking, “How do we prepare adults to actually connect?”

Six Million Young People… No Single Organization Can Do That Alone

California has over six million young people.

Let that sit for a second.

No single organization—no matter how strong—can reach that number alone.

So instead of competing, Marcus and his team built something different:

An ecosystem.

Not a program.
Not a brand-first movement.
But a connector.

They’re bringing together:

• School districts

• Community-based organizations

• Faith groups

• Sports teams

• State leadership

And asking one simple question:

How do we act like a village… for real?

The “Secret Sauce” Isn’t Ownership — It’s Collaboration

In a space where organizations often feel like they have to be “the one,” Marcus offered a different mindset:

“There’s no need to be the big dog…
There are too many young people for that.”

Instead, MENTOR California:

• Lifts up organizations already doing great work

• Connects partners across regions

• Shares what’s working (instead of keeping it siloed)

• Anchors everything in research-backed mentoring practices

And then adds one more layer:

Convening power.

They make it easier for people to find each other… and work together.

What Happens When Mentoring Becomes a Movement

This is where things start to shift.

Because when you move from isolated programs to connected ecosystems, new doors open.

Marcus shared examples that feel almost unreal—but they’re not:

• Youth getting behind-the-scenes access to professional sports organizations

• Mentors being publicly recognized and celebrated year-round

• Partnerships forming with organizations like the Golden State Valkyries and major tech brands

• A statewide initiative aiming to recruit 10,000 men as mentors, coaches, and volunteers

Not because one organization did it alone.

But because alignment creates momentum.

A Message for Every Small Mentoring Organization

At one point, we talked about something real:

There are organizations—especially in cities like Chicago—doing incredible work…
but feeling overlooked.

No big partnerships.
No major visibility.
No access.

Marcus didn’t sugarcoat it.

He said two things:

1. Do the work… but also tell the story

“You can have a great engine…
but you still need the shiny car.”

That means:

• Share your impact

• Write about your work

• Get on podcasts

• Tag people

• Show up consistently

Not for attention.
But for access.

Because people can’t support what they don’t see.

2. Stop only asking for money

This one hit.

“Currency can look different.”

Sometimes the win isn’t a check.

It’s:

• Visibility

• Access

• Credibility

• A logo next to a major partner

• An experience for your students

Those moments compound.

And over time, they open doors money alone can’t.

The Bigger Vision: Mentoring as Infrastructure

If Marcus had a magic wand, he didn’t say “more funding.”

He went somewhere deeper:

Teacher preparation.

Because teachers are mentors… whether we call them that or not.

And if we equipped every educator with:

• Relationship-building skills

• SEL understanding

• Trauma-informed practices

We wouldn’t just improve mentoring.

We’d transform schools.

Final Thought: “Life Data Matters”

There’s a phrase Marcus uses:

“Life data matters.”

Not just grades.
Not just attendance.
Not just outcomes.

But the full story of a young person.

Who they are.
What they’ve experienced.
What they need.

That’s what mentoring is really about.

And when you combine that with the right adults, the right systems, and the right collaboration…

You don’t just change programs.

You change trajectories.