By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the AFRO
Black men in Washington, D.C. are working hard to positively influence young Black boys in need of mentors. As crime falls in the District and in surrounding areas, the Rev. Franklyn Malone, CEO and founder, 100 Fathers Inc., says the time is now to help youths in their battle to stay on the right path.
“We started with five young men earlier this year, but the group has quickly grown to 18,” said Malone, whose nonprofit organization serves as one of the major sponsors for weekly sessions with Black boys at Friendship Collegiate Academy a public charter school in Washington, D.C.
Recently, members of the D.C. community came together at the school to fight against negative influences responsible for teen vaping trends. In a December 2025 session, nearly 20 male students from Friendship Collegiate Academy, received a primer on the significant health risks that come from vaping, often leading to addiction. They also discussed how to develop refusal skills.
Among teens, the use of e-cigarettes, also called e-cigs or vapes, has become increasingly common and easily accessible. And with appealing flavors which make it seem harmless, and because “everyone’s doing it,” young adults struggle to resist the temptation to vape.
“The subject that we taught was based on curriculum developed by the D.C. Department of Health’s Project Alert on Vaping. And while many of the young men acknowledged vaping is a major problem, they did not realize the consequences,” said Malone.
The reverend and his team of male mentors, including his organization’s chief of staff, Chris Thomas, were assisted by Prince Hamn, CEO of the D.C. nonprofit, Making a Difference (M.A.D.), along with several other elders and volunteers from the community and Howard University.
Peer pressure often leads youth to take risks and venture down dangerous roads in efforts to fit in, feel cool, or because certain actions have been normalized either by their friends or social media.
Malone said their mission remains the same, week after week.
“We work with the young men on substance abuse prevention, character development, leadership skills and manhood,” he said. “We meditate with them, engage with them, feed them and ask them about their weekend, all in an effort to build an environment in which they trust us. What they share with us is often unbelievable.
“What’s special about our group is we are all men, father facilitators and fatherhood master trainers. We bring something that a lot of our boys need. We bring fatherhood at its best.”
Among teens, the use of e-cigarettes, also called e-cigs or vapes, has become increasingly common and easily accessible. Appealing flavors can make vaping seem harmless, and because “everyone’s doing it,” young adults struggle to resist the temptation to vape.
Thomas said in conversations with the students, it’s clear that vaping is running rampant among their peers.
“Many of the boys have older siblings who are vaping and sometimes it’s older relatives like a parent who also vape, so it’s all around them,” he said. “For youth, it’s fancy and fashionable, and they can take a few quick hits, and you can’t see it or smell it. But there’s an effect on their lungs, or brain or other parts of their bodies – that’s what they need to understand.”
E-cigarette use among U.S. youth
According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2024, e-cigarettes were the most commonly used tobacco product among middle and high school students in the U.S. An estimated 1.63 million (5.9 percent) students used e-cigarettes at the time of the survey, including 410,000 (3.5 percent) middle school students, and 1.21 million (7.8 percent) high school students.
What’s more interesting is most middle and high school students who vape want to quit and have tried to quit, based on the research.
In 2020:
- 63.9 percent of students who currently used e-cigarettes reported wanting to quit.
- 67.4 percent of students who currently used e-cigarettes reported trying to quit in the previous 12 months.
Thomas said he and his colleagues are committed to making a difference – one youth at a time.
“This is our second year at Friendship. We are supported by administration and the Anacostia Coordinating Council’s (ACC) Rite of Passage program,” he said. “We will cover all the drugs throughout the school year and the project curriculum covers the substances that are killing our children.”
Tiara Jackson, a Ward 7 resident, mother and program coordinator for ACC’s Transformers Rites of Passage Experience, said she was impressed with the ease with which the young men and mentors engaged in conversation.
“There are no taboos, so the boys know they can talk frankly about anything, openly and freely,” she said. “I even learned a lot including how they feel targeted by businesses and social media to begin vaping. It’s all around them and for them, it’s part of life.”
Jackson said during the session on vaping, “one young man really stood out.”
“He knew about vaping and the various contents that are sometimes added to e-cigarettes. And he was not ashamed to see he does not and will not vape. That was refreshing to hear,” she said.
Malone said it’s a real team effort and thanked Jerome Young, Friendship’s director of academic affairs, for opening the school’s doors for the project.
“He recommended young men with behavior problems, and we take it from there,” he said. “Some of the boys still get into fights and a few have been expelled, but most of them stick with us. It’s all about leadership by example and about love. Most of them have never had an authentic father or father figure in their lives. We provide that as well. And it works.”
