For Andre Givens, 21 years with 100 Black Men of Indianapolis have shaped his understanding of leadership, fatherhood, and mentorship’s lasting influence.
When Andre Givens led 100 Black Men of Indianapolis, Inc. as President, his young son had one request: he wanted to join his dad on stage.
Andre Jr. had spent years watching his father leave home for mentoring sessions, meetings, and community events. He knew that when his dad put on his 100 Black Men shirt, he was going to work, just not the kind of work that came with a paycheck. Andre finally gave his son the opportunity during the organization’s daytime gala. Instead of introducing the boy himself, he arranged for Andre Jr. to take his place before an audience of nearly 700 people.
“So, who were you expecting?” Andre Jr. asked the crowd.
He went on to describe his father’s commitment to mentoring young people before sharing an observation that Andre still remembers.
“You know the crazy thing about it? He doesn’t even get paid for it.”
For Andre Senior, it was a moment of pride and recognition. His son had been paying attention, learning what it meant to serve others simply by watching his father. More than two decades earlier, Andre had been the one watching and learning.
In his early twenties, Andre moved from Chicago to Indianapolis, eager to establish roots and contribute to his new community. Robert Hailey and Murvin Enders invited him to 100 Black Men of Indianapolis, Inc., where a visit to the Dollars and $ense Financial Literacy Program, then led by Everett Lewis and Dr. Matt Will, sparked an unexpected interest.
Andre had always been curious about the stock market, particularly the ticker symbols scrolling across television screens, but knew little about investing. As he listened to mentors introduce students to financial markets and wealth building, he began to appreciate the significance of what they were learning.
“I walked into that room knowing very little about investing, and here were these men making sure young people had access to knowledge I was still learning myself,” Andre recalled. “I saw what that kind of exposure could mean for their futures, and I wanted to be part of it.”
That first visit grew into a 15-year commitment to Dollars and $ense. Andre eventually co-chaired the program with Charles Barker before leading it for another eight years, expanding its reach and visibility along the way.
Although naturally introverted, Andre found that his commitment to the students demanded more of him. He became increasingly involved in the organization’s leadership, serving in several board roles before the board unanimously elected him president during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The timing presented an immediate test. As families and volunteers navigated unprecedented uncertainty, Andre worked to preserve the relationships and consistency students depended on. Programming initially moved online, but the limitations of virtual mentorship soon became apparent. Under his leadership, The 100 established protocols to safely resume in-person activities, strengthened volunteer engagement, and renewed its African American History program. The experience also changed how Andre approached the people he led.
“You have to recognize that everyone is going through something, often more than you realize,” he reflected. “I learned to lead with grace, to understand what people were carrying outside of this organization, and to remember that showing up for one another matters just as much as showing up for our students.”
As his presidency progressed, fellow members encouraged Andre to pursue a national leadership position. He was reluctant to step further away from the students and programs that had kept him involved for so many years, but their confidence in him proved persuasive.
“The organization saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself as a local leader,” he said.
Today, Andre serves as Midwest District Director and a National Board Member of 100 Black Men of America, supporting ten chapters across the region. The position has broadened his influence, but it has also reinforced his desire to prepare others for leadership responsibilities.
When his presidency ended, Andre saw an opportunity to strengthen Collegiate 100, helping students build on the mentorship they received in their younger years while gaining experience leading others. Working alongside Chelsie Kupa Hart, a former Collegiate 100 president and now co-advisor, he helped strengthen the chapter at Indiana University Indianapolis, where more than 30 students were inducted in January 2026, the largest cohort in its history.
He also worked with university administrators and national leadership to establish a chapter at Ball State University under Laith Hicks’s leadership, with plans to explore additional opportunities at Indiana University Bloomington, Purdue University, and other campuses.
Andre’s ambitions extend beyond increasing membership. He wants students to understand the responsibilities that come with leadership, from navigating organizational decisions to motivating volunteers who give their time without compensation. He has spent years learning those lessons himself, and he believes college students deserve opportunities to develop those skills before entering their professional careers.
“Leadership experience starts now,” he said. “Academics are important, but so is learning how to work with people, take responsibility, and lead others. Those experiences will stay with these students long after they leave campus.”
After 21 years with The 100, Andre has come to appreciate how profoundly mentorship can shape a person’s life, including his own. The young man who once quietly observed financial literacy sessions has grown into a leader who guides chapters across the Midwest, encouraged by men who recognized potential he hadn’t yet seen in himself. Through those relationships, he has gained confidence, learned to navigate difficult decisions, and discovered a deeper sense of purpose in serving others.
He’s also witnessed that growth in the young people he’s mentored. Former students now reach out as professionals and parents, meeting him for meals, sharing milestones, or seeking advice as they navigate new chapters of their lives. Their relationships have endured long after they finished programs with The 100.
“You plant seeds in individuals,” Andre said. “They grow up, and seeing the fruit of their growth and the dividends paid, that’s where the true blessings come in.”
For Andre, the investment has been just as meaningful personally. Mentoring gives him a sense of fulfillment and, amid the challenges facing his community, reassurance that his time matters. He has become deliberate about how he spends his evenings and weekends, often prioritizing time with mentees over other activities.
“My time is valuable,” he said. “When I spend it mentoring, I know I’m doing something that can change the direction of someone’s life. That’s what keeps me coming back.”
It’s a commitment his son has witnessed firsthand throughout his childhood.
Now 11, Andre Jr. has grown up attending events and watching his father mentor young people through The 100. Photographs of Andre holding his son while teaching financial literacy classes on Saturday mornings capture how closely fatherhood and service have been connected in his life. Andre hopes his son will carry those lessons forward, much as he carried forward the example set by Robert Hailey, Murvin Enders, and the other men who welcomed him into the organization years ago.
When Andre first attended a program offered by The 100, he was simply looking for a way to become involved in his new community. He couldn’t have known that the experience would lead to decades of mentorship, organizational leadership, and relationships that would extend well beyond the classroom.
Today, he sees that influence in the young adults preparing to lead Collegiate 100, the former students building families and careers, and his own son, who has learned what service looks like by watching his father. And perhaps that’s what Andre understands most clearly after two decades with The 100: the people you invest in have a way of changing your life, too.