He bought one of his mentees a car. He's been a father figure to over 100 Detroit kids a year for nine years. And every time you ask him how he reaches kids that nobody else can reach, he says the same two things: build a relationship, and listen before you teach.

This is a vault episode I recorded in 2023 with Toson Knight, founder of the Caught Up Mentoring Program in Detroit. We talk about why kids without fathers gravitate toward men who actually show up, what to do when a mentee chooses the victim mindset, why boundaries matter more than rules, and the conversation that stopped a high schooler from stealing.

TRY THIS TOMORROW
Pick one young person in your circle. Listen to them this week. Not coach, not fix. Just listen long enough to know what they're carrying. That's where mentorship starts.

Episode 58+ of Conversations That Count.

Learn more about Caught Up: https://caughtup.org
Connect with Toson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toson-knight-55b9454a
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caught__up

More CTC at https://ctcpodcast.media