Lessons from MLK’s Mentor: Howard Thurman & The Battle for the Minds of Young Men

In the wake of the 2024 election, Dewayne Martin watched a dangerous narrative unfold—one that didn't begin at the ballot box, but in the algorithm. In his powerful essay, Lessons from MLK’s Mentor: Howard Thurman & The Battle for the Minds of Young Men, Martin, Director of Alumni Engagement at Men4Choice, explores how progressive movements are losing young men—not to malice, but to loneliness, disconnection, and a lack of meaningful belonging.

Drawing from Howard Thurman's influence on Dr. King and applying it to the cultural moment we find ourselves in now, Martin asks: What are we building—and who are we building it for? This is a searing call for movements rooted not just in justice, but in radical love and genuine community—before someone else offers these young men something far more dangerous.