Career exploration meets red-carpet style at the Mayor’s Mentor Up Winter Gala

Mayor Malik D. Evans hosted the Mayor’s Mentor Up Winter Gala tonight, continuing a series of Mentor Up program events designed to bring together some of Rochester’s brightest young minds with community role models in a formal and celebratory setting. The occasion drew youth mentees and adult mentors from across the city to the elegant Rundel Memorial Building of the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County for a night of networking and career exploration.

“As our youth look toward their futures, we are fortunate to have so many role models willing to help guide and at the same time, learn from the fresh perspectives our youth have to offer,” said Mayor Evans. “This is what the Mentor Up Gala is all about – celebrating what we can learn from one another and investing in the future of our city. From the youth I have met tonight, I can say that future is bright!”

Youth attendees, ages 14 to 18, prepared to put their best foot forward with advice from Dale Carnegie, then mingled with professionals across industries such as engineering and architecture, medicine, law, government and public safety, finance, telecommunications, arts, business and entrepreneurship, and the trades. 

The Mayor's Mentor Up Winter Gala was made possible by the support of community agencies, area colleges, and business leaders, affirming the community’s dedication to nurturing the next generation of leaders. Donors included LaBella Associates, Rochester Regional Health, T Mobile, Deborah Stamps Consulting, LLC, William & Shiela Konar Foundation, and Beta Chi Chi, Inc. of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. Local Divine Nine chapters Alpha Phi Alpha and Sigma Gamma Rho volunteered in support of the event. 

Rochester youth are invited to save the date Saturday, April 12, 2025 for the next event in the Mentor Up series. The event, dubbed a “Mentor Up Experience,” will be a new program offering designed exclusively for youth ages 14 to 18 to brush up on skills to help them shine in a professional setting through a variety of interactive workshops. 

For more information and future updates, visit https://cityofrochester.gov/mentorup.