02/03/2026
Michael Bolt: From educator to community mentor
Inside the Lieutenant Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Community Center in Harlem, the focus is on helping young people dream big and map out how to get there.
Michael Bolt, the senior council chair of the Order of the Feather Fraternity, leads mentoring efforts for young Black men through the organization’s Gawinki Lodge for students, which is designed to guide boys into adulthood.
What You Need To Know
Michael Bolt leads mentorship efforts through the Order of the Feather Fraternity’s Gawinki Lodge for students
The group focuses on guiding young Black men through workshops, service projects and community-building events
Members are encouraged to set goals ranging from college athletics to professional careers
Bolt says mentorship and brotherhood are key to strengthening individuals and the wider community
“I want to go play collegiate D1 basketball,” said Carter Edwards, 13, a student from Washington Heights.
“My dream is to become a corporate lawyer,” said Fabian Baker, 18, who attends school in Downtown Brooklyn.
Bolt, a South Jamaica resident, is a legacy member of the organization. His father and uncle were involved while he was growing up, though Bolt said he was initially resistant to joining himself.
“This is where I'm comfortable,” Bolt said. “I enjoy this a lot. It makes me feel good and makes me feel like I'm giving back."
Bolt is now the senior council chair of the Order of the Feather Fraternity and plays an active role in shaping its student outreach.
“I feel like mentoring and community building is really, is really important to me. It's something that I feel like I have to do," he said.
Bolt said his perspective shifted about seven years ago while working as a high school assistant principal, when he saw an opportunity to expand his reach beyond the classroom.
“The Feather was something I could utilize and work with to expand my outreach in terms of supporting young people," he said.
Today, Bolt keeps the organization’s calendar full with events such as days of service and outings to ball games, which he said help strengthen bonds among members.
“Those are important because they help build a sense of camaraderie. They help build that sense of brotherhood," he said.
Along with fellow fraternity members, Bolt leads workshops and mentoring sessions that address topics ranging from professional appearance to navigating life as a Black man.
“School doesn't teach you everything,” he said. “And, you know, unfortunately, everybody doesn't have parents who are able to tell them all the things. Some people need a big brother to tell them something."
Bolt said the goal is to help young people define what they want their futures to look like while emphasizing responsibility and service.
“Being a man is really about taking care of other people,” Bolt said. “It's about being a servant. It's about being someone who can communicate a vision and share that and make sure that other people can, you know, support that vision and support themselves so that the whole entire community can be better.”
For encouraging young Black men to aim high and support one another, Michael Bolt is our New Yorker of the Week.
https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2026/01/27/new-yorker-of-the-week--michael-bolt
