The Common Ground Foundation

The Common Ground Foundation The Common Ground Foundation empowers youth from high potential communities to become future leaders.

CGF provides mentoring programs that encourage youth to find their purpose, achieve academic excellence, realize their dreams, and be the change they want to see in the world. OUR STORY:

Ten years ago, Academy-Award Winning Artist, Actor, and Author, COMMON, along with his mother, Dr. Mahalia Hines, decided they wanted to make a significant impact. More than just donating money, they wanted to ha

ve their hands in shaping our future leaders. What started in 2012, as taking 23 high school students on a five-day camping trip turned into a four-year high school mentoring program that has extended to college and beyond, now serving over 500 students. Together, they have built a family of mentors, instructors, parents, and volunteers that surround our youth with a village of love and support. Common Ground Foundation provides a holistic curriculum that encourages our youth to achieve academic excellence while inspiring them to realize their dreams & create an impact in the world. They come to us as dreamers but emerge as DREAMERS & BELIEVERS!

For Women’s History Month, we are incredibly proud to spotlight Common Ground Foundation Alumna, Nya Gatheright. Nya’s j...
03/31/2026

For Women’s History Month, we are incredibly proud to spotlight Common Ground Foundation Alumna, Nya Gatheright. Nya’s journey from our programs to becoming a powerhouse in the energy industry is a testament to what happens when talent meets opportunity. After graduating from Southern University with a degree in Electrical Engineering, Nya didn’t just join the workforce she began transforming it.


This Women’s History Month, we’re not just looking back we’re looking at the women building the future.We are incredibly...
03/23/2026

This Women’s History Month, we’re not just looking back we’re looking at the women building the future.

We are incredibly proud to have Deborah Quazzo on our Board of Directors. From challenging her local school board as a teenager to co-founding the world’s most influential EdTech summit (ASU+GSV), Deborah has spent her career breaking glass ceilings in venture capital and education.

ASUGSV

03/20/2026

Our recent tour of Northwestern University gave our mentees meaningful exposure to campus life and the opportunities that can support their future goals.

Northwestern University

Dr. Ellen Ochoa: The Ultimate STEM Blueprint 🛰️Before she led NASA’s Johnson Space Center, she was a Doctor of Electrica...
03/16/2026

Dr. Ellen Ochoa: The Ultimate STEM Blueprint 🛰️

Before she led NASA’s Johnson Space Center, she was a Doctor of Electrical Engineering with three patents to her name.
As the first Latine woman in space, she didn’t just break the glass ceiling—she engineered the tools to bypass it entirely. From optical systems to orbital missions, her legacy is the perfect roadmap for the next generation of women in tech.

🌍✨ Meet Dr. Gladys West – the mathematician whose work made GPS possible! From mapping the Earth to breaking barriers in...
03/09/2026

🌍✨ Meet Dr. Gladys West – the mathematician whose work made GPS possible! From mapping the Earth to breaking barriers in STEM, she’s a true hidden figure who changed the world. 📍💡

💻 This Women’s History Month, the Dreamers & Believers program is focusing on technology, exploring innovation and creativity through creative expression; just like Dr.Gladys did with her groundbreaking work.

Who’s your favorite hidden figure in history? Drop their name below and let’s celebrate their impact! 👇

DreamersAndBelievers STEMinspiration CGF PilarTech Innovation

03/01/2026

As we close out black history month, it’s important that we all recognize black history isn’t just in the rearview mirror—it’s the work we’re doing right now. ✊🏾✨

This February, we brought parents and mentees together as our community partner came to share information on how to bridge the gap between home and the classroom. We leaned into the power of advocacy, learning exactly how to support our mentees by becoming more active in their schools LSCs and beyond. We also turned up the heat for our mentees by challenging them with some Black History trivia!
Watching these young leaders own their history and seeing our village step up to support them? That’s what legacy looks like.

How are you continuing to honor the legacy of our ancestors in your own community? Let us know below! 👇

02/27/2026

A look back at the courage it took to stand tall when it wasn’t popular. Jesse Jackson didn’t just participate in history; he helped write it. Celebrating the life and impact of a civil rights icon who proved that one person, with enough conviction, can wake up a nation. 🕊️

What one word would you use to describe Jesse Jackson?

01/15/2026

From Grief to Joy, From Dream to Reality

Khalil Everage—actor, future producer, and proud alum of our Dreamers and Believers Program—is living proof that when talent meets community, magic happens.

Khalil’s journey wasn’t easy. Through loss and uncertainty, he found strength in family, friendship, and a foundation that believed in him when he needed it most. By embracing his gift and trusting the process, he’s built a promising career in Hollywood that once felt impossible.

His story reminds us: it truly takes a village to birth a dream.
To our mentors who guide, our staff who show up every day, our donors who invest in possibility and our beloved Anthony Anderson —thank you.

You’re not just supporting programs. You’re changing lives. You’re creating futures. You’re proving that when we believe in our young people, they don’t just survive—they thrive.

This is what happens when we invest in potential. This is the power of community. This is why we do what we do.

Swipe to hear Khalil’s story in his own words.


01/09/2026

It all started with a dream. 💭✨
Huge kudos to our fellow alum Robert Cole for staying true to his vision and earning his place at one of the top gaming institutions in the nation. Robert is on his way to becoming a future video game designer/director, and his journey is a powerful reminder that with dedication and passion, dreams really do come alive.
This is your sign to chase what sets your soul on fire—by any means necessary. 🎮🚀

USC

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Chicago, IL

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(773) 295-1915

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