Black Diamonds Academic Success Program

05/28/2026

Here they come y’all! Here they come!!!

Congratulations to this year’s 2nd Vice President, Zion Toussaint on an outstanding achievement! Zion has been accepted to both University at Buffalo and Buffalo State University.

We are especially proud of the leadership Zion displayed during our food drive for victims of hurricane Melisa in Jamaica…

Congratulations on your decision to attend University of Buffalo this fall as an Engineering Student

Wishing you continued success, Zion, your BDAS family is proud of you!

05/24/2026

We are grateful to the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce Foundation for awarding BDAS the Larry Danoia Professional Development Grant.

To receive an award that carries the name of Larry Danoia is humbling. His legacy of service and generosity continues to inspire our community, and we are proud to be connected to that legacy through this grant.

Thank you to the Chamber and everyone involved for believing in our work and investing in the future of our youth.

We are truly grateful.

05/22/2026

Take action - Urge your legislators to help strengthen New York’s Nonprofits

New York nonprofits provide vital services, at the direction of the state: early childhood education, mental health counseling, homeless housing, substance use treatment, legal services and cultural programming, to name just a few.

Chronic contracting delays, inefficiencies and inconsistencies across agencies, burdensome processes, and reimbursements regularly delayed by six months or more totaling hundreds of millions of dollars are pushing New York’s nonprofits to the breaking point

Take action - Urge your legislators to help strengthen New York’s Nonprofits

May 2026 Contracting Action Alert

05/18/2026

We were truly honored to receive the Quality of Life Award at the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce Stars Along the Hudson 2026 Gala.

Thank you to the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce for this meaningful recognition and for all you do to support and strengthen our community. We are grateful to have shared such a special evening with so many inspiring organizations and leaders.

05/17/2026

Black Diamonds volunteered today to help Peekskill American Legion to place flags on the gravesites of veterans. This is our 4th consecutive year participation in this annual pre Memorial Day activity! 🫡🇺🇸💎❤️🙏🏾

05/14/2026

What an incredible evening at the We Mean Business Challenge Final Presentation & Awards!

A heartfelt THANK YOU to our sponsor, M&T Bank, for investing in the next generation of entrepreneurs and helping make this experience possible.

Special appreciation to our instructor, Lonnie Drinks, and our outstanding volunteer mentors — Rev. Dr. James Perry, Richard Branlett, Richard Swann Jr., Luke Davenport, and Harry Campbell Sr. — for your guidance, encouragement, and commitment to our students throughout this journey.

Congratulations to all of our students who confidently presented their business plans and showcased their creativity, determination, and entrepreneurial spirit. Your hard work truly shined!

We also extend our sincere thanks to our judges — Rafael Tejada, Zolly McDonald, Marie Green, Valerie Eaton, Anthony Williams, Andy Torres, and Peter Murdock — for sharing your time, expertise, and thoughtful feedback.

Together, we are building future business leaders and strengthening our community one idea at a time. 💼✨

05/11/2026

We are deeply honored to receive the Quality of Life Award from the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce.

This recognition means so much to all of us at Black Diamonds Academic Success because it reflects the work, dedication, and commitment we pour into empowering our youth and strengthening our community every day.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Chamber for this incredible honor and for continuing to support organizations that make a positive impact throughout the Hudson Valley.

To our students, families, partners, and supporters — this award belongs to you too. Your trust and encouragement inspire us to keep pushing forward and creating opportunities for academic success and a better quality of life for all.

05/04/2026

Our organization was proud to spend the day giving back at the Rotary Club of Peekskill’s Cherry Blossom Festival 🌸

From start to finish, our members showed up with energy, teamwork, and a shared commitment to supporting our community. It was a full day of volunteering, connecting with neighbors, and being part of such a vibrant and meaningful local event.

A big thank you to everyone who participated and helped make the day a success… we’re grateful to be part of a community that comes together like this!

04/26/2026

🖤💎 It's here. The new BDASinc.org is LIVE.

Six years ago, we set out with a simple belief: when young men of color are given guidance, accountability, and genuine support, they rise. They lead. They win.

Today, we're proud to launch a brand new home on the web that finally tells that story the way it deserves to be told.

✨ What you'll find inside: 🔹 The Diamond Standard, our culturally responsive leadership and college-readiness system 🔹 Stories from the young men, families, and partners who make this work possible 🔹 An Alumni Network connecting our graduates to mentors, opportunities, and each other 🔹 A Members Portal where current students track their journey 🔹 Easy ways to give, sponsor, mentor, or partner with us

🎉 And we're just getting started.

This year marks our 6th Anniversary, and we've set a goal to raise $10,000 to fuel year seven of programming.

Whether you've been with us since day one or you're just discovering our work, we invite you to take a look around, share it with someone who needs to see it, and join us in building what comes next.

👉 Visit: https://www.bdasinc.org/

Because when they win, we all win. 💎

Supporting Young Men of ColorStarts With Us Learn More Learn More We mentor young men of color to become high-achieving students who are well prepared and ready for life after High School. Events & Campaigns Our ImpactOur impact is the mission and work philosophy; If they win, we all win! Slide 1Sli...

04/25/2026

Today we celebrate 6 years of service, purpose, and impact!

For the past six years, we have remained committed to our mission of helping Black and Brown male students graduate high school on time and be well prepared for life after high school. What began as a vision has grown into a movement rooted in mentorship, accountability, leadership, education, and community empowerment.

We are deeply grateful to every student, parent, volunteer, mentor, educator, donor, community leader, and partner organization that has believed in our work and helped make this journey possible. Because of your support, young men in our community have experienced college tours, internships, workshops, leadership development opportunities, volunteer service projects, scholarships, and life-changing mentorship.

To our supporters and partners — thank you for investing in a mission that continues to transform lives and strengthen our community.

This milestone is not just about celebrating the past 6 years — it is about building an even stronger future for the next generation.

The work continues. The mission continues. The impact continues.

With gratitude,

Martin McDonald
Founder & Executive Director
Black Diamonds Academic Success Program