Antoine Martin is a Bolder Options graduate and police officer for the city of Crystal who knows firsthand the impact that mentoring can have.
When he was 14 years old, he got caught shoplifting cologne from a store in downtown Minneapolis. “I
wasn’t that type of kid,” he said. “It was just a stupid
decision.”
But that decision led to him getting connected with Bolder Options through a diversion program for youth offenders. It’s an experience he’ll never forget.
He vividly recalls the first time Darrell Thompson—now Bolder Options’ president—came to pick him up at his house in North Minneapolis. Then, Antoine got paired with a mentor.
They ran together twice a week and trained for 5K and 10K races. “Almost 25 years later, I still think about Bolder Options often,” he said. “It was a positive experience in my life.” Antoine also sees the need for programs like Bolder Options.
“I’m a huge advocate for mentorship,” he said. “In some communities, there aren’t a lot of role models that kids can look up to, so it’s important to have these types of programs as resources for families and youth.”
And someday Antoine would like to bring his Bolder Options experience full circle by getting more involved himself.
“Hopefully I can find the time to volunteer and be a mentor,” he said. “That’s my goal.”
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