There's a Mentor in You
How small actions of belief save lives — for educators, counselors, and helping professionals.
Vol. I · The Mentor IssuePhiladelphia · WorldwideEst. 2026
Speaker · Author · Mentor · Founder
You change lives every day. Let me remind your people it matters.
I went from a solitary cell to CEO because a few people chose to believe in me. Now I help educators, counselors, and leaders remember that their everyday work is saving lives.
K–12 DistrictsState Counseling AssociationsJuvenile Justice & ReentryYouth Mentoring NonprofitsFaith CommunitiesCorporate Leadership SummitsDEI & Belonging ProgramsHigher-Ed Student AffairsFoster-Care NetworksConference KeynotesK–12 DistrictsState Counseling AssociationsJuvenile Justice & ReentryYouth Mentoring NonprofitsFaith CommunitiesCorporate Leadership SummitsDEI & Belonging ProgramsHigher-Ed Student AffairsFoster-Care NetworksConference Keynotes
“What you do matters. You are saving lives every day. And I am the proof.”
— Melvin Williams
Mentor truth
“You don't need a title to mentor. You need a minute and the guts to use it.”
The Book
There's a Mentor in You
Your Small Actions of Belief Make a Difference in a Life
What if the most ordinary moment of your workday was actually saving a life? Melvin Williams was never supposed to survive — a murdered father, the juvenile justice system, a solitary cell on his eighteenth birthday. He is alive today because a counselor, a judge, an officer, and an employer each made one small choice to believe in him.
This is his unflinching true story, written for the people who do that work every day: teachers, counselors, social workers, coaches, officers, and community leaders. It matters. And Melvin is the proof. The expanded edition adds a complete Mentor's Field Guide of seventeen proven practices and reflection tools built for individual growth or team study.
KindlePaperbackHardcoverAudiobook
Get It on AmazonNo. 03Speaking
Bring this message to your team
Your audience does the hardest, most thankless work there is — and rarely hears that it counts. Melvin makes sure they never forget it again.
The Mentor in You at Work
Building a culture of belief, mentorship, and second chances inside organizations.
Believe Before They Do
A story of resilience and second chances for youth, community, and conference audiences.
- The reminder they need — proof that their everyday work changes, and saves, lives.
- Re-energized teams — a re-ignited sense of purpose that fights burnout and protects retention.
- Practical tools — mentorship practices they can use the very next morning.
Ideal for: school-district PD days · education & counseling conferences · mentorship and youth-serving organizations · juvenile-justice & reentry events · nonprofit galas · faith & community gatherings · corporate leadership and DEI programs.
No. 05About Melvin
From at-risk youth to the C-suite — because someone believed.
Melvin Williams was never supposed to make it. His father was murdered by his own best friend before Melvin could walk; by twelve he was in the juvenile justice system, and he spent his eighteenth birthday in solitary confinement. A handful of people chose to believe in him — and those small acts of mentorship saved his life.
Today Melvin is the CEO of M&N Communications, the founder of The Philadelphia Made Us Foundation, and a husband and father. He turns his story into a charge for the professionals who shape young lives every day — reminding them that the smallest act of belief can change the course of a life.
- CEO—M&N Communications
- Founder—The Philadelphia Made Us Foundation
- Author—There's a Mentor in You
No. 06Mentor truths
Six truths to carry into Monday.
Screenshot one. Pin it to your monitor. Read it before the hard meeting.
“Believe in them louder than they doubt themselves.
“Half the work is refusing to leave. Show up. Keep showing up.
“Stop asking “What's wrong with you?” Start asking “What happened to you?”
“One small act of belief outlives every program you'll ever build.
“You don't need a title to mentor. You need a minute and the guts to use it.
“The kid no one shows up for is the adult no one can reach. Be the someone.
Mentorship FAQ
Quick answers about mentorship and the book.
What does it mean to be a mentor?
- To be a mentor is to believe in someone before they fully believe in themselves, and to keep showing up with small, consistent acts of care. Mentorship is less about advice and more about presence — listening, remembering, and reminding people who they're becoming.
How can small actions make a difference in someone's life?
- Small actions signal that a person matters. A name remembered, a question asked twice, a door held open — these tiny moments of belief accumulate into the experience of being seen, and being seen is what gives people the courage to change.
How do everyday professionals like teachers and counselors change lives?
- Teachers, counselors, social workers, coaches, officers, and healthcare workers change lives by treating routine encounters as relational ones. Each consistent, kind interaction is a deposit of belief — the kind that quietly rewrites a young person's story over months and years.
How do I become a mentor to young people?
- Start where you already are. Volunteer with a local school, mentoring nonprofit, or faith community, and commit to one young person consistently for a year. Read There's a Mentor in You for a 17-practice field guide that turns good intentions into real-world mentorship habits.
Who should read There's a Mentor in You?
- Educators, school counselors, social workers, youth coaches, correctional and reentry staff, healthcare workers, faith leaders, parents, and any leader building a culture of belief. The book pairs Melvin Williams's true story with practical mentor practices for individual or team study.
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