About Us

Profound Gentlemen was founded by two Charlotte Mecklenburg teachers, Jason Terrell and Mario Jovan Shaw. Jason and Mario shared common challenges being a male educator of color without peers of a similar background to look for support; they observed the low rate of retention among fellow Black teachers, as well as barriers to career advancement. Both men vehemently believed that all students should regularly see positive examples of success, and in particular that boys of color should see teachers who look like them.

Jason and Mario created Profound Gentlemen as a space to have conversations about educational equity and to share experiences of being among the few men of color in their schools. Initially, they began to invite other educators into the organization, hosting monthly meetups for teachers. Since 2014, the organization has evolved from informal meetups into a robust research-based model that utilizes coaching, peer-networks, and development opportunities to address specific barriers faced by male educators of color to retain them within the education field.

As our organization grows, we remain committed to addressing racial equity in education, to provide positive examples of achievement for boys of color, and to support educator diversity and teacher retention through the formation of a robust peer community. We also provide leadership development, coaching, and mentoring opportunities to empower male educators of color, and to bring more diversity and inclusion to our school systems.