Over its more than 160-year history, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) has brightened the futures of countless young people. As a testament to its success, the BGCA’s Alumni Hall of Fame is chock-full of household names.
Hollywood is home to several former club members, and they regard their experiences with the organization so highly that they continue to lend their support to it as adults. Let’s take a look at a few of these prominent names.
1. Denzel Washington
Before he became one of the most celebrated actors of his generation, Denzel Washington was a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mount Vernon. He came to the organization as a young man after several of his friends were incarcerated, and he credits his local club with helping him to avoid the same fate.
For the last 30 years, the two-time Academy Award winner has shown his appreciation by serving as BGCA’s national spokesperson. He also works to inspire current club members, most recently by appearing at the BGCA National Conference.
2. Edward James Olmos
BCGA’s national spokesperson before Denzel Washington was award-winning actor Edward James Olmos. He took on the position in the 1980s after the Eastside Boys & Girls Club had a profound impact on his life as a youth in Los Angeles.
The former club member has gone on to build an impressive acting resume that includes an Emmy and two Golden Globes. Beyond his acting career, he has dedicated his life to public service by protesting against injustice, volunteering with disaster-relief efforts, mediating gang violence, and lending his support and public profile to several other nonprofits.
3. Courtney B. Vance
A costar with Washington in the 1996 film The Preacher’s Wife, Courtney B. Vance had his life similarly touched by his local club. For Vance, it was the mentorship of one of BGCA’s counselors in Highland Park, Michigan, that set him on the path to where he is today.
That path took him to Harvard and the Yale School of Drama, after which he earned a pair of Tony Award nominations and built a Hollywood career that includes numerous film credits. Today, Vance gives back by serving as the ambassador for BGCA’s Alumni Hall of Fame.