Dar’tavous Dorsey

Dar’tavous Dorsey is a lifelong Chicagoan and Associate Director at the University of Chicago – Crime and Education Labs. Dar’tavous provide management support across various project including analyzing cities and communities’ data, and performing research to design, test and scale programs and policies that improve educational outcomes and advance justice. In fall 2019, Dar’tavous launched the inaugural Student Advisory Council (SAC). The SAC fellowship fosters an integral student-adult partnership that allows student representatives to engage in questions related to the Chicago Student Success Initiative, who mission is to advocate for school culture improvements and develop civic leadership skills.

Before transitioning to the Crime and Education Labs, Dar’tavous served as the West Region Supervisor at Youth Guidance’s Becoming A Man (BAM) program. Dar'tavous served as a mentor to 26 young men and supervised eight trained BAM Counselors, who serve hundreds of young men of color across fifteen high schools. Since joining BAM in the Summer 2015, Dar'tavous has personally mentored more than 500 young men., -As their mentor, he supported their social, emotional, and academic development through life skills, college, and career programs. Dar’tavous currently sits on the Youth Guidance Associate Board and Alumni Mentoring Board.

Through his work with BAM, Dar'tavous observed that were specific needs for young men of color were still not being met despite initiatives in the city. As a result, Dar'tavous launched the E.Y.E. Lead Foundation (Exposing our Youth to Excellence by providing Leadership) in March of 2019. The E.Y.E. Lead Foundation seeks to address the social, emotional, mental and financial needs for young men of color and expose them to excellence from people of color by providing them with leadership opportunities to change the narrative of their communities. E.Y.E. Lead seeks to address teen violence, youth homelessness and hunger, increase academic awareness, and encourage post-secondary & professional pathways. These pathways include the promotion of HBCUs and, job readiness for any career or vocation, address violence and mental health.

Dar’tavous has over 15 years of experience, in advocating for youth of color., he specializes in social emotional learning, restorative practice, youth intervention, mentoring and other professional relations. Dar’tavous-, passion and expertise landed him features in Chicago Sun Times, WGN the NBA and Political magazine, where he hosted a focus group with Bill Gates and several Chicago Public School students/mentees.

Dar’tavous earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He also has a Master of Arts degree in Secondary Education/Mental health from Chicago State University. Dar’tavous is a proud servant in the community with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc and 100 Black Men, Inc. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his foster sons (Jalen, Deshaan and Ron), cycling, and caring for his dogs (King, Kobe and Bentley). Dar’tavous believes in inspiring, uplifting, and supporting others by removing barrier roadblocks by being impactful.