Spotlight

Son of a Saint salutes partners who go above and beyond in support of our mission.

Byron Kantrow Slosar: Byron Kantrow Slosar joined Son of a Saint’s Board of Directors in 2019 after meeting Sonny Lee, Founder/CEO, over coffee at SoHo House in New York City. They didn’t know it at the time, but it was a pivotal moment for both Byron and Son of a Saint.; Byron, who continues to support the fundraising and undergraduate career efforts at his alma mater, Tulane University, was also incubating a new company – HIVE DIVERSITY. HIVE is an innovative virtual recruitment platform, but it represents something much deeper -- the simple yet often overlooked insight that bringing your authentic identity into the workplace is just as powerful as your qualifications on paper. HIVE connects employers with an ever-evolving diverse community of next generation talent, and propels undergraduate students and recent graduates to be proud of and bring their authentic selves into their professional pursuits.; "My experience on the Son of a Saint Board is representative of what I am trying to create for my 'kids' at HIVE. The organization embraced me, the diversity of experience that I bring to the table, and my unique value." He adds, "The common thread between HIVE and Son of a Saint is that we create a space where students are encouraged to discover their value and bring their authentic selves into their environment - professional and otherwise."; While Byron was on the cusp of phenomenal personal and professional growth with HIVE Diversity, Sonny and the Son of a Saint team were also on the edge of major growth and transition. The then-grassroots nonprofit, whose mission is to transform the lives of fatherless boys through mentorship, was moving into a period of intense growth and transformation. Since that time, we have doubled the number of young men served by our organization (nearly 200 mentees in total), acquired a permanent building to serve as "a home" for our boys, and demonstrated our impact through a program evaluation.; Son of a Saint marked Byron's first experience joining an organization's Board of Directors, and his rationale for involvement was straightforward and direct. Every action that Byron has taken through his career has been driven by a desire to help young adults become self-actualized humans first, and successful professionals second. He made the same commitment to Son of a Saint and our young mentees. He understood that Son of a Saint's commitment to nurturing our young men’s individuality prepares them, not only for the workforce, but also for a meaningful life. This is the same understanding that inspired him to launch HIVE.; Byron sprang into action through his board participation, making key connections to donors and partners. He also embraced and enhanced Son of a Saint's travel program, curating a unique and eye-opening, four-day trip to New York City, where mentees toured NYU, saw a Broadway show, talked with professionals from diverse industries, and toured companies such as NBA Headquarters, Bloomberg News, and Viacom. He is now planning a similar trip to Los Angeles to occur in Spring 2022. Travel is a difficult-to-quantify aspect of Son of a Saint's program. The experience of seeing a new city and being immersed in a different culture, something that some take for granted, can spark individual inspiration and motivation in a way that nothing else can.; The through line between Son of a Saint, HIVE, and the many individuals who touch both organizations, is authenticity. Diversity – not just our visual identities, but the experiences behind those identities (like growing up without a father), provide skills and perspectives that give us depth. In a world overridden with technology, advertisements, political division, and special interests, we maintain that every person is capable of extraordinary things. Son of a Saint and HIVE exist to move the needle for every young person we encounter – by showing up authentically through both word and action, and inspiring others to do the same.; For more information on how to become a Son of a Saint partner or financial supporter, please click here.