Marvin & Sandeep
New to the Bay Area in 2005, Sandeep had been looking for a way to give back to the local community. Growing up as an only child, he wanted to be a positive influence on younger generations. He heard about Friends for Youth at a work event and felt moved by our mission to support local youth through mentorship. “The kids are our future, and there’s so much need,” Sandeep says. “It’s important to help our youth be a positive part of the community, as it is beneficial not only to them, but in turn, our community.”
Shortly after being introduced to Friends For Youth, Sandeep was matched with his 11-year-old mentee Marvin, who was working through a challenging environment at school and hometown of East Palo Alto. Sandeep and Marvin connected right away, and with time, built a trust-filled friendship. They enjoyed outings to the arcade and library and bonded over their shared interest in sports and music.
Sandeep and Marvin both feel that their friendship had a mutual impact on their lives. Marvin adopted Sandeep’s cautious manner and applied it to his life and decision-making, while Sandeep says he gained a different perspective on life – seeing what he took for granted and appreciating the stability and financial support he had growing up. Sandeep helped Marvin build confidence, become a leader, and gain a new life motto: treat others how you want to be treated. With Sandeep by his side, Marvin completed school and pursued his passion for music – playing instruments, singing, rapping, and even using the camera Sandeep gifted him to create his own music videos. Marvin is now 28 and works as an audio engineer. He has even released his own songs on Spotify! To this day, Marvin thinks about how Sandeep influenced his life and recently told him, “You’re a part of me, and whatever I do now.”
“[Mentoring] allows us to be vulnerable and share, on both sides, creating more meaningful connections.”
Sandeep says he learned to go into mentorship without preconceived notions or metrics, recognizing that everyone has their own path. He believes mentoring is important because relationships with authoritative figures often come with certain guard rails that don’t allow you to fully be yourself. “But with mentoring, there's an opportunity to be more open and let them in. It allows us to be vulnerable and share, on both sides, creating more meaningful connections,” he says.
Sandeep is now a Friends for Youth Board member, working on marketing, recruiting, and strategic planning efforts. “I hope I can build on what I did as a mentor, and I hope I can help expand and grow the vision of Friends for Youth.”