Larry Irvin
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Brothers Empowered to Teach
Black students are more likely to complete high school and college when they have had even a single Black teacher, yet black men comprise less than 5 percent of the national teaching force. Brothers Empowered to Teach (BE2T) works to increase the number of Black men teaching in Louisiana through a unique three-year pre-teaching fellowship for college students. The fellowship includes paid teaching opportunities, academic support through college, and sustainable pathways to classroom careers, including access to direct certification programs and a specifically designed professional development curriculum. Over time, BE2T Fellows will become an important force of the education landscape for Baton Rouge and New Orleans, as they support and mentor each other and future teachers of color, and they become key stakeholders shaping education reform efforts.
Larry Irvin co-founded BE2T in 2014 and serves as the Chief Executive Officer. Larry was raised by an early childhood educator who emphasized educational attainment and a deep commitment to her community, which Larry carried over into his work in the classroom as a teacher and football coach. Larry is a 2016 Camelback Fellow and also a member of the WKKF Kellogg Leadership Network.