b'RONHOPKINSCOLLEGE READINESS ADVISORMORE THAN A MENTOR. RON IS AN ADVOCATE, FRIEND, BROTHER. Ron Hopkins grew up like many of his students. He had to choose between his Core influencerseducation and the need to survive in a society that has historically dismissed andignored Black men. At a young age he engaged in gang activity and found himself like my students are facing 5 years in prison. Just five days before Ron was released, he got the news thatimportant,he added.his son had been killed. That experience changed my whole life, he says. Ron beganIf you see someoneworking as a Boston Uncornered College Readiness Advisor days after being released from prison. I had every reason in the world to go left, to go back to the life I knew, hedoing something positive, recalls. But this work put me back in coach mode. Without it, I would be on the streets. people will gravitateRon uses his life experience in his work as a CRA, which he describes as being a towards it. A lightbulb combination of life coach, mentor, financial advisor, therapist, and brother to his morewill go off becausethan 20 Boston Uncornered students. I understand certain things as far as street stuff which allows me to do my job, he says. Who can listen better than someone who they see whathas been through it?they are doing.'