Inspiring Leaders, Building Community
Together, we create the future leaders of tomorrow.
Inspiring Leaders, Building Community
Together, we create the future leaders of tomorrow.
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
The Black Suit Initiative (BSI) is now accepting applications for young men entering grades 6–9 for the 2026–2027 school year. BSI is a free Saturday leadership program designed to help young men develop leadership skills, build confidence, strengthen character, and cultivate meaningful brotherhood through mentorship, service, and personal growth opportunities.
Due to the individualized nature of our selection process, all applicants must participate in an interview. To ensure each candidate receives full consideration, we will accept only the first 35 completed applications for interviews. From those applicants, only 15 young men will be selected to join the 2026–2027 cohort.
Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Apply here: https://forms.gle/nE5bHb3XwEcGtEF69
If you need assistance with your application, please email evainna@blacksuit.org or call 336-549-0146.
Who We Are
THE SPARROW'S NEST, INC.
Founded in 2004, The Sparrow’s Nest, Inc. was established to engage youth in leadership initiatives that foster personal growth and community impact. Through educational, artistic, and character-building programs, the organization equips young people with the tools needed for a successful transition into college or career pathways.
THE BLACK SUIT INITIATIVE
In 2016, The Sparrow’s Nest, Inc. launched The Black Suit Initiative, an exclusive leadership and community engagement program designed specifically for middle and high school young men. The program provides a structured, multi-year experience that emphasizes character development, academic accountability, workforce readiness, and civic responsibility.
Through The Black Suit Initiative, participants strengthen their academic performance, explore career and entrepreneurial pathways, and engage in meaningful team-building and leadership experiences that reinforce discipline, confidence, and purpose. The program’s curriculum combines mentorship, life-skills training, professional exposure, and hands-on learning to prepare young men for success beyond high school.
A hallmark of the program is its emphasis on achievement and responsibility. Upon successfully completing required program modules during their first year, participants earn the distinction of receiving a full black suit—symbolizing professionalism, pride, and readiness to lead. Admission into the program is competitive and occurs annually through an application and interview process held each July. Once selected, participants may remain in the program through high school graduation, allowing for sustained mentorship and long-term impact.
Today, The Black Suit Initiative serves over 60 young men representing more than 35 middle and high schools across the Triad, reflecting both the program’s strong reputation and its growing regional reach.
WHY A BLACK SUIT?
The rationale behind the black suit stems from research conducted by the psychology department at California State University. Their findings revealed that wearing formal attire, such as a suit, can indeed alter thought processes. The study demonstrated that donning formal clothing enhances levels of confidence and fundamentally shifts how individuals perceive the world around them.
Building Leaders for Life
Your support fuels mentorship, leadership, and community activities for youth. Join us in empowering the next generation—every gift makes a difference.
Meet Our Founder
Evainna W. Ross
Evainna W. Ross is the Founder and Executive Director of The Sparrow’s Nest, Inc., a Greensboro-based nonprofit committed to creating sustainable pathways for youth to achieve educational, economic, and leadership success.
Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Ross has dedicated her life’s work to ensuring that young people have access to the tools, exposure, and mentorship needed to thrive.
A graduate of North Carolina A&T State University with a B.S. in Public Relations, Ross brings both strategic communications expertise and decades of hands-on youth development experience to her work. After years of church-based and community youth leadership, she founded The Sparrow’s Nest in 2008, launching programs directly inside Greensboro’s public housing communities. What began as free enrichment programming quickly revealed a deeper need for consistency, accountability, and long-term investment in young people.
In response, Ross developed a multi-year leadership pipeline that follows students from middle school through high school graduation. Through this model, participants have launched small businesses, gained financial literacy and investment knowledge, engaged in civic leadership, explored technology and entrepreneurship, and developed the life skills necessary for college, career, and responsible adulthood.
In 2016, Ross expanded this work with the launch of The Black Suit Initiative, an all-male leadership and community engagement program focused on academic excellence, career exposure, mentoring, and workforce readiness. Under her leadership, the organization has built strong community and corporate partnerships, expanded access to technology and innovation, and consistently demonstrated measurable outcomes through student showcases, scholarships, and post-secondary readiness.
Donor support under Ross’s leadership is stewarded with intention and transparency—fueling programming that delivers both immediate support and long-term return on investment for students, families, and the broader community. Her vision remains centered on one core belief: when young people are equipped with opportunity, expectation, and support, the impact extends far beyond the individual.
Evainna Ross has been married to her husband, Kevin, for 38 years, and they are the proud parents of daughter, Amariah.
Contact Us
Visit Us!
1324 Alamance Church Road, Greensboro, NC, USA
Email: evainna@blacksuit.org Phone: 336.549.0146
Our Hours
By Appointment Only
