For 12-year-old Marquis and his 13-year-old cousin Jayden, gaming is more than just play — it's a pathway to connection.

"I love it," said Marquis King Jr., a Little in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. "You got to play a lot; you care about someone."

Jayden, new to the program, added: "This is my first time coming here, so I'm new to this whole thing."

The two cousins are currently on the Big Brothers Big Sisters waitlist among thousands of youth of color nationwide who are waiting for a mentor, or "Big." But thanks to a special event hosted in Philadelphia this week, they're getting a head start through a hands-on gaming experience designed to spark relationships and inspire trust.

The event is part of a growing partnership between Big Brothers Big Sisters, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the Cxmmunity Foundation, a nonprofit that uses video games and digital media to connect underrepresented youth to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) opportunities and future careers.

"Being a Big when I was an Air Force officer, through my engagement, I was able to secure at least another six individuals who went on to become Bigs," John Cash, the chief development officer for the Cxmmunity Foundation and a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha, said. "Alpha Phi Alpha's creed is service to all."

This week, Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity for African American men, is hosting its 119th National Convention in Philadelphia, where members are encouraged to sign up as mentors. Their goal is to help reduce the Big Brothers Big Sisters waitlist and offer meaningful connections to boys of color who are often the last to be matched.

"Sixty-five percent of our waiting list are young boys of color," said Brian Ervin, the vice president of programs for Big Brothers Big Sisters Greater Houston. "Opportunities like this are how we approach that problem with a real solution. We've partnered with Alpha Phi Alpha to create this gaming space to provide mentorship to the young kids of Philadelphia, and we hope this becomes a catalyst for the entire country."

Since 1990, Alpha Phi Alpha and Big Brothers Big Sisters have worked together to expand mentorship opportunities for youth of color. That partnership has helped reduce a national waitlist of over 30,000 and recently led to a 7% increase in mentor recruitment, reversing a years-long decline.

For parents like Monique Dawkins, the impact is personal.

"He don't always want to tell me his issues," she said of her son. "He could tell his big brother or his big sister."

To her, the program is about more than structure; it's about belonging.

"It will provide him a mentor. Good leadership. A big brother. He doesn't have a big brother, so I think this program would benefit him in a great way," Dawkins said.

As kids like Marquis and Jayden discover the power of play and the promise of someone who believes in them, this movement is proving that mentorship can take many forms, even one with a game controller in hand.

And for those waiting for a Big, the message is clear: they may not be waiting much longer.

• Philadelphia