Empowering the community has been a goal for Kevin Benoit for over 20 years. As a freshman in college, in May of 2004, Benoit created Parlé Magazine, an entertainment and lifestyle magazine spotlighting entertainment and featuring celebrity interviews. The publication was created to empower, entertain, educate, motivate, and engage Black and Brown lives within the media industry. The publication continues to this day as an online platform.
A first generation Haitian American, Kevin graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 2007 with a Bachelors of Science in Legal Studies. He also has a Master’s in Business Administration with a focus in media management.
In addition to the Magazine, under the umbrella of Parle Media Company, Kevin has also worked in the arts and event planning with different ventures, including the Parle Poetry Tour an Parle Productions. The Parle Poetry Tour was a college tour featuring a rotating poets from NYC, performing poetry at colleges and universities, along with other venues around the country over a 6 year span. The tour was managed by Kevin and featured performances at over 100 venues over the years. Parle Productions produced a one woman play, titled, ‘Georgia’ performed Off Broadway in NYC and in theaters in Brooklyn, before going on the road and also performing at colleges throughout the country. The show was adapted into a full cast play, once again performed Off-Broadway, and in Brooklyn as a previous Brooklyn Arts Fund grant winner.
Over the years he has worked at several nonprofit organizations in a variety of roles, all in New York City. In a quick snap shot he’s worked with formerly incarcerated youth at Police Athletic League; worked with youth with developmental disabilities at Job Path and Hip-Hop 4 Life; and worked with homeless and displaced youth with SCO Family of Services. He’s run after school programming in high schools with Imani House, and worked with students pursuing careers in media at HarlemLIVE. Most recently he worked as an administrator at a charter high school in Brooklyn in the role of College and Career Readiness Manager, developing internship partnerships for high school students and spearheading all aspects of transitioning into senior year and making post-secondary plans. He currently works with Press Pass NYC teaching journalism and media literacy to middle school and high school students throughout the city.
In 2022, Kevin founded Parlé Endeavors, a nonprofit organization, to expand his work with youth. The organization is dedicated to empowering the next generation of creative leaders in journalism, entrepreneurship, the arts and related fields. The mission is to nurture creativity and build a supportive community where young individuals can excel. The organization leans into mentorship, providing opportunities for teens and emerging adults to develop youth voice, and engage in internships. Parle Endeavors also has scholarship opportunities for high school seniors, and grant opportunities for youth in high school or freshmen in college who hope to begin their own entrepreneurial journeys.
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