The Big Spotlight: Featuring Keon Meriett of Fulton County, Georgia!

ATLANTA — The Big Spotlight series highlights a mentor, a Big, each month, sharing personal stories that reflect their dedication and hard work. These stories not only showcase the impact on the lives of the Littles they mentor but also contribute to advancing the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta. In 2023, our agency experienced a 68% increase in new 1:1 mentoring matches, with 90% of Littles viewing their mentors as significant adults in their lives – all thanks to our BIGS!  

This November, we introduce you to Keon Meriett, a Content Creator and Instacart Shopper, from Fulton County, Georgia. 

• Can you share why you became a Big? 

I became a Big because I love helping to change lives. I’ve been doing so for 20 years, and it’s something I plan on continuing to do. 

• How has a mentor made an impact on your life? 

I’ve had several mentors in my life. They have all taught me lots of different things, but the main take away from them all was selflessness. It’s cool to help yourself but imagine how many others you could help while being selfless. 

• What has been one of the most rewarding aspects of serving as a BIG? 

One of the most rewarding parts of being a Big for me has been watching Jonah open up more. He communicates better and he absorbs things that we discuss and then he puts them to use. Seeing the small changes lets me know that we’re on the right track, and I can’t wait to see how he grows and matures. 

• What is one piece of advice that you have for a new BIG? 

One piece of advice that I have for a new Big is to listen and be open-minded. Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean that you know everything. Pay attention to what they want and what they need, because they will let you know in conversation. Last thing, be corrective but not a disciplinarian. That’s not your job. However, you do have the obligation to educate when you see something that may need correction. Basically, teachable moments. 

• What are some easy ways you support your LITTLE that go a long way and make a BIG difference? 

A couple of ways that I support Noah: 

1. Pay attention. He loves everything fire fighter related, so we’re going to take a trip to the fire station for a tour. He also likes bowling, so we got him his own bowling ball.  

2. Another way that I support him is by letting him know that I always have his back, and he can always talk to me. 

3. I always check on him. During the week I’ll call or text him to see how he’s doing. I may not always get a reply, but I’ll always check in. 

4. I try to always make him feel important. If he does something that we’ve discussed, I’ll acknowledge it. For example, I wanted him to understand door etiquette—holding the door for someone behind you, or holding it open for a lady— and he started doing just that. Acknowledge the small wins, too! 

• Anything else that you would like to share? 

Being a BIG is a BIG responsibility, but it isn’t scary! The way I see it is that you are a neighbor in the village that it takes to raise these kids. You have the parents first, educators, pastors, coaches and mentors. They all play an important role. Your role as a BIG is huge because you are the fun one! They know they’ll get to go out with you and have fun. They should know that they can talk to you even when they can’t talk to their parents. So, have fun, be a good neighbor, and most importantly, be consistent. Nothing is worse than telling a child that you’re going to do something, and it doesn’t happen. Be a person of your word. Thank you for this opportunity, Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS)!  

• Describe a memory with your LITTLE you will never forget. 

Here is a memory that I still laugh about! So, I took Jonah to my barber. He is another kid that I mentored, but he’s family to me, now. We were all talking and I accidentally cut my brother off while he was talking in mid-sentence. Fast forward a couple of weeks, and Jonah and I are at Top Golf. We were talking and then he cut me off. I said, “that was rude” in a joking way. So, this kid continues to say, “yeah, just like you cut your brother off the other day!” In that moment, I was made aware by a 13-year-old that I was wrong, and I called my brother and barber to apologize. You’re never too old to learn from someone 30 years your junior! 

• Tell us about yourself! 

I work as a Content Creator and an Instacart Shopper. I reside in Atlanta/Fulton County.