California service chief, veteran urge men to sign up for mentorship push

Josh Fryday, identified in the interview as California’s Director and Chief Service Officer and a candidate for lieutenant governor, urged men to sign up as mentors during a Right Now Studios segment about a new Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County campaign called "Men Who Show Up." Fryday said the campaign ties to a recent governor’s executive order focused on what he called "a crisis" affecting young men.

"We are looking for more Bigs, and we're looking for more Bigs because we have a crisis on our hands," Fryday said on the air, adding that men are "four times more likely to commit suicide" and face other disadvantages such as lower college attendance and higher unemployment, statements he presented as motivating the state initiative. The interview did not include independent data sourcing for those figures; Fryday framed them as the rationale for the California Men's Service Challenge.

Fryday described service—through the military, the National Guard, coaching or mentoring—as a way to restore purpose and connections for men and to provide role models for boys. "When you serve ... it creates a real sense of purpose and meaning," he said, and asked listeners to consider local organizations, youth sports and Big Brothers Big Sisters chapters as ways to volunteer.

The segment included a concrete call to action: Fryday directed listeners to sdbigs.org/showup to sign up or find local Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliates, and advised that people can also volunteer as coaches or mentors with local leagues.

Anthony Gomez, introduced as a Marine veteran and a Big Brother, described his personal experience mentoring a youth for decades and said the relationship "changed my life." "I will die a happy man," Gomez said, describing the fulfillment he found through mentoring and encouraging other veterans and service members to get involved.

Hosts Eric Conner and Jack Hall framed the interview as part of a week-long series promoting the campaign and highlighted the long-term, human-impact stories Fryday and Gomez described. The broadcast presented the campaign and the executive-order background as the principal policy context; it did not include independent verification of the statistics Fryday cited nor additional policy details about the executive order.

The campaign materials and Fryday’s remarks emphasize recruitment of men for mentoring roles across California, including San Diego County. For listeners interested in volunteering, Fryday suggested visiting sdbigs.org/showup and contacting local Big Brothers Big Sisters chapters or youth sports programs. The show closed with thanks to Fryday and Gomez and an appeal for more volunteers.