November 2, 2024

The Legacy of Black/Men of Color Initiatives

These numbers initially motivated the federal government to collaborate with foundations and non-profit groups to address obstacles facing young African American and Latino boys. Five years later, many of the coalitions that it built still exist. Coalitions like Cities United, Forward Promise, the Executive Alliance for Boys and Men of Color, and organizations like Amistades and the National Compadres Network are among hundreds doing important work away from the spotlight.

Though no longer headline news, My Brother’s Keeper and its recent summit in Oakland (with a very public Town Hall between  Barack Obama and Golden State Warriors All-Star guard Steph Curry) shows that the issue is still being actively discussed across the nation.

In Texas, Dr. Victor Saez academic research has created Project M.A.L.E.S. (Mentoring to Achieve Latino Educational Success) and the Texas Education Consortium for Male Students of Color. Both produce policy briefings and college access programs to narrow the education gap.

Other BMOC initiatives have focused on  reforming parts of the criminal justice system that many young men often fall through. Those legislative efforts have included ending the practice of trying juveniles as adults to eliminating criminal record check boxes from job applications.

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About The Author

Elbert Garcia is a Dominican-American writer and communications strategist based in Miami. He is dedicated to organizing stories for change. Born and raised in Washington Heights, Garcia has spent the the last two decades in education, government and the media helping to shape messages and voices for public impact.

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