By Melissa Noel ·Updated May 11, 2023
The Obama Foundation has launched a new initiative to support boys and young men of color.
Former President Barack Obama was in Chicago on Wednesday to announce the new MBK Model Communities initiative, which is part of the ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ alliance. My Brother’s Keeper is a countrywide program started by the Obama Foundation in response to the murder of Trayvon Martin.
On Wednesday, officials from four cities were recognized as role models for their efforts to assist young boys and men of color to succeed. Those cities are Newark, New Jersey; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Ohama, Nebraska; and Yonkers, New York.
“In 2014, in the wake of Trayvon Martin’s death, I challenged every community in the country to implement strategies to help boys and young men of color,” President Obama said in a release shared with ESSENCE. “Today, I’m proud to see the incredible impact My Brother’s Keeper Alliance communities are having – helping hundreds of community leaders across the country solve problems for the next generation.
Obama sat down with program leaders from these four model cities where positive community changes were not just talked discussed but also backed up by stats. Some city officials, for example, tout higher high school graduation rates and lower crime rates in their communities.
The four Model Communities selected are meant to represent the real-life impact that can be achieved with collective work to implement evidence-based practices for young people.
“By providing direct coaching, peer-to-peer learning, financial resources, and evaluation support, the MBK Alliance is confident that these Model Communities will serve as beacons of hope and best practices for other communities to follow,” said MBK Alliance Executive Director Dr. Adren Wilson.
“Together, we can ensure our boys and young men of color have access to the opportunities they need, including the opportunity to remain safe from violent crime, so that they may reach their full potential,” Wilson added.
TOPICS: Barack Obama
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