Following through with his promise to adopt a new project focused on young men of color during his State of the Union address last month, President Obama will launch a new initiative Thursday to support the lives of a population disproportionately affected by poverty and prison.
Titled “My Brother’s Keeper,” the initiative will address how disparities faced by these young men negatively affect their success, and will test strategies to keep keep them in school and out of the criminal justice system. The Obama administration will also launch an internal evaluation process to identify successful programs.
Continuing their efforts to support the development and health of boys and young men of color, The California Endowment foundation recently announced a $50 million commitment over the next seven years to make a difference for boys and young men across California in their “Sons & Brothers” campaign.
“More than 70% of people in California 25 years old and younger are people of color,” said President and CEO of California Endowment Foundation Robert K. Ross. “As a result of the policies and systems that were meant to help keep order and safety – law enforcement, prisons, school discipline – we created the school to prison pipeline which has disproportionately funneled young men and boys of color into its quagmire of despair and ruin.”
The Sons and Brothers campaign has garnered support from 100 other foundations, celebrity spokespeople, political and religious leaders, students, parents and school faculty. For more information visit: sonsandbrothers.us and follow on Twitter @sonsandbros.
The California Endowment funds Boyle Heights Beat
