President Barack Obama delivers remarks at an event to highlight “My Brother’s Keeper,” an initiative to expand opportunity for young men and boys of color, in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 27, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
The My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Nashville Alliance is happy to announce the launch of President Obama’s My Brother Keeper initiative in the city of Nashville. MBK Nashville is building a coalition of organizations and individuals that will work to prioritize achievement for boys and young men of color (BYMOC) by focusing on six key milestones and promoting positive mentorship for Black and Brown boys.
“We are building a platform to empower Black and Brown boys and give them a louder voice in the city of Nashville,” said Lonnell Matthews, Jr., Davidson County Juvenile Court Clerk and co-coordinator for MBK Nashville. “We are encouraging Black and Brown youth and their parents to attend the MBK Launch Celebration and join the movement, as well as, other non-profit, faith, government and for profit organizations that see Black and Brown Male Achievement as a priority.”
The MBK Launch Celebration will kick off Black History Month and bring together stakeholders to create a public space where Black men and other men of color, together with Black and Brown male youth, assemble to unify the causes of brotherhood, manhood and alliance. We chart this course in order to galvanize the city to see the immense value in making Black and Brown male youth, and the equity needed to create better opportunities for them, a top priority for the city of Nashville.
Our goal for this event is to engage the entire Nashville community in our movement to support our boys and young men of color achieve success by:
- Celebrating our BYMOC and those that have committed to mentoring them;
- Educating attendees on MBK and its six key milestones, with emphasis on these three as a beginning: Milestone #2 – Reading at Grade Level by 3rd grade; Milestone #3 – Graduating from high school ready for college and career; and Milestone #6 – Reducing violence and providing a second chance opportunities
- Promoting future opportunities to join and participate in the MBK Nashville Alliance
Anyone can register to attend the MBK Launch Celebration, as an individual or as an organization/vendor, go to <www.mbkcelebration.eventbrite.com>.
About My Brother’s Keeper Nashville Alliance
My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) is a collaborative impact movement to support and improve achievement for boys and young men of color, started by President Barack Obama in 2014. Our goal is making boys and young men of color, and the equity needed to create better opportunities for them, a top priority in the city of Nashville. We seek to improve social outcomes by organizing cross-sector groups of partners to transform inefficient, fragmented systems.
We believe every young person deserves an equal chance to achieve success, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status. Our vision is to make this a reality for all of our city’s boys and young men of color, each & every one of whom is critical to our collective success. By realizing this vision, we are creating a brighter, more promising future not just for our boys and young men of color, but also for the entire Nashville community.
