The Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance Announces New Initiative to Support Boys and Young Men of Color Across the Country

May 10, 2023 at 1:30 PM CDT

President Obama Launched the MBK Alliance’s Model Communities Initiative at an Obama Foundation Event in Chicago Today

CHICAGO – Today, the  My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, a program of the Obama Foundation, announced four MBK Model Communities, a new initiative that seeks to expand the implementation of evidence-based practices and impact for communities across the country. These MBK Model Communities were selected from a network of hundreds that have an evidence-based track record of success in positively shifting outcomes for boys and young men of color. The four are: Newark, New Jersey; Omaha, Nebraska; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Yonkers, New York, each representing a tangible example of the systems-level impact that communities can have when working to achieve the MBK Milestones. The  MBK Milestones are six key life milestones that research shows are especially predictive of later success, and where interventions can have the greatest impact.

“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,” said President Obama. “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. Thanks to the tireless efforts of MBK communities, cities like Newark, Omaha, Tulsa, and Yonkers have changed the odds – creating opportunities for our young people to achieve their full potential. The MBK Model Communities initiative represents the next phase of the MBK Alliance’s work to help communities take on their biggest challenges – and I look forward to continuing this work alongside them for years to come.”

“As we strive to build safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color across the country, the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance is proud to launch our new MBK Model Communities initiative,” said Dr. Adren Wilson, MBK Alliance Executive Director. “The four Model Communities we recognized today represent the tangible impact that can be achieved when we work together to implement evidence-based practices for our 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. 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.”

Each selected MBK Model Community has achieved significant impact in at least one of the six  MBK Milestones by instituting programming and initiatives that have positively shifted outcomes in the educational or violence reduction ecosystems throughout their municipal areas.

  • MBK Yonkers (Opens in a new tab): According to the New York State Department of Education (Opens in a new tab), Yonkers, New York, has the highest high school graduation rate for young people of color in the state of New York at 91 percent. Yonkers was named an MBK Model Community for their demonstrated impact in MBK Milestone Three: Graduate from High School – All youth should receive a quality high school education and graduate with the skills and tools needed to advance to postsecondary education or training. The Yonkers Public School System will lead the Model Communities initiative for MBK Yonkers.

  • MBK Tulsa (Opens in a new tab): Between 2013 and 2019, the number of students of color enrolled in Pre-K in Tulsa, Oklahoma increased by 3 3 percent (Opens in a new tab). A 2022 study (Opens in a new tab) reported that Tulsa’s free, universal, and full day pre-Kindergarten program has successfully produced a wide range of outcomes—from early academic progress and socio-emotional development, to high school graduation, college enrollment, and even participation in civic life as young adults. Tulsa, Oklahoma, was named an MBK Model Community for their demonstrated impact in MBK Milestone One: Entering School Ready to Learn – All children should have a healthy start and enter school ready – cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. ImpactTulsa will lead the Model Communities initiative for MBK Tulsa.

  • MBK Newark (Opens in a new tab): In Newark, New Jersey, homicides are at a 60 year low (Opens in a new tab). Last year’s reports indicate that homicides were down by 55 percent, as compared to 2013 (Opens in a new tab), and shootings reduced by 35 percent (Opens in a new tab) in just the past year. Newark, New Jersey was named an MBK Model Community for their demonstrated impact in MBK Milestone Six: Remaining Safe from Violent Crime – All youth and young adults should be safe from violent crime. The Newark Opportunity Youth Network will lead the Model Communities initiative for MBK Newark.

  • MBK Omaha (Opens in a new tab): In Omaha, Nebraska, city-wide homicides were reduced by 30 percent from 2011 (Opens in a new tab) to 2022 (Opens in a new tab). Omaha, Nebraska, was named an MBK Model Community for their demonstrated impact in MBK Milestone Six: Remaining Safe from Violent Crime – All youth and young adults should be safe from violent crime. The African-American Empowerment Network will lead the Model Communities initiative for MBK Omaha.

The MBK Alliance will provide these MBK Model Communities with the necessary support to continue implementing systems-level change in these areas and to grow their impact in other areas within their municipal infrastructure. Specifically, the MBK Alliance will provide the four selected MBK Model Communities with:

  • Access to direct coaching, evaluation support, and peer-to-peer learning

  • Direct resources, including an $800,000 grant ($400,000 a year for two years)

  • Ongoing technical assistance for each Model Community’s work

By investing in and spotlighting these four MBK Model Communities, the MBK Alliance intends to seed other communities across the country with knowledge, best practices, and resources so that they too can achieve systems-level impact in the lives of boys and young men of color.

The My Brother’s Keeper Alliance is grateful to all of the donors and partners that are currently making its new MBK Model Communities initiative possible and who have long supported the MBK Alliance’s mission to build safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color where they feel valued and have clear pathways to opportunity:

  • Ballmer Group

  • Bloomberg Philanthropies

  • Enterprise Holdings Foundation

  • Prudential Financial, Inc.

Photos and video of President Obama at the event will be shared later this evening.

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Contact: Gloria Nlewedim, [email protected]