A Movement Six Years in the Making
We started My Brother’s Keeper so that every boy and young man of color in America would know that their dreams mattered as much as any other child’s.
View Six Years in Photos
President Obama launched My Brother’s Keeper in February 2014 to address persistent opportunity gaps facing boys and young men of color and to ensure all youth can reach their full potential. In 2015 the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance (MBK Alliance) was launched, inspired by My Brother’s Keeper, to scale and sustain this mission. In late 2017, MBK Alliance became an initiative of the Obama Foundation. Within the Obama Foundation, MBK Alliance focuses on building safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color where they feel valued and have clear pathways to opportunity.
Updates
See the latest updates from MBK Alliance & MBK Communities
Giving Tuesday Now
Our Impact and Seed community partner organizations are continuing their day-to-day effort to measurably improve the lives of boys and young men of color, while also working to meet essential needs of communities of color that are disproportionately affected by the pandemic. We believe in these organizations, and we hope you will support them on #GivingTuesdayNow.
Since launching four years ago, My Brother’s Keeper has worked to create opportunities for young boys and men of color across the country. Learn how MBK’s work will be woven into the Foundation’s larger mission of leadership development and civic engagement.
END OF YEAR REFLECTION - Michael D. Smith, MBK Alliance Executive Director
We want to end the year by first thanking you for everything you do to ensure our boys and young men can achieve their biggest dreams. Whether you’re a partner, donor, MBK Community Leader, or a friend and supporter, you give us the fuel we need to keep this movement strong and growing.
THE MBK IMPACT COMMUNITY LEADERS - Ten Leaders Making A Difference for Boys and Young Men of Color
We’re thrilled to introduce you to ten outstanding leaders selected to lead the work in our MBK Impact Communities. These leaders now work for our Impact Community partner organizations, and their positions were made possible by matching grants from the MBK Community Challenge Competition.
MBK FRAMEWORK TO AFFECT SYSTEMS CHANGE - A Guide for Driving Systems Change for Boys and Young Men of Color (A Sneak Peak)
In an effort to be responsive to that question and others, we convened national and local leaders and organizations to help us wrestle with ways to better support MBK communities as they continue to build racial equity for boys and young men of color.
SPOTLIGHT ON COMMUNITY Native American Community Academy (NACA)
In partnership with the City of Albuquerque, three high schools, and four nonprofit organizations, NACA has spent this past year deepening and scaling a community of practice for social and emotional learning.
MBK YOUNG LEADER SPOTLIGHT - Kieshaun White
Kieshaun White of Southwest Fresno is one of the remarkable youth leaders from this cohort who has made a measurable impact in his community. He attributes his success to the program’s mentors and unique tools and resources offered to participants.
IT STARTED AT MBK RISING! - Michael B. Jordan Outlier Society Youth Fellowship
During MBK Rising! held in Oakland, California in February of 2019, actor, director, and executive producer Michael B. Jordan announced the launch of the Michael B. Jordan Outlier Society Fellowship Program in partnership with the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance.
SPOTLIGHT ON COMMUNITY PARTNER Congresswoman - Frederika Wilson and the 5000 Role Models of Excellence – Miami, FL
When President Obama announced the formation of My Brother’s Keeper, he highlighted Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and the program that she founded and pushed forward, the 5,000 Role Models of Excellence Project.
IT STARTED AT MBK RISING! MBK Atlanta Relaunches Under Mayor Bottoms’ Leadership
When Keisha Lance Bottoms was elected mayor, her team reached out to us with a desire to relaunch MBK efforts in Atlanta.
MBK COMMUNITY LEADER SPOTLIGHT - Julio Marcial, Senior Director, Youth Justice, Liberty Hill Foundation
Julio Marcial serves as Senior Director of Youth Justice at Liberty Hill and serves as a convener and facilitator in the L.A. County youth MBK efforts.
Introducing the MBK Community of Learning and Practice
My Brother’s Keeper Alliance launched the MBK Community of Learning and Practice, an online space for local boys and young men of color practitioners to promote innovation, share best practices, and cultivate authentic connections to advance their local MBK missions.
An Interview with Lamereia Jenkins
We sat down with Lamereia Jenkins, a Youth Fellow with My Brother’s Keeper Sacramento, to find out what MBK means to him, what advice he has for community leaders and how he stays motivated.