“I have always believed that the single most important task we have as a nation is to make sure our young people can go as far as their dreams and hard work will take them. It is the single most important thing we can do for our country’s future. And we’ve got to do it together.”

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
 

Our Vision

Our vision is to make this a reality for all of our nation’s boys and young men of color, each and 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 for our country.

Our Mission

MBK Alliance leads a cross-sector national call to action focused on building safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color where they feel valued and have clear pathways to opportunity.

The Need

 

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.
 

THE CHALLENGE

Our country's persistent social inequities are widespread, rooted in structural and institutional racism, and prevent our boys and young men of color from reaching their full potential.

Poverty: Black, American Indian, and Hispanic children are between six and nine times more likely than white children to live in areas of concentrated poverty.

Discipline: African-American students represent 16 percent of the public school student population, but make up 42 percent of those suspended more than once, and 34 percent of students expelled.

Graduation: High school graduation rates for black and Hispanic students are 16 and 12 percentage points lower than white students, respectively. Many districts see 50% graduation rates or worse for boys of color.

Employment: A black baby boy born 25 years ago has a 1 in 2 chance of being employed today.

Crime: While only 6% of the overall population, Black males account for nearly half of all murder victims.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Improving life prospects and outcomes for young people, including young men of color, is the right thing to do for our economy.

Closing the Education Gap: If we closed the gap in educational attainment between working-age (25-64) men of color and non-Hispanic white men of the same age, the share of working-aged men of color who have a bachelor’s degree or above would double and the total U.S. GDP would increase by 1.8 percent ($350 billion).

Closing the Labor Force Gap: If we closed the gap in labor force participation between 16-to-54 year-old men of color and non-Hispanic white men of the same age, total U.S. GDP would increase by 2 percent.

Our Goals

 

Support Communities

in developing and executing rigorous action plans focused on near-term impact and systemic solutions to the most pressing challenges facing boys and young men of color.

Build a national movement

of citizens and institutions committed to effective and urgent action to build safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color.

Identify and promote

effective programs, policies, and people that have a tangible, measurable, positive impact on life outcomes for boys and young men of color.

Advisory Council

My Brother's Keeper Alliance Team & Council

The Obama Foundation established the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance Advisory Council to support this signature initiative, recognizing the importance of ensuring that MBK Alliance is provided with a strong set of field leadership to provide advice and counsel to Foundation leadership and staff. The MBK Alliance Advisory Council is comprised of members reflecting a broad range of experiences and backgrounds, and a strong, proven commitment to boys and young men of color.
 

SENEGAL MABRY

Ph.D. Student and Education Lead, Cornell University Affect and Cognition Laboratory and Community Neuroscience Initiative

MALACHI HERNANDEZ

Real Estate Development Project Manager, Boston Housing Authority

KAROL MASON

President, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

ANGELIQUE ALBERT

CEO, Native Forward Scholars Fund

BRODERICK JOHNSON

Executive Vice President, Public Policy and Executive Vice President, Digital Equity, Comcast

SCOTT BUDNICK

Founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), CEO of One Community, LLC

ANTOINETTE (TONI) BUSH

Former Executive Vice President, Global Head of Government Affairs, News Corp

ARNE DUNCAN

Managing Partner, Chicago CRED

LATA REDDY

Senior Vice President of Inclusive Solutions at Prudential Financial and Chair and President of The Prudential Foundation

TOM GEDDES

Partner & Head of the Family Office, Brown Advisory

WALTER ISAACSON

Professor of History, Tulane University & Former President, Aspen Institute

GEORGE LOGOTHETIS

Executive Chairman, Libra Group

JUAN SABATER

Partner and Co-President, Valor Equity Partners

TONY WEST

Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary, Uber

DEMOND MARTIN

Senior Partner, Adage Capital Management

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