Obama government offers federal boost to young men of color

Opportunity has been lacking for young men of color. My Brother’s Keeper wants to change that. Photos by Elton Lugay

Opportunity has been lacking for young men of color. My Brother’s Keeper wants to change that. Photos by Elton Lugay

By Elton Lugay

African American and Hispanic men and boys filled the White House State Dining Room to listen to President Obama unveil his latest initiative to assist young men of color who are “willing to do the hard work to get ahead.”

I thought these young boys are finally getting the boost they need from the federal government and are not being stopped and frisked!

However, I did not see a lot of young Asian men in the February 27th event where Obama signed a memorandum establishing the “My Brother’s Keeper Task Force,” an effort that seeks to put young men on the path to success. The task force will be chaired by Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary Broderick Johnson.

Opportunity has been slow or lacking for young men of color, a population that has faced challenges completing their education, finding employment and basically getting past the hurdles to race and poverty so they can “reach their full potential.”

White House data shows that boys and young men of color are at risk from childhood up until they reach college and later seek their career paths.

“Large disparities remain in reading proficiency, with 86 percent of black boys and 82 percent of Hispanic boys reading below proficiency levels by the fourth grade – compared to 58 percent of white boys reading below proficiency levels.

“Additionally, the disproportionate number of Black and Hispanic young men who are unemployed or involved in the criminal justice system alone is a perilous drag on state budgets, and undermines family and community stability. These young men are more than six times as likely to be victims of murder than their white peers and account for almost half of the country’s murder victims each year.”

My Brother’s Keeper offers the following key initiatives:

– Access to basic health, nutrition, and to high-quality early education to get these kids reading and ready for school at the youngest age;

– Helping young men stay in school and find a good job so they have the opportunity to reach their full potential, contribute to their communities and build decent lives for themselves and their families;

– Partnering with communities and police to reduce violence and make our classrooms and streets safer.

“It’s an issue that goes to the very heart of why I ran for President,” said Obama in his welcome remarks. “If America stands for anything, it stands for the idea of opportunity for everybody; the notion that no matter who you are, or where you came from, or the circumstances into which you are born, if you work hard, if you take responsibility, then you can make it in this country.”

In the audience to lend support were Magic Johnson, founder and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises; former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies; Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, founder and chairman of America’s Promise Alliance; and elected officials from the Congressional Hispanic, Black and Asian Caucus groups.

My Brother’s Keeper is an interagency effort in partnership with the business community and philanthropic organizations.

Pres. Obama: ‘If you work hard, if you take responsibility, then you can make it in this country.’

Pres. Obama: ‘If you work hard, if you take responsibility, then you can make it in this country.’



One Comment

  1. M.Matthews wrote:

    Thank you very much for this report from the White House Elton.
    Keep in mind that we have a lots of Asian boys and men who need help also just like Blacks and Latinos do!
    And what about millions of poor and uneducated white people?

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