My Brother's Keeper Task Force: One-Year Progress Report to the President

 

Dear Colleagues,

Just over a year ago, the President launched the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Initiative, issuing a powerful call to action to help close opportunity gaps still faced by too many young people, often by boys and young men of color in particular. It has galvanized a tremendous amount of activity. Last week, the MBK Task Force released a one-year progress report detailing much of the progress made on three fronts:

• State and local engagement, including nearly 200 communities that have accepted the MBK Community Challenge;
• Independent nonprofit, philanthropic and corporate action, including several significantcommitments and investments; and
• Public policy review and reform.

To celebrate the milestone, The White House partnered with NPR’s StoryCorps on a special interviewbetween President Obama and Noah McQueen, a D.C.-area high school student and a White House mentee. In the interview, the President and Noah talked candidly with each other about overcoming tough circumstances, rebounding from setbacks, and what it takes to have a successful future.

In addition, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro shared his thoughts on MBK calling for a future where every young person’s potential and outcomes in America is “determined by their heart, their mind and their work ethic” and not their zip code. In his “My Brother’s Keeper: A Year of Progress” blog, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan writes about how communities across the nation are committed to making a difference in the lives of our youth, in particular he shares the profound impact a specific conversation with young Latino men in Denver had on him.

Throughout 2014, the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics engaged stakeholders, including students, parents, educators, community and business members, to discuss the educational prospects and challenges that persist for Hispanic boys and young men across the country. Further, we continue to highlight the importance of investing in our Hispanic boys and young men, through initiatives like MBK and our Anniversary Year of Action. We have joined the mobilization of community-based, nonprofit and private sector collaboration related to the goals of MBK or focused on Hispanic boys and young men. Some of these activities are captured on our MBK resource page.

The work is not over. This is only a recognition of what collectively we have accomplished on behalf of the young people in this country, in particular Hispanic youth. We hope you find this information useful and that more important, you share with your networks. We also aim to continue highlighting stories, efforts, strategies, communities and partnerships that advance the goals of MBK. We want to hear from you.

Send us your story at WHIEEH@Ed.gov. Together, we will work to lift up our boys and young men and therefore, our country.

Sincerely ,

White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics