Mayor's Office of Children & Family Success June Newsletter

June 2020

Much has happened in the last month, since our last newsletter. School is out. Summer is here. And social distancing remains critical. Local coronavirus stats continue trending downward—yet as Baltimore emerges from its stay-at-home order, the specter of a second COVID-19 appears imminent. All this, and we as a community and country have again witnessed the brutal murder of Black men, sparking a global racial justice call to action that is sustained by the passion and commitment of youth. The time has come for us to acknowledge and take swift action against the deep and disproportionate impact of structural racism against people of color—especially boys and young men.

Our Priority:

Breaking down barriers to success for boys and young men of color

Through a partnership with the Johns Hopkins Center for Adolescent Health, we have gathered data that demonstrates the persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color. The August 2019 report, The State of Boys & Young Men of Color in Baltimore City, provides a baseline data snapshot of key predicators of success.

The mandate is clear: Baltimore’s most underutilized asset is its boys and young men of color and we must advance the needs of black and brown boys through policy reform and targeted expansion of culturally responsive programming that ensures all young people can reach their full potential.

The Work

Baltimore Children's Cabinet

This winter we launched Baltimore Children’s Cabinet workgroups for the seven priority areas that guide the work of the cabinet and our office. Committed community stakeholders have taken on the charge of developing action plans that will set the direction for change to improve the lives of children, youth and families.

Using the national MBK Alliance’s framework as a guide, the boys and young men of color workgroup is exploring inequities in the areas of school discipline, high school and college graduation, employment and the criminal justice system.

A special thank you to the community leaders serving on the boys and young men of color workgroup.

My Brother's Keeper Baltimore

In 2015, the late U.S Congressman Elijah E. Cummings led Baltimore's response to President Barack Obama's call to address persistent opportunity gaps facing boys and young men of color, establishing MBK-Baltimore as part of the MBK Alliance. In 2017, MBK-Baltimore established a local advisory board comprised of individuals from city and state government, non-profits, academic institutions, youth advocates and youth representatives.

Today, MBK-Baltimore is positioned to bring alignment across initiatives throughout the city to empower boys and men of color as facilitators of positive change within communities and systems.

An Invitation to Engage:

You Matter: A Conversation Series Between Boys and Men of Color

The murder of George Floyd and others are reminders of the persistent systemic oppression that inhibits boys and young men of color in their reach to succeed—and in some cases, their ability to breathe. Together, boys and men of color must work to identify and advocate for the solutions that will save their lives.

The Mayor’s Office of Children & Family Success and MBK-Baltimore are excited to announce You Matter: A Conversation Series Between Boys and Men of Color, virtual inter-generational conversations with boys and men of color focused on advancing the fight against discrimination and injustice. We are excited about the dynamic lineup of special guests including youth leaders and other Baltimore influencers who will create a space for boys and men of color to freely express what’s on their hearts and minds, and to develop strategies and actions for change grounded in the MBK-Baltimore framework.