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By Maidstone Mulenga
UMConnection Staff

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Calling it a moral issue for the country, President Barack Obama challenged communities to take action in helping boys and young men of color unlock venues of opportunities and overcome obstacles in schools, criminal justice system and families.

The president issued the challenge Feb. 27 when he launched “My Brother’s Keeper,” a new initiative to help boys and young men of color who are facing tough odds to stay on track and reach their potential.

Obama said he is committed to building a broad coalition of backers to help break down barriers, clear pathways to opportunity, and reverse troubling trends which “show too many of our boys and young men of color slipping through the cracks in our society.” 

In a message similar to what Bishop Marcus Matthews has been asking United Methodists in the Baltimore-Washington Conference, Obama pointed out that young men of color need mentors to help in education and avoiding violence.

The president announced the initiative during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, which was attended by young men from Chicago and public and private sector leaders including General Colin Powell, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.  Others in attendance included prominent members of the business community, including Rosalind Brewer of Sam’s Club, Ken Chenault of American Express, former NBA All-Star Magic Johnson, and Don Thompson of McDonald’s, whom the president said  have already expressed their support for the effort.

“We need to partner with communities and police to reduce violence and make our classrooms and streets safer,” Obama said. “And we need to help these 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.”

As part of the initiative, Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum establishing the My Brother’s Keeper Task Force, an interagency effort that will help  determine what public and private efforts are working and how to expand upon them.

Obama announced that several foundations supporting the call to action have already made extensive investments, including $150 million in current spending already approved or awarded.

“These foundations are announcing that over the next five years they seek to invest at least $200 million, alongside additional investments from their peers in philanthropy and the business community, to find and rapidly spread solutions that have the highest potential for impact in key areas,” he said.

In addition to the leadership from the philanthropic community, the My Brother’s Keeper initiative will leverage participation from the business community and elected officials to support this cross-sector effort. 

Reciting the data that show that boys and young men of color, regardless of socio-economic background, are disproportionately at risk throughout their journey from their youngest years to college and career, Obama noted that the nation has become numb to the statistics.

“I believe the continuing struggles of so many boys and young men, the fact that too many of them are falling by the wayside, dropping out, unemployed, involved in negative behavior, going to jail, being profiled — this is a moral issue for our country,” he said.

He noted that he was not only a president but also a black father who was concerned over the disparities in educational achievement and incarceration faced by young minority men.

Talking about his own life, Obama noted that he, like some of the boys standing behind him as he announced the initiative, grow up without a father in the home but that he succeeded because someone gave him a second chance.

“I made bad choices. I got high, not always thinking about the harm it could do. I didn't always take school as seriously as I should have. I made excuses. Sometimes I sold myself short," Obama said.

So the president challenged the young men of color to push themselves, telling them to have "no excuses" and to "tune out the naysayers who say if the deck is stacked against you, you might as well just give up or settle into the stereotype."

"Nothing will be given to you. The world is tough out there. There's a lot of competition for jobs and college positions and everybody has to work hard. But I know you guys can succeed," the president said to a loud applause.

Earlier in the afternoon, the president met with foundation and business leaders as well as elected officials and senior administration officials to discuss his “My Brother’s Keeper” Initiative.