National Youth Alliance for Boys & Men of Color 2015 Statement & Recommendations

Introduction (Click above for the full statement & recommendations)

As young people of color from across the country, we have come together in response to President Obama’s call to action to improve the lives of boys and young men of color. The Youth Table represents the voices of tens of thousands of organized boys and young men of color throughout the United States, as well as a network of over 200 agencies working with youth across the country. We have been organizing for quality education, good jobs, healthy communities, and just treatment by courts and police. We are African American, Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, and Native American. We are male, female, transgender, heterosexual, and gay. We stand together to express our commitment to ending the inequities experienced by boys and young men of color. We are honored to be included in this unprecedented initiative to improve the lives of all boys and young men of color and view this opportunity as a long awaited and necessary call to action.

As boys and young men of color who are caught in the crossfire of failed policy, broken promises, and deferred dreams, we are deeply committed to the success of this initiative. Based on the surveys we collected, our work in our communities, and our own unique experiences as young people of color, we offer the following three guiding principals, that we believe will help ensure that these initiatives truly improve the lives of boys and young men of color.

Contact: Calvin Williams (calvin@movementstrategy.org)