On February 27th, 2014 President Obama launched My Brother’s Keeper, a nationwide initiative to help young men of color reach their full potential. See the announcement here. The initiative will bring together public and private organizations as well as educational institutions committed to the success of this vulnerable population. Project MALES applauds President Obama’s leadership and his avowed support to the important issue of men/boys of color in education. We stand ready to join forces on this historic endeavor. Project MALES accepts the challenge of strengthening America by continuing to positively impact the lives of the young men we serve.
This work is not new to Project MALES as the program was created to address this specific issue. Based within the Division of Diversity & Community Engagement (DDCE) at the University of Texas at Austin, the program encompasses three interrelated initiatives: a research project focused on exploring the experiences of Latino males in higher education; a mentoring program that aims to cultivate an engaged support network for males of color at UT-Austin and the Central Texas community; and, a newly launched statewide P-16 Consortium focused on the success of male students of color (Texas Education Consortium for Male Students of Color). DDCE recently released a statement of their own in support of the President’s new initiative after UT-Austin Vice President Gregory Vincent’s attendance at the official White House announcement.
Through our local and regional collaborations Project MALES remains committed to expanding on this work and aligning with community partners, organizations, and institutions to meet the challenge set forth through President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper national initiative. Project MALES esta ¡presente!