City Leadership to Promote Black Male Achievement

Posted by on October 08, 2012

The YEF Institute has published a new municipal action guide that highlights potential strategies and promising city approaches for reducing the persistent disparities between black males and their peers in the areas of education, work and family.

City Leadership to Promote Black Male Achievement draws attention to the prominent roles municipal leaders can play in a growing national movement to improve outcomes for black males, who continue to face some of the largest disadvantages of any demographic group in America.  Numerous studies show that black males suffer disproportionately from poverty, family instability, failure in school, unemployment, incarceration and homicide.

Development of the NLC guide was made possible by support from the Open Society Foundations Campaign for Black Male Achievement, which aims to create hope and opportunity for black men and boys who are marginalized from economic, social, educational and political life in the United States.

The guide presents a wide range of action steps that city leaders can take to reduce racial and gender inequalities in three areas:  strengthening families, improving educational achievement and expanding access to family-supporting employment opportunities.  The guide’s recommendations draw from the experience of municipal leaders who have made black male achievement a top priority for their cities.

http://www.nlc.org/find-city-solutions/institute-for-youth-education-and-families/at-risk-youth/city-leadership-to-promote-black-male-achievement