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BOSTON
- Wednesday, March 22, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the first
cohort of Young Black Leaders Boston, a new civic engagement
program launched by the Mayor’s Office of Black Male Advancement (BMA).
This program is designed to help young Black men and boys between the ages
of 13 and 17 in Boston high schools become civically engaged leaders in
their communities. Young Black Leaders will include a 6-week spring course
for the 20 selected students.
"Young
Black Leaders Boston will build on our work to empower young Black students
in our city, expand civic leadership, and ensure Boston is truly a city for
everyone," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "We are excited to
launch our first high school cohort of this program as another step to wrap
around our young people outside of the school day and connect them with
opportunities. I'm grateful to all of our partners in supporting this
program and looking forward to this cohort's incredible impact."
"We
are excited to launch Young Black Leaders Boston," said Frank
Farrow, Executive Director of Black Male Advancement. "It is
important that we empower our young Black male students and help them to
thrive and share in our City’s prosperity. This new program will support
our young people, ensuring that they are equipped to access resources,
build with their school community and lead in their neighborhoods.”
The
spring 2023 course of Young Black Leaders Boston started on March 21 and
will end on April 27. The participants in the cohort will gain skills,
knowledge, and practical experience through weekly hour-long sessions
designed to organize their communities for social change. They will also
meet with City of Boston leaders, members of the Black Men and Boys Commission and Black Men Lead alumni to learn how to effectively
navigate local government, access City services, and ways to make an impact
in the City.
Young Black Leaders 2023 Spring Cohort
·
Jamir
Allen, Henderson Inclusion Upper School
·
Alex
Bailey, Henderson Inclusion Upper School
·
Rahkim
Brown, Henderson Inclusion Upper School
·
Charles
Cloy, Boston Arts Academy
·
Jeremiah
Dellosantos, Henderson Inclusion Upper School
·
Derek
Dolly, Henderson Inclusion Upper School
·
Jaiden
Douglin, Buckingham Browne and Nichols
·
JaVaughan
Francis, TechBoston Academy
·
Ikon
Germaine, Henderson Inclusion Upper School
·
Korey
Gray, Henderson Inclusion Upper School
·
Ian
Heurtelou, Arlington High School
·
Michael
Jarret, Josiah Quincy Upper School
·
Daniel
Joseph, Henderson Inclusion Upper School
·
Ayven
Lewis, Henderson Inclusion Upper School
·
Marcus
Lloyd, Henderson Inclusion Upper School
·
Timothy
Robinson, Jeremiah E. Burke High School
·
Jaiden
Singletary, Boston Arts Academy
·
Erese
Tejerakermeus, Boston Arts Academy
·
David
Uzoma, Henderson Inclusion Upper School
·
Anthony
Williams, Henderson Inclusion Upper School
The
participants in this cohort live in various neighborhoods in the City of
Boston including but not limited to: Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain,
Mattapan, Roslindale, Roxbury, and the South End. Through the My Brother’s Keeper Boston partnership with Boston
Public Schools (BPS), BMA focused on engaging and supporting young Black
male students in a variety of schools across the district.
"I
chose Young Black Leaders Boston because I wanted to be in a program that
would enhance young Black males all over Boston,” said Jaiden
Singletary, Young Black Leaders Boston cohort participant. “I look forward
to learning how to improve my leadership skills not only as a Black youth,
but also for my school community and neighborhood. I'm thankful to the
Office of Black Male Advancement for creating this program and honored to
participate in something like this."
The
goal of this program is for each cohort participant to be in a better
position to organize their communities for social change. Upon completion
of this program, participants will share what they learned with others in
their school communities and become more civically active in their
neighborhoods on issues that matter to them. The program’s sessions will be
developed and facilitated by The Davis System LLC, which provides
grassroots organizing strategy to individuals, organizations, and communities
in Boston.
“Society
has had long standing stereotypes against young black men and how we show
up in our society, but this cohort of young black men from across the city
of Boston are examples of how those stereotypes are not exemplary of the
young black male experience,” said Anthony Davis, Jr., Founder and Chief
Executive Officer of The Davis System, LLC. “These young men taking the
initiative to learn skills to organize their communities for social change
is the first step in ensuring that we are building a culture of civic
engagement with our black men from across the city of Boston.
The
Mayor’s Office of Black Male Advancement works to empower Black men &
boys and to ensure they have equitable access to opportunities in the City.
BMA also focuses on policies, programs, resources, and local and national
partnerships. Additionally, the office directs and supports the efforts of
the Black Men and Boys Commission and My Brother’s Keeper Boston.
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