President Obama's boldest effort since taking office to address the dire state of young minority men

[bigtree]

President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative gets $104 million boost

Six months since the launch of My Brother’s Keeper – the president’s boldest effort since taking office to address the dire state of young minority men – Obama is set to announce that millions are being dedicated to expanding the initiative.

According to a White House official, Obama will announce Monday at the Walker Jones Education Center in Washington new partnerships with public and private groups to the tune of about $104 million in funding to help this demographic succeed at critical stages throughout their lives – from early education to college and career.

“Tomorrow’s announcements are an important next step in continuing to build ladders of opportunity for all and to highlight the President’s commitment to ensuring that all children have a fair shot to succeed in this country,” a White House official said.

Obama assembled the My Brother’s Keeper Task Force and charged them with spending the next few months combing through data and best practices in preparation for a massive scaling-up of national efforts.

The administration convened some of the wealthiest foundations and philanthropists in the country and secured about $200 million to identify and bolster efforts that are working nationally to help boys and men of color while also developing new strategies. The efforts center around disrupting what many in the philanthropic space refer to as the cradle-to-prison pipeline that disproportionately siphons off minority boys from as early as pre-Kindergarten . . .


read more: http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/obamas-my-brothers-keeper-initiative-gets-104-million-boost

[Cha]

1. Monday's going to be busy for the President doing Good things.. mahalo bigtree!

And, Thanks Obama!

[bigtree]

6. some folks here just can't bear discussion about African American men

. . . they can't bear the thought that the President is trying to make a substantive difference in their lives. They don't seem to give a damn about these African American men. All they care about is spamming their petty politics.

I'd like to know what they've done in their own lives to directly help African American men. I really would.

There's no shame in them. There's absolutely no shame in disrupting a discussion about these young men. They just don't give a damn, Cha.

As a black man, it seems obvious to me what's going on here.

[Cha]

7. I know what you mean, bigtree.. I read a couple of stupid comments in LBN on this

news that.. "Obama unveils programs for young men's initiative" Dawg the stupid.

[bigtree]

8. I'd like to know how the politics they're promoting directly affects their own lives

. . . you never hear a thing about that. You never hear how a trade deal that hasn't even been presented yet actually has some impact on their lives.

I've respected so many expressions of concern and anguish over issues that actually have a direct impact on folks' lives here, even though I'm not directly impacted. I still care and take as much care in discussing these issues as I can.

The amazing thing is, I've expressed over and over my support for the exact issue these disruptors are complaining about. I've bent over backward over the past few weeks to make clear that I understand and appreciate the issues they've raised. It's NEVER enough for them. Reminds me of the reaction of republicans to the president's initiatives and agenda. It's never enough.

I can't say what I really feel here. I don't want to get locked out of my own thread, but I've given as much respect and care as I could manage on issues that others have expressed are near and dear to their own lives. I guess it's too much to expect that they would respect me.

Thing is, no one here really has to give one bit of attention to these posters to care about the issues they raise, and it's amazing that they act like like responding to their baiting appeals is the plethora of all concern.

If there's a way to actually lose the interest and support of folks who already care about these issues, nagging, baiting, and ridiculing people here seems a sure way to turn them off. I'd like to think they understand that playing ignorant, petty politics with issues that are near and dear to others is a guaranteed way to lose that support they claim to want.

It's hard for me to believe these are serious people.

[Cha]

9. Well, said, bigtree.. and this..

"If there's a way to actually lose the interest and support of folks who already care about these issues, nagging, baiting, and ridiculing people here seems a sure way to turn them off. I'd like to think they understand that playing ignorant, petty politics with issues that are near and dear to others is a guaranteed way to lose that support they claim to want."

Unfortunately, if the President is doing it.. for some it invokes a cynical reaction no matter how good the Cause. It says everything about them and nothing about President Obama.

[MannyGoldstein]

2. I thought this was going to be about the TPP.

Oh well.

[TBF]

4. The TPP would be about helping men in other countries -

(along with billionaires here and there and everywhere) ...

[bigtree]

5. I start to think you just might be a serious person

. . . then you come on threads like this one with your spam.

Tell you what, talk about the issue in the op or just bug off. It's not as if you don't have enough opportunity to play and act and perform in your own threads.

The issue is this initiative that intends to help African American men. What possible reason do you have for disrupting this thread? It's clear you don't give a damn. Go play somewhere else.

[lovemydog]

3. Is anyone here at DU involved in this?

I'd love to hear more about it. Thanks.

[JDPriestly]

10. This is one of the best and most important of Obama's initiatives.

I rate this along with my all-time favorite, better early childhood education for all, as having the potential to change our country for the better in a big, big way.

I hope this program will have great success and be well funded.

[brer cat]

11. Huge K&R, bigtree!

Thanks for posting.

[jen63]

12. Too long coming

but the funding seems soooo little. I guess the fact that it's off the ground is what's important. Such a complicated issue that too many want to make out to be very simplistic.

[lovemydog]

14. I hope it's powered by people who get involved.

I think its success will depend largely on people.

[jen63]

15. I think you're right

hopefully many will. I just moved back to the sticks from the city. Wish I was still there!

[lovemydog]

16. I lived in big cities many years.

I like being more in the sticks now. But I hear ya. Most of the exciting things start in cities. I hope this program is a huge success and it then spreads to less populated places too. Of course, there's also big brother and big sister programs. I think there's something like that pretty much everywhere. Personally, my volunteer work is helping out a horse shelter. I love it. It's one of the best & most fun things I've ever done. I have a friend who is going to do a program in the fall with troubled teens and horses. I think I'm going to ask her if I can help volunteer with that. So many programs like that are around if you keep asking around. It's a great way to meet cool people.

[Enthusiast]

13. Some people do not want to face the truth.

The truth is, the last thing some people want is for young men of color to have successful lives.

And, THAT is the fucking truth.