On Wednesday, June 11, CLASP hosted a briefing on investing in boys and young men of color at NPR Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The briefing, co-sponsored by PolicyLink, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the Executive Alliance to Expand Opportunities for Boys and Young Men of Color, and the Institute for Black Male Achievement, focused specifically on youth of color who are between ages 12 and 24 and living in low-income communities.

Far too often, the age-specific needs of this population go unaddressed.  Broad issues that impact boys in their teen and young adult years include transitions to manhood, increased financial responsibilities, and connections to education and employment.  Additionally, the pressures of concentrated poverty and community violence significantly impact their mental health and wellness.

This briefing highlighted effective practices and policies that can close the gaps in education, employment, and health outcomes for boys and young men of color.  It included speakers from the policy and advocacy fields, as well as panel discussions featuring community leaders and young men themselves.

Watch highlights and the full briefing, and hear the stories of young leaders Wilmer, Anjel, Brandon, and Troy. 

The CLASP Youth Team wrote policy briefs for the event, which are available below:

• Focus on Employment
• Focus on Education
• Focus on Healthy Communities

Featured Speaker:

• Joshua DuBois, Former Director, White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

• Rhonda Bryant, Youth Policy Director, CLASP
• Catherine Singley, Manager, Economic Policy Project, NCLR
• Christopher Brown, Director of Legislative and Government Affairs, PolicyLink
• Olivia Golden, Executive Director, CLASP
• Fernando Chang-Muy, Thomas O’Boyle Lecturer in Law at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law

Panel 1:
Lifting up Effective Strategies to Influence Policy and Investment

This panel, moderated by National Journal Correspondent Amy Sullivan, included:

• Torrey L. Barrett, Executive Director, K.L.E.O. Community Family Life Center
• Alexandra Oliver Davila, Executive Director, Sociedad Latina
• Albino Garcia, Executive Director, La Plazita Institute
• Kamau Ptah, Director, Sankofa Passages Program
• Jonathan Tran, California Policy and Program Manager, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center

Panel 2:
How Youth Leaders Have Overcome Barriers and Achieved Success

This panel featured young men of color discussing their experiences and how they’ve overcome barriers to achieve success in school, work, and life. Read biographies of the youth leaders here. 

• Brandon Deloatch
• Troy Dobbins
• Wilmer Quiñones
• Anjel Ortiz

Sponsored by: