Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s Post

We are excited to announce our new board of directors! Our board members bring together extensive experience in nonprofit management, planning, and fundraising and in-depth intersectional diversity, and we’d like to introduce you to board member, Jana Luft. ... Jana Luft is a former high school special education teacher and a White mother of two girls from Oakland, California. Through her education career, Jana became aware of the challenge progressive White parents often pose to education equity. She saw how resource hoarding affects our education system and how platitudes fail unless they’re followed up by direct progressive action. Alongside her personal activism, through her career, Jana has worked in education philanthropy, research, and advocacy to support education justice and has helped develop organizational best practices to create a culture in which staff and volunteers feel seen, included, and appreciated as full human beings. ... We are immensely excited to work alongside Jana and for what we can accomplish together at this pivotal stage in our organization! Learn more about each board member on our blog https://buff.ly/48coYTb ... #IntegratedSchools #BlackandWhite #Interracial #Multiracial #Identity #CivilRightsMovement #HumanRights #AntiRacism #DeSegregation #WealthEquity #DiversityandInclusion #inclusion #community #redlining #diversity #socialjustice #socialjusticeeducation #wealthgap #local #publicschools #parenting #parent #momlife #dadlife #boymom #girlmom #schoolchoice #privateschool #publicschool #class #classism

I've been silent on social media about the current situation in Brockton Public Schools, but today, after listening to the inspiring words of Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, my spirit is stirred & feel compelled to speak up real quick.. What unfolds at Brockton High is disheartening, but let me make it clear—I stand 100% with our students.The media's portrayal of our youth as monsters is not just unfair; it's damaging. They're attempting to convince our kids that they don't deserve better, and that's unacceptable. Our black and brown kids are not just special; they are extraordinary and their real stories deserve to be heard. Imagine trying to cage these young spirits and being surprised when they break free—it's time to break free from the narrative that binds them. I have faith in this community. There are real people here who genuinely care about our kids' well-being, not just those trying to lead a movement for the sake of being seen or being the face. National Guard? Thats BS.. Our kids don't need a show of force; they need leaders who understand them and look like them, committed to the grind! I count my blessings daily to work with over 30 high school students through Friends And Mentors, Inc. who aspire to see better for themselves and their peers..We can't let the system let them slip away. The time for action is now. Mentorship Empowerment: Revitalize and strengthen our mentorship programs to provide consistent support for our students. Policy Advocacy: Rally for policy changes at the state and local levels to allocate funds specifically for mentorship/afterschool initiatives. Community Collaborations: Forge alliances with local businesses, community organizations, and leaders to provide additional resources and opportunities. Student-Centric Solutions: Establish forums or councils where students actively contribute to shaping policies that directly impact them. Dr. Shabazz invoked the African proverb, "If you want to move fast, move alone; if you want to move far, move together." I’m ready to scale the mountains of injustice and build a landscape where every child thrives, every dream flourishes, and every voice is heard. Let’s work

Exciting updates on the Obama Presidential Center!

🌟 Transform Lives This Giving Tuesday with Friends of the Children New York As professionals and leaders, we understand the power of investment and its ripple effect. This Giving Tuesday, I invite you to invest in the future of extraordinary children facing systemic challenges. Your support can catalyze significant change and open doors of opportunity. https://lnkd.in/gmyZX_j7 Impact Through Mentorship: A Unique Model: Our approach is grounded in long-term, data-driven mentorship, guiding children from early childhood through their late teenage years. Achieving Remarkable Outcomes: Join us in maintaining our impressive track record: 100% of our mentees pursue higher education, meaningful careers, or service, setting new precedents in their communities. Creating a Brighter Future: Your contribution is vital in steering youth away from the juvenile justice system (95% success rate) and aiding them in making informed life decisions (94% delaying parenthood). #GivingTuesday #nomatterwhat #Leadership #CommunityImpact #Mentorship #FriendsNYC

We presented the Philadelphia City Council with the following four asks. The FY 2025 Philadelphia must include… 1. Increase city funding for the School District by $100M. 2. Expand the number of children PHLpreK serves by 250. 3. Give children after-school enrichment options by preserving after-school services for 8,000 children served currently by the School District, investing $8.8M for youth programming at recreation centers, and continue $2M for Philly Youth Sports Fund that serves 5,000 more youth. 4. Make neighborhoods safer by redirecting the $4M in cost savings associated with reduced juvenile justice spending to diversion programs. Reference data points to understand why this is necessary for children and youth of Philadelphia. Thank you again to the following council members for putting children first! Kenyatta Johnson Jamie Gauthier, Anthony Phillips, Mark Squilla, Quetcy Lozada, Jim Harrity and many others. Children First (formerly PCCY)

Seeing work focusing on Black male achievement continue is amazing. The Mayor's Office of Black Male Advancement is doing great work. In STEM we must do better supporting organizations embracing the brilliance of Black men and boys as they are woefully underrepresented in all aspects of STEM. The Hidden Genius Project Black Boys Code Mission Fulfilled 2030 "Only approximately 1% of individuals enrolled in graduate engineering programs in the United States are Black males (American Society for Engineering Education, 2020; Burt et al., 2018). Alarmingly, the small number of Black males earning doctoral degrees in engineering has steadily dwindled over time (American Society for Engineering Education, 2019). In research on practices that impact Black males’ participation and retention in engineering, little attention is paid to their educational aspirations; however, much is known about the multitude of problems and barriers they experience in their graduate programs. Being forced to endure stereotypical and racialized experiences in the admission process and throughout their programs from non-Black peers and advisors (Burt et al., 2019a), while having to work twice as hard to be recognized and sacrificing school/ life balance as a result (McGee et al., 2019), Black males are prevented from entering or are pushed out of engineering. Moreover, even for those with an early penchant for engineering (Burt and Johnson, 2018; McGee et al., 2016) the accumulation of these barriers impacts their ability to construct an engineering identity (Benjamin et al., 2022) and hampers the socialization process needed to assume their desired professional role (Johnson and Strayhorn, 2022). Tasked with simultaneously navigating a hostile institutional environment and proving their competence, some Black males may find the cost of pursuing postsecondary education too high." Citation: Burt, B. A., Stone Jr, B. D., Porter, T., & Wallace, J. D. (2023). ASPIRING TO THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED: FACTORS INFLUENCING BLACK MALES’PURSUIT OF ENGINEERING GRADUATE DEGREES. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 29(5).

Special thanks to Master Barber Daryl Hill Sr. for the invitation to speak on Mentoring for Men Speak Real Talk Mentoring: "People can only perform to the level that they have been prepared." By Dr. Nahshon Nicks. The curriculum that I developed with the help of God and our team is SEALTEAM: Social, Emotional, and Academic Leadership through Mentoring and Martial Arts. Social, Emotional, and Academic Leadership builds Executive Functional Skills, which translates into Workforce Development. This type of mentoring also serves as prevention for juvenile delinquency and destructive behaviors. How can you help? Our goal is to expand capacity from nearly 100 youth to scale up to 150 youth. Your financial contributions will help us add additional services and program rigor to benefit our city as whole and the families we serve. Donate online at www.TeamNITROmma.com When we surveyed over 100 youth in similar demographics around the city of Jacksonville their #1 concern was death and dying. We can conquer this fear with the help of collaborative efforts and mentoring. I believe fantasy families are counterproductive to individual and community development and advancement. Being able to identify authentic family strengths and setbacks gives a basis to build upon. The prefrontal cortex in humans is not typically fully developed until the age of 25. This crucial region of the brain 🧠 plays a significant role in mitigating impulsive responses and providing contextual understanding, which helps prevent or reduce the likelihood of engaging in violent behavior. In addition to the Bible for Black Males i also encourage you to read 📚 the Miseducation of the Negro by Carter G Woodson I challenge each man to check in with at least three teenagers once a week for encouragement and accountability. #Leadership #StrongerTogether #Duval #TeamJesus #Jacksonville #FirstCoast #YouCanGetItToo

🎉 Exciting news! Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lowcountry was just featured on WCSC-TV Live 5 Newsin celebration of our 5th birthday! 🎂 Here are 3 takeaways: 💫 What tends to surprise mentors the most? Bigs spend ~4 hours/month engaging in free and reduced-cost, casual activities with their Littles. Bigs are often surprised that all Littles want to do is spend time together one-on-one. 💫 Why do most of BBBSL's Bigs become mentors? Our Bigs are self-aware individuals who understand the power of mentorship firsthand. They know the difference a mentor can make because they've either had one themselves or recognized privileges they grew up with, like secure caregiver attachments. Putting a young person at the center of the mentorship experience is key, and that's exactly what our Bigs do. 💫 What kind of Bigs is BBBSL looking for? With boys making up 90% of our waiting list being boys, we're in need of more males and men of color to become Bigs. It truly takes all kinds of people to make a difference. What matters most is humility and openness. Interested in stepping forward to invest in a young person's potential? Watch https://ow.ly/bO2c50RzJRt to learn more about our program and visit https://ow.ly/VZsO50RzJRu to apply to become a Big! #BBBSLowcountry #MentorshipMatters #CommunitySupport

When you choose Elevating Equity, you're not just getting a service – you're getting me, Rachel, your dedicated guide on the journey to racial justice. With over a decade immersed in shaping meaningful race and equity dialogues across schools, universities, non-profits, and corporations, I bring a wealth of experience to the table. No handoffs here! You'll have my full attention from the first call to the last workshop. At my core, I'm an educator. While some may see me as an entrepreneur, a CEO, or a consultant, my true identity is that of a racial justice educator. 📚 I'm here to teach, coach, challenge, and celebrate you and your team every step of the way. I thrive when I deeply understand your school or organization, learning about your goals and aspirations. This enables me to craft workshops that are tailor-made for you and your colleagues, meeting you right where you are in your equity journey. Elevating Equity collaborates with leaders seeking to provide impactful training for their schools or staff, as well as programs like AmeriCorps aiming to empower their corps members with essential racial equity knowledge. If your organization is ready for transformative conversations about internalized racism, racial microaggressions, and dismantling characteristics of white supremacy culture in the workplace, then let's connect! 🌐✨ Slide into my DMs or hit the link in bio to start the conversation. The time for change is now! #elevatingequity #antiracism #myracialstory #bebrave #educationalequity #racialequality #racialequity #diversityandequity #socialjustice #equalopportunity #educationalequality

Postsecondary educational programming in prison continues to grow. With this growth comes a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape how we evaluate rehabilitative programming and, more importantly, its impacts on the people enrolled in the same. Learn more about effective ways to evaluate higher education in prison in the latest piece from the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy 11 Trends in Philanthropy series.