National Conversation on Black Men and Boys
November 2006

Last November, The Twenty-First Century Foundation, the National Urban League, Public/Private Ventures and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund joined forces in planning the third in a series of national conversations focusing on issues impacting Black men and boys.

In shaping this special event, 21CF listened to the voices of those working with Black men and boys everyday, along with those addressing the systemic pressures that hamper their success. Participants represented a range of issues i.e., education, employment, media, juvenile justice and health, as well as field of interests such as students, business, media, policy development and nonprofits. This rich exchange of ideas and experiences is helping 21CF to continue to shape its Black Men and Boys initiative that began in 2004.

Local planning discussions and strategy sessions are also underway in Chicago, Oakland, Los Angeles and New York. Interested participants can contact Rev. John Vaughn, program director at Jvaughn@21cf.org. Nonprofit groups can also register their organizations with the Black Men and Boys National Resource Center (BMBNRC) website. BMBNRC is a joint project of 21CF and the Charles Hayden Foundation.

Plans are also underway to intensify this public dialogue in the form of “The 2025 Campaign.” The campaign is dedicated to investing in the success of Black men and boys, driven by the fact that boys born in 2007 will turn 18 in 2025.

Success in “The 2025 Campaign” will be measured by:

• Increased high school graduation rates by 100%
• Increased college enrollment rates by 100%
• Increased employment rates by 50%
• Reduced incarceration rates by 50%
• Reduced the recidivism rates for former prisoners by 50%
• Reduced the incidents of chronic diseases within Black men by 50%
  

To learn more, contact Rev. John Vaughn at Jvaughn@21cf.org

2025 Campaign Black Men and Boys Co-Conveners
The Twenty-First Century Foundation New York, New York
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Newark, Inc. Newark, New Jersey
Black Men in America Brooklyn, New York
Center for Family Policy and Practice Madison, Wisconsin
Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture at the University of Chicago Chicago, Illinois
Community of Hope African Methodist Episcopal Church Washington, DC
Concerned Black Men – National Organization Washington, DC
Concord Baptist Church of Christ Brooklyn, New York
DC Children & Youth Investment Trust Corporation Washington, DC
Family and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children New Orleans, Louisiana
The Ford Foundation New York, New York
Forwardever Media Oakland, California
Future Black Men of America, Inc. Raleigh, NC
Los Angeles Metropolitan Churches Los Angeles, California
Medgar Evers College Brooklyn, New York
Metropolitan Area Group for Igniting Civilizations (MAGIC) Chicago, Illinois
National Urban League New York, New York
NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund New York, New York
100 Black Men New York, New York
Proud Poppa New York, New York
Public/Private Ventures Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Schott Foundation for Public Education Boston, Massachusetts
Southwest Youth Collaborative Chicago, Illinois
Triangle Lost Generation Task Force Raleigh, North Carolina

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