Vision || Mission || Goals || History || Our Approach || Focus Areas

"Game Changer" is an informational video that provides a brief history of the 2025 Campaign for Black Men and Boys. The video asks the question: "What can we do to impact the life of a Black boy born in 2007 so that by the time he is 18, in the year 2025, his outcomes for success have significantly improved?" "Game Changer" is available in two versions - short and extended - and includes interviews from national leaders and short, youth-created video blogs. It is a tool for community leaders, advocates, practitioners, activists, scholars, foundation executives and others interested in learning more about the campaign.

The 2025 Steering Committee is the governing body that implements the various place-based strategies and partnerships with community–based organizations in BMB cities or regions; executes policy and advocacy initiatives; and provides strategic communications, web-based media, and brand strategy for the 2025 Campaign. National co-conveners participating in the 2025 Campaign for Black Men and Boys include, The Ford Foundation, The Twenty First Century Foundation, the National Urban League, NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, National Organization of Concerned Black Men, Open Society Institute, The Schott Foundation for Education, Center for Law and Social Policy, and many others.

Vision

We will create a society with new social and economic realities that inspire ambition and hope among African descendant males and accommodate the pursuit and realization of their dreams. We will initiate and support efforts that restore aspiration among and create conditions for African descendant males to realize their destiny and contribute greatness to the world. We believe this endeavor advances humanity and increases our collective capacity to heal injustice.

Mission
To collaboratively develop and implement an initiative for the educational, social, emotional, physical, spiritual, political and economic development and empowerment of African descendant men and boys in the United States.

Goals

• Raise the visibility of critical issues facing Black Men and Boys nationally and in select local communities in a way that informs substantive action and positive change.

• Develop effective strategies and effect positive change on the circumstances and conditions which negatively impact Black men and boys by closing the gap on negative indicators.

• Foster the development of programs and systems that will positively impact the understanding, knowledge, values and skills that enable Black men and boys to succeed in an American society.
• Develop and sustain partnerships and coalitions that reflect the needs of Black men and boys and impact systemic change.

• Develop and steward financial resources, (which exist within and external to our communities), by maximizing existing resources and continuously surfacing new sources of support from individual donors, community organizations and institutional philanthropy to supplement this effort.

History

The idea for this initiative emerged from a series of discussions among national organizations, philanthropists, community-based organizations, and concerned individuals who noted that a Black boy born in 2007 will be 18 years old in 2025 and there is a need for a change in paradigm for both our leadership and the people. Beginning in October 2005 with a National Conversation on Black Men and Boys co-convened by The Twenty-First Century Foundation (21CF), the NAACP Legal Education and Defense Fund, Public/Private Ventures, and the National Urban League, brought together more than 40 national and local leaders including adults and young people to assess the many challenges facing this group. At a follow-up meeting hosted by the Ford Foundation in July 2006, more than 120 participants representing 22 co-sponsoring organizations gathered to move the process forward. Attendees underscored their collective commitment to improve conditions for the generation of Black boys currently being raised and for the adults who support them.

Our Approach

The approach of the 2025 Campaign is to engage local community based organizations,
organizers, advocates, practitioners, and youth leaders and connect them with business interests, philanthropic entities, academics, as well as concerned individuals to become catalysts for an organic process for decisive action. Concurrently, we are cultivating relationships with policy
makers and power-brokers in order to find a place at the table and have a positive influence when
decisions are being made about the allocation of resources and the deployment of services within
our communities.

Focus Areas

There were five (5) areas identified as key to successfully changing outcomes for the better in
the long term:

• Economic Opportunity
• Educational Opportunity
• Engaged Fatherhood & Parenting
• Health (Physical and Mental)
• Justice, Rights, & Responsibilities

BMB Cities

• Oakland
• Chicago
• Los Angeles
• New York