Mayor Coleman and Councilmember Hardin Launch ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ Task Force
For Immediate Release
May 13, 2015
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Contact
Alesia Howard, Mayor’s Office, 645-0624
John Ivanic, City Council, 645-6798
Today, Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Councilmember Shannon G. Hardin are
launching the ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ (MBK) Task Force. The group will be charged
with issuing a report on the state of African American Male Youth in Columbus
and recommendations to address some of the opportunity gaps they experience.
In September 2014, President Obama issued a call to cities throughout
the United States to become “MBK Communities”. The MBK Challenge encourages
communities to identify opportunities for collaboration to improve outcomes for
boys and young men of color.
“The My Brother’s Keeper Challenge has stimulated an important
discussion around the issues facing young men of color nationwide,” said Mayor
Coleman. “In Columbus, the MBK Task Force will work to move us from discussion
to action by determining attainable outcomes that will benefit this population
in our city.”
After first accepting President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper (MBK)
Challenge in October 2014, the City hosted an MBK Community Forum that was
attended by nearly 400 community stakeholders. The forum helped to identify
local programs that currently serve the target population and also helped to
quantify the number of young men that could potentially be served through MBK
programming.
“The My Brother’s Keeper Task Force is an
important tool for Columbus to engage young men of color in the city,” said
Councilmember Hardin. “We are all aware of the historic issues facing this
group, and we have all seen the current events around the country involving
young men of color — this task force will enable us to address those issues in
a holistic and comprehensive way.”
The My Brother’s Keeper Task Force is made up of the following members:
Rebecca Asmo, Boys & Girls Club Columbus, Executive Director
Richard Bash, Columbus Division of Police, Deputy Director
Pastor John T. Boston, II, Central Seventh Day Adventist
Church Senior Pastor
LaShaun Carter, Learn4Life School Achievement Project
Director
Rodney Groves, Centennial High School Student & B&G
Member Youth of the Year
Dorsey Hager, Columbus/Central Ohio Building &
Construction Trades Council
Dr. Keisha J. Hunley-Jenkins, Mayor’s Office External Affairs
Director
Timothy Jones, Ohio State University Student
Mr. Corey Leftridge, Columbus Department of Recreation &
Parks APPS Director
Dr. Mark Lomax, Boys & Girls Club Columbus Club Director
Dr. James Moore, III, The Ohio State University’s Todd
Anthony Bell National Resource
Center on the African
American Male, Director
Michael Owens, Columbus City Preparatory School for Boys
Principal
Rocky J. Parker, Vice President, Talent Acquisition,
Nationwide
Carla Williams Scott, Franklin County Jobs &
Family Services, Assistant Director
The task force will hold its first meeting today at 6pm at Columbus
Public Health. At least two additional meetings will be scheduled later this
year.
For more information about the national My Brother’s Keeper Initiative,
please visit https://www.whitehouse.gov/my-brothers-keeper
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