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Proclamation recognizing and thanking the members of My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Committee for its leadership and support of President Barack Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative.
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WHEREAS, in September 2014, President Barack Obama issued a directive to cities, counties and communities across the nation to become “My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Communities,” wherein elected officials work with local partners to forge long-term and strategic programs to improve the livelihood and development of all young people with a strong focus on young men and boys of color; and
WHEREAS, the six goals of My Brother’s Keeper are: Ensuring all children enter school cognitively, physically, socially and emotionally ready; Ensuring all children read at grade level by third grade; Ensuring all youth graduate from high school; Ensuring all youth complete post-secondary education or training; Ensuring all youth who have graduated from college or a training program are employed; and, Ensuring all youth remain safe from violent crime and, for those who need it, a second chance; and
WHEREAS, Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh embraced the President’s call and hosted an “MBK Summit” at the Community College of Allegheny County and convened a 16-member committee to identify the strategies to achieve the goals established by the President; and
WHEREAS, on October 30, 2015, following a year of community review, analysis and community input, members of the MBK Committee released the MBK Playbook, which outlines effective strategies that are working to support the success of boys and young men of color, and ways to implement these strategies locally; and
WHEREAS, the MBK Committee defined “keepers” as those individuals and organizations which already inspire minds, provide access to resources, are a model of success, and facilitate opportunities. Keepers also recognize that every individual has value by affirming that individual life experiences are powerful, productive and essential to crafting solutions for which they are accountable. The MBK Committee defined “leads” as organizations which would be responsible for action steps identified by the committee to meet each milestone;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Allegheny County Council does hereby recognize and thank the MBK Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Committee Members for their determination, commitment, and dedication in helping to create the MBK Playbook and for its leadership and support of President Barack Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative.
My Brother’s Keeper
Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Committee Members
Aerion Abney, Program Officer, POISE Foundation
Karen Abrams, Manager, Community & Diversity Affairs, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh
James A. Brown, Program Director, Homewood Brushton YMCA Lighthouse Project
Reverend Dr. Darryl T. Canady, Pastor, Rodman Street Missionary Baptist Church
Kevin Carter, Founder and Executive Director, Adonai Center for Black Males
Erin Dalton, Deputy Director, Office of Data, Analysis, Research and Evaluation, Allegheny County DHS
The Honorable Ed Gainey, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Commander Eric Holmes, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police
Reverend Cornell Jones, Freedom Indeed, LLC, Iron Cross Community Ministries
Walter Lewis, Program Manager, Homewood Children’s Village
Dr. Michael Quigley, Assistant Professor, Robert Morris University
Jason Rivers, Program Manager, Office of Equity, Pittsburgh Public Schools
Dr. Walter Smith, Deputy Director, Office of Children, Youth and Families, Allegheny County DHS
Dr. Wendy Etheridge Smith, Executive Director, Higher Achievement
Talli Thompson, Director of Operations, Youth Opportunities Development
Mary Young, Early Literacy Specialist/Teacher, Pittsburgh Public Schools, Concord Elementary School