Mayor’s Office of Black Male Engagement Launches New My Brother’s Keeper Action Academy Series
First event to focus on violence reduction in Philadelphia neighborhoods

PHILADELPHIA — The Mayor’s Office of Black Male Engagement (OBME) will kick off its new My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Action Academy series next week with a town hall discussion on violence reduction. The town hall, hosted in partnership with State Representative Morgan Cephas, will take place on Thursday, August 22 at Shepard Recreation Center.

MBK Action Academy is OBME’s latest community engagement initiative, which aims to close the opportunity divide for Black men and boys in our city. The series brings together government and community leaders to offer workshops, resources, and networking opportunities across the city that are relevant to Philadelphia’s Black men and boys.

The Mayor’s Office of Black Male Engagement decided to launch the MBK Action Academy as a continuation of the work previously done in Philadelphia under the banner of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative. MBK, which was launched by the Obama administration in 2014, set out to address persistent opportunity gaps facing boys and young men of color. In late 2017, My Brother’s Keeper became an initiative of the Obama Foundation, and continues to focus on building safe and supportive communities.

“When I came into my role with the City a few months ago, I knew that I wanted to focus our Office’s efforts on direct action and resource delivery in the communities that need it most,” said Eric Westbrook, Director for the Mayor’s Office of Black Male Engagement. “That is what the MBK Action Academy is all about—meeting people where they are and connecting them to services and resources they need. Government can be a great catalyst for change in the lives of its constituents, but we must be more accessible to residents. That starts with getting into the neighborhoods and bringing resources to people—not everyone knows about the tools and support systems we have in place or where to find them.”

The Brotherly Love: Health of Black Men and Boys in Philadelphia report released by OBME, the Mayor’s Commission on African America Males, and the Department of Public Health earlier this year laid the groundwork for improving health outcomes for the city’s Black men and boys. With gun violence becoming a leading—yet preventable—cause of death for young men, OMBE seeks to use its first MBK Action Academy to highlight violence prevention strategies, focusing on reducing gun violence in Philadelphia’s communities. The Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) will be on site to provide trainings. The Office of Violence Prevention will also present updates and gather feedback on the Philadelphia Roadmap to Safer Communities plan. Additionally, the Office of Workforce Development will share information on education and training programs, as well as employment opportunities.

“Initiatives like this couldn’t come at a better time,” said State Representative Morgan Cephas. “With violence, particularly gun violence, in our city mostly affecting Black men and boys, it is imperative to engage them in the conversation and plan of action as we work towards better outcomes. Now is the time to work with the community, in the community, and for the community to implement realistic solutions.”

The Mayor’s Office of Black Male Engagement, housed within the Mayor’s Office of Public Engagement, works to close the opportunity divide for men and boys of color. OBME also supports the efforts of the Mayor’s Commission on African American Males.

Event Details for MBK Action Academy Town Hall on Violence Reduction:

  • When: Thursday, August 22 — 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Where: Shepard Recreation Center, 5700 Haverford Avenue
  • Participants: State Representative Morgan Cephas, Mayor’s Office of Black Male Engagement, Office of Violence Prevention, Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, Office of Workforce Development
  • Registration: Available online at http://bit.ly/MOCTownhall
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