In the Year 2025…

The 2025 Campaign for Black Men and Boys — an initiative incubated by the Twenty-First Century Foundation — held their last  national gathering of 2007 in Chicago in December. Based at the Little Black Pearl on the South Side, the two-day gathering was hosted by the Metropolitan Area Group for Igniting Civilization (MAGIC), and the Southwest Youth Collaborative, both 21CF Black Men and Boys Initiative grantees. There were more than 60 participants from across the United States in attendance, all focusing on making a difference for young men of color. The first day was devoted to a working meeting of the 24-member Campaign Steering Committee, charged with providing leadership and direction for the Campaign. Consensus was reached on a definition of 2025 Campaign membership for organizations, as well as laying out a new approach for the Campaign’s Knowledge Building Groups.

The General Meeting on Day Two opened the door to a wide array of people and organizations committed to issues impacting black men and boys in America. Reverend John Vaughn, 21CF Program Director, welcomed the participants with the following statement: “The purpose of this meeting is to bring together a cross-section of leaders — national, regional, and local; nonprofit, public, and private sector; advocates, community organizers, and direct service providers; those from different issue, methodological, and values perspectives — to share current activities and best practices, identify gaps and areas for collective action, create a structure for engaging a broader range of leaders and organizations in education and advocacy at local, regional, and national levels, and establish goals and outcomes for the Initiative.”

The day featured several discussions, the highlight of which was a session led by our hosts from MAGIC and SYAC featuring seven young adults, aged 12 to 22, sharing their perspectives and experiences on a range of issues. They spoke of the influence of black men in their lives; the challenges they face on a daily basis as they learn the survival skills required for their ’hoods; of the importance of mentors and role models; and straight talk about what our young people expect from their elders. When asked what they need from the older generation, one young man responded, “Love…we need the LOVE, man! That, and discipline.” This statement of fact was stunning in its simplicity and eloquence.

In addition, there was a “Funders Roundtable” with program officers from The Chicago Community Trust, The Schott Foundation for Public Education, the Lumina Foundation for Education, and 21CF discussing their institutions’ support for work targeted toward African-American men and boys. Later, a provocative discussion on masculinity and gender roles took place, infused with several fine spoken word performances from the immense talent pool among the youth on Chicago’s South Side. The signature event of the three days was a Chicago Black Men and Boys Initiative “town hall meeting” led by young people, and focused on their perspective, that attracted more than 150 local participants.