The Bulletin
September 12, 2019
"A young person without a mentor is like an explorer without a map."
-Noel A. Pinnock
Podcast: My Brother’s Keeper: Impact in Houston, Texas
Bloomberg Associates – the international, philanthropic consulting arm of Bloomberg Philanthropies tailored for city government—works with the city of Houston, Texas on My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) initiatives. MBK aims to address opportunity gaps for boys and young men of color, offering new support from cradle to career through young adulthood.
Last fall, Niiobli Armah IV of Bloomberg Associates’ Social Services team spoke to both the Mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner and Asa Singleton, an MBK program participant. The Mayor discussed inter-departmental collaboration, his personal experience with the MBK program, and long-term impact. Asa describes how he got involved with MBK, advice for others, and the opportunities he hopes to explore in the future.
Listen to the Podcast Below:
Since the recording of their conversation, Houston continues to be one of the most advanced MBK sites in the country. This spring, a program designed to engage youth in non-athlete sports careers celebrated 100 student’s success. TeamUp introduces students to professionals, volunteer, mentorship and fundraising opportunities. The TeamUp program is the result of collaboration between the city’s MBK Houston program, Houston Health Department and Houston Health Foundation.
“Investing in our youth is one of the most important things we can do for our city,” Mayor Turner said. “Team Up provides opportunities to young people in some of our most vulnerable communities expanding horizons and encouraging them to stay in school and pursue careers they may not have otherwise considered.”
The development of MBK is largely reflective of the Young Men’s Initiative (YMI), started in 2011 by former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg. President Obama announced the MBK challenge three years later. Learn more about Houston’s efforts at MBKHouston.org
Follow us @MBKHouston For Updates
Email: info@mbkhouston.org
Website: www.mbkhouston.org
Location: 8000 North Stadium Drive, Houston, TX, United States
Phone: 832-393-5169
Facebook: facebook.com/mbkhouston
Twitter: @mbkhouston