FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Education Department Announces Third Class of My Brother鈥檚 Keeper Fellows
The State Education Department today named the third class of My Brother鈥檚 Keeper (MBK) Fellows who have been identified as leaders in their MBK Communities and who will be provided with mentor relationship opportunities in government, education and business. The 71 Fellows, all high school juniors, represent 24 澳门特码王 school districts.
鈥淭his year鈥檚 class of My Brother鈥檚 Keeper Fellows are joining the program during a significant time in our country鈥檚 history,鈥 said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa.听 鈥淭he COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the inequities that run throughout our education system. The Board of Regents and I are committed to ensuring that all children have access to high-quality learning opportunities and each of these young men will come away from the program with a unique perspective and the leadership skills to help address these issues head on.鈥
鈥淚 am proud to welcome the 2020 MBK Fellows, they join a remarkable group of young men that are learning to inspire change in their communities,鈥 said Interim Commissioner Shannon Tahoe.听 鈥淚 thank Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and his colleagues for their continued support of New York鈥檚 MBK Program and their commitment to advancing measures that create opportunities for success for all New Yorkers.鈥
鈥淎t no time in recent history has the mission of the My Brother鈥檚 Keeper Program been more significant, as people nationwide are demanding a response to anti Black racism,鈥 Through MBK, we are removing barriers to opportunities and empowering young people to affect change in their communities,鈥 Regent Lester W. Young said. 鈥淓ducation can play a substantial role in combatting the systemic racism throughout our society, which is why we will continue to grow this program and create a generation of leaders prepared for civic duty and a strong commitment to social justice.鈥
鈥淣ew York鈥檚 MBK program continues to inspire young men of color to reach their greatest potential,鈥 said NYS Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie. 鈥淭his program strives to change the plight of young black men, giving them an opportunity to progress through mentorship as well as focused programming. During a time in our country where we are witnessing firsthand the impact of racial injustices and systemic racism, The My Brother鈥檚 Keeper initiative is needed now more than ever. Congratulations to the newest cohort of MBK fellows.鈥澨
Each Fellow will be partnered with a mentor from a NYSMBK Community Network partner and be given the opportunity of a fellowship with one of our partners. They will also be required to develop and execute a service project related to a NYSMBK initiative such as:
- Ensuring equitable access to high-quality schools and programs;
- Expanding prevention, early warning and intervention services;
- Responding to structural and institutional racism; or
- Engaging families and communities in a trusted and respectful way.
In addition, Fellows will serve on a statewide MBK Fellows Workgroup to provide valuable input on the development and implementation of a statewide MBK Mentoring Network.
The听听were eligible to apply to the Fellows Program and consist of a partnership between the Office of the Mayor and the School District Superintendent (or the Chancellor in New York City). Additionally, for this program, each Community Network must secure a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with a local postsecondary education institution, local business or community-based organization.
2020 Fellows have had the opportunity to participate in the Stand and Deliver Retreat, The Village Meeting: 鈥淣eeds, Deeds, and Impact during COVID-19鈥 and a virtual Induction: 鈥淢BK Fellows Advice to Action.鈥澨 Additionally, each 2020 Fellow and mentor participated via conference call in a virtual mastermind study on the book听 Madd Truth by Dr. Alphonso Wyatt with Dr. Don Applyrs, Director of Family and Community Engagement.
The 2020 MBK Fellows are:
MBK Community | Fellow | School |
---|---|---|
Albany |
Robert Glover |
Albany High School |
Jareem Morris |
Albany High School |
|
Brentwood |
Ezequiel Diaz |
Brentwood High School |
Ronnel Doyle |
Brentwood High School |
|
Justin Espinal |
Brentwood High School |
|
Emerson Panameno |
Brentwood High School |
|
Bronx |
Gian Baez |
Eagle Academy for Young Men |
Elliot Ortiz |
Bronx Studio for Writers and Artists听听听听 |
|
Perbi Ebenezer |
Academy for Scholarship and Entrepreneurship |
|
Zadane Russell |
Academy for Scholarship and Entrepreneurship |
|
Brooklyn |
John Junior Beato |
Bushwick Leaders High School for Academic Excellence |
Jeremie Espinal |
The School for Human Rights |
|
Michael Muir |
The School for Classics |
|
Kenneth Usoh |
Science Skills Center High School |
|
Buffalo |
Jariel Correa |
McKinley High School |
Richard Heard |
Bennett High School |
|
Ayan Malek |
Riverside High School |
|
Omar Pizzaro |
McKinley High School |
|
East Ramapo |
Erick Carpio-Rosa |
East Ramapo High School |
Tchasky Mentor |
Spring Valley High School |
|
Greenburgh |
Johann Santiago |
Woodlands Middle/High School |
Eren Zulfikar |
Woodlands Middle/High School |
|
Hudson |
Michael Green |
Hudson High School |
Mark Williams |
Hudson High School |
|
Ithaca |
Ja'Lyn Griffin |
Ithaca High School |
Mkhuzo Sokoni |
Ithaca High School |
|
Lyons |
Nathaniel Henry |
Lyons Middle/High School |
Ahmir James |
Lyons Middle/High School |
|
Manhattan |
Justice Combest |
Eagle Academy for Young Men of Harlem |
Issouf Diarrassouba |
Esperanza Preparatory Academy |
|
Aldo Leon |
Frank McCourt High School |
|
Christopher Polanco |
Frank McCourt High School |
|
Monticello |
Carl Allen |
Monticello High School |
Mark Bellamy |
Monticello High School |
|
Mt. Vernon |
Martinez Jean-Claude |
STEAM Academy |
Amir Quiles |
STEAM Academy |
|
Newburgh |
Steven Acosta |
Newburgh Free Academy Main |
Kweku Antwi-Obeng |
Newburgh Free Academy North |
|
James Brantly |
P-Tech |
|
Julien Johnson |
Newburgh Free Academy West |
|
New Rochelle |
Justin Clarke |
New Rochelle High School |
Sevien Caballero-Konah |
New Rochelle High School |
|
Dumyr Decime-Barlatier |
New Rochelle High School |
|
Samuel Elias Diaz |
New Rochelle High School |
|
Ossining |
Justin Linares |
Ossining High School |
Jaden Pass |
Ossining High School |
|
Peekskill |
William Pani |
Peekskill High School |
Steven Ayala |
Peekskill High School |
|
Poughkeepsie |
Tehneil Cawley |
Poughkeepsie High School |
Queens |
Jaylen Cameron-Rainey |
Martin Van Buren High School |
Mohamed Khan |
Richmond Hill High School |
|
Donovan Salomon |
Martin Van Buren High School |
|
Troy C. Williams II |
Eagle Academy III |
|
Rochester |
Rey Enrique Casiano |
Leadership Academy for Young Men |
Michael Ford |
Leadership Academy for Young Men |
|
Devonte Jackson |
Leadership Academy for Young Men |
|
Justice Presley |
Leadership Academy for Young Men |
|
Staten Island |
Mark Ian Calica |
Ralph R. McKee Career and Technical High School |
Charles Okema |
Port Richmond High School |
|
Kareem Alkassar |
Eagle Academy for Young Men Staten Island |
|
Quincy Baker |
Eagle Academy for Young Men Staten Island |
|
Syracuse |
Omar Hussein |
Nottingham High School |
Jonnouy Hay Powers |
Institute of Technology at Central |
|
Abdullahi Shirwa |
Nottingham High School |
|
Todrick Wilson |
Institute of Technology at Central |
|
White Plains |
Andy Flores-Aguirre |
White Plains High School |
Joshua Tejada |
White Plains High School |
|
Yonkers |
Giovanni C. Almonte |
Saunders High School |
Demetrie Gonzalez |
Roosevelt High School |
|
Michael Haws |
Riverside High School |
|
Tarquan D. Arthur Johnson |
Yonkers Montessori Academy |
In 2014, former President Barack Obama established the My Brother鈥檚 Keeper Task Force at the federal level. The Task Force was an interagency effort focused on closing and eliminating the opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color so that all young people have the chance to reach their full potential. With the adoption of the 2016鈥17 澳门特码王 budget, New York became the first state to accept the President鈥檚 challenge and enacted the My Brother鈥檚 Keeper initiative into law. The budget included a $20 million investment in support of the initiative to improve outcomes for boys and young men of color.听
NYSED has awarded $3.6 million in grants for the听. Grant recipients partner with demographically similar Struggling or Persistently Struggling schools in another district within their region to replicate exemplary practices that demonstrate cultural and linguistic responsiveness to emphasize the needs of boys and young men of color.
Also in 2018, NYSED awarded nearly听$750,000 in grants to 11 school districts for the听, to increase the academic achievement and college/career readiness of Native American students, with an emphasis on boys and young men.
Since 2016, NYSED has awarded more than $24 million in grants to 45 school districts for the听. These grants support programs to increase the academic achievement and college and career readiness of boys and young men of color while fostering the development of effective relationships with families to promote the success of all students.
NYSED has awarded $28 million in听听since 2016 to 40 school districts. The MBK Challenge Grant Program is designed to encourage regions and school districts to develop and execute coherent cradle-to-career college strategies. These programs are aimed to develop and sustain effective relationships with families of boys and young men of color toward the goal of success for all students.
Also since 2016, NYSED awarded $12 million in听听Grants to increase the participation rate of historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged individuals in teaching careers. NYSED awarded grants to 16 colleges and universities to help them bolster the retention of highly qualified individuals who value equity and reflect the diversity inside and outside of our classrooms, particularly in high-need schools with recurrent teacher shortages.听
Visit the Department鈥檚听听website for details on this movement and for information on how to , "Changing the Narrative."
Media Contact
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