explanation
This ordinance authorizes a contract between the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods and the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity.
The Kirwan Institute will assist the city through a comprehensive assessment of the needs of boys and young men of color for the purpose of identifying opportunity areas for the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) program. The assessment will provide demographic information, a vulnerability index and mapping, mapping of community assets, and definition of areas of focus, including education, mentoring and workforce development, violence prevention, and trauma intervention. This study will inform future policy and programming aimed at improving the quality of life and access to opportunity for boys and young men of color in Columbus.
My Brother’s Keeper is an initiative launched under the administration of President Obama and is intended to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color and ensure that all young people can reach their full potential. Through MBK, cities, towns, businesses, and foundations take important steps to connect young people to mentoring, support networks, and the skills they need to find a good job or go to college and work their way into the middle class.
The Kirwan Institute is a national leader in diagnosing structural conditions that drive inequity as well as at identifying strategic intervention points for advocacy and policy. The Institute has regularly worked as partner and advisory consultant to social justice organizations and community groups across the nation. This includes spearheading a significant number of projects, research and collaboration efforts to promote community organizing, community development, fair housing, and social justice through our “Opportunity Communities” program and “Community of Opportunity” framework.
Emergency action is requested in order to expedite the completion of the assessment and the implementation of the ...
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