Real Men: A Curriculum for Empowering Young Men of Color

 The Open Society Campaign for Black Male Achievement, in partnership with the Charles Hayden and Pinkerton Foundations, presents a panel discussion that asks: How can we help black and Latino young men develop the skills, emotional flexibility, and resilience they need to succeed?

In its new curriculum, "Real Men, Urban Teens Write About How to Be A Man" Youth Communication, Inc. provides stories and lessons in which young men write about making transformations that help them break out of limiting stereotypes and achieve their goals in school, in relationships, and on the job. Interactive lessons help teachers and youth workers explore the themes of the stories with their students. The DVD, produced by youth media organization Reel Works, shows the path of one writer from high school dropout to high school principal.

The stories, the Leader’s Guide, and the DVD provide a powerful set of tools that teachers and other adults can use to engage the young men (and women) they work with. This Open Society panel will include a discussion on the challenges facing black and Latino young men, a showing of the DVD, and a short demonstration of one lesson.

Speakers

• David Banks, President, The Eagle Academy Foundation (moderator)
• Rev. Emma Jordan-Simpson, Executive Director, Children’s Defense Fund-NY
• Otis Hampton,  "Real Men" Contributor, Medgar Evers College
• Keith Hefner, Executive Director, Youth Communication, Inc.
• Santiago Taveras, Deputy Chancellor, New York City Department of Education
• Troy Shawn Welcome, Principal of Satellite Schomburg Academy HS and former Youth Communication Inc. teen writer
• Akil Hollington, Student,  The Eagle Academy High School for Young Men
• Shawn Dove, Manager, Campaign for Black Male Achievement, Open Society Foundations (introduction)
• Timothey Dorsey, Program Officer, Strategic Opportunities Fund, Open Society Foundations (introduction)

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