YMCA in Rockford launches new strategy to support boys and young men of color
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The YMCA of Rock River Valley is joining a national movement to help boys and young men of color reach their full potential by overcoming systemic barriers to success.
The YMCA Boys and Young Men of Color strategy is designed to help those ages 11-17 with college and career readiness and character development, as well as provide mentorship and other support for their health and well-being.
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The Y says it’s focused on boys and young men of color because they are twice as likely to grow up in poverty and more likely to fall into poverty as adults.
“That does not mean that anyone is being left out,” said Mykel Goodloe, senior director of college and career readiness for the Y. “We are trying to lift those boys up to the same level that everyone else is so they can all progress together.
“Right now, it seems as though there’s this barrier where some are being left behind. Not only is that unfair, there’s no reason behind it.”
The first program to launch is called Bro Code, a mentoring program at the SwedishAmerican Riverfront YMCA and Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd. The Y is also partnering with several Rockford Public Schools so mentors can work with the boys during school.
“We have never had something of this magnitude in our community that focuses directly on boys and young men of color,” said Kamrin Muhammad, executive director of college and career readiness at the YMCA of Rock River Valley. “These boys and their needs deserve to be prioritized, and we appreciate that YUSA is using their national platform to activate change. We recognize the great sense of urgency here in Rockford and we can’t wait to get started.”
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The YMCA kicked off the new strategy Thursday during an invitation-only event at the Nordlof Center in downtown. It included an overview of the program from Mike DeVaul, the Y’s national executive director for the Boys and Young Men of Color strategy.
There was also a panel discussion with three Black high school students, all of whom are successful in athletics and the classroom, who discussed their views on representation of young Black men in various forms of media and the importance of mentorship. Goodloe moderated the discussion.
“I beat the odds to a certain extent, and I’m still growing,” said Goodloe, 27. “If there was a program like this when I was growing up, I would’ve had a little bit more of a push, a little bit more of a pedestal to jump to where I am today.”
Goodloe said the next step is to forge more partnerships around the community so there is a bigger network of people and organizations supporting the effort.
“There are other programs within the city of Rockford and surrounding areas that are doing some of the same work,” he said. “It’s very crucial and very critical that we’re partnering and we’re all coming together because we’re servicing the same population.”
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Muhammad noted that chronic absenteeism is highest among Black and Brown students. One of the goals of the Y is to reduce the number of suspensions those students face and reduce absenteeism to increase the amount of time they spend in the classroom.
Muhammad said mentoring programs will help because too often young Black men don’t see themselves reflected in leadership roles.
“Just allowing them to see the possibilities they can reach and the pathways they can travel, potentially, after they graduate from high school is long overdue,” she said.
Program goals
By 2024, the YMCA hopes to achieve the following outcomes for 10,000 boys and young men of color who participate in the program across 100 cities, including Rockford:
- 75% of participants will have improved grades, fewer suspensions and better school attendance
- 100% of participants will have completed assessments for social-emotional learning
- 75% of participants will access high quality post-secondary education and career-ready pathways
- 70% of participants will access nurturing and more culturally responsive neighborhood environments
Get involved
To learn more about the Boys and Young Men of Color strategy and how to participate in any of its programs, visit rockriverymca.org/bymoc.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas
