July 14, 2016 

LAWT News Service 

 

The Compton My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Initiative has announced their 2016 Summer Empowerment and Peace Summit to take place July 29 through July 31 at the Dollarhide Community Center.  Young men who attend middle and high school in Compton can register for free to attend the summit where attendees will be inspired and motivated through a series of workshops, mentorship opportunities, special guest speakers and performances.  Men 18 and older from Compton are invited to participate as volunteers and mentors.

 

“Compton enthusiastically sign­ed on for the MBK Community Challenge in 2014 because its mission, its goals — and its struggle — match our own,” said Compton Mayor Aja Brown. 

 

“Since joining the MBK challenge we have found that the City of Compton’s goals and the work that we are doing overlap with the vision of the MBK Community Challenge.  MBK continues to transform the trajectories of boys and young men of color around the country and in Compton we continue to develop, cultivate, and display highlight the leadership potential of our young men. The Compton MBK Summer Empowerment and Peace Summit is a part of our efforts to meet the President’s challenge and continue our commitment to Compton’s young men.  Young people are our future. Every investment in our youth is an investment in a better tomorrow.”

 

 The Summit follows the MBK Men Touring Summer Camp, a three-day event that fostered self-awareness and the meaning of manhood for junior high school boys in Compton.  Boys in sixth through eighth grade were treated to a stimulating weekend of swimming, zip lining, mountain biking with the San Bernardino Mountains as the backdrop while being mentored on the basic fundamentals of responsibility, accountability, leadership, team work and education.

 

In 2014, President Barack Obama announced that more than 100 mayors, county officials and tribal nations had accepted the MBK Community Challenge, an initiative to encourage community leaders across the country to develop plans to improve life outcomes and address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color, ensuring that all young people can reach their full potential. In line with this initiative, the city of Compton has launched an action plan to measurably improve outcomes for children of color ages 0-25 and their families, with an emphasis on Black males. Currently, Compton is focusing on three of the six recommended goals issued by the White House: 1) Reading at grade level by third grade; 2) Improve access to jobs and valuable work experience; and 3) Reducing violence and providing a second chance.

 

The Summer Empowerment and Peace Summit is a follow up to Mayor Brown’s 2014 action summit where she engaged the community in the development and shaping of the MBK Initiative in Compton. During the summit, Mayor Brown welcomed Michael Smith, Special Assistant to the President on My

 

Brother’s Keeper along with community leaders, elected officials, law enforcement personnel, business owners, faith-based leaders, former gang members, youth leaders and community-based organizations. 

 

The Summit is supported by Mayor Aja Brown, the City of Compton, Compton Empowered, 4Hundred Waze Foundation, Urban Vision Community Development Corporation and the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation.

 

The deadline to sign-up for the 2016 Summer Empowerment and Peace Summit is Friday, July 22.

 

For more information, call (310) 605-5688 or visit comptoncity.org/mbk.asp.

Category: Community