Black students are more likely to be suspended from school or to be held back in K-8 grades.  Lewis et al. further inform us that in 2008 “Nearly two-thirds of all black children lived in single-parent households,” and “approximately six out of 10 black children lived with a female parent, [or] no spouse present; compared with three out of 10 black children living with married parents” (p. 15)

Black males are less likely to enroll in a two-or-four-year-college and 48 percent of our boys drop out of high school.  The rates of obesity are soaring in our communities, along with the growing numbers of gang activity and youth incarceration in U.S. cities.  In New Jersey, statistical data shows that black males between the ages of 15-24 living in the cities of New Jersey are more likely to be victims of homicide than whites, and are more likely to have lower levels of education (Kelly, Anderson, Hall, Peden, & Cerel, 2012; Najem & Aslam, 2012)

Simply put, our children are dying.  In particular, our young black and brown boys have not been able to overcome the multitude of obstacles that they must face.  They need more than help or intervention, they need mentoring that seeks to develop the whole person by people who are committed and passionate in the urgency of saving our boys, and know that each young male is a reflection of us.

Right now is critical time to fund My Son is Me Inc..  We are a small team of committed professionals who understand the urgency of deterring these statistics.  We ask for your help so that we can implement a program that is effective and, most importantly, operated by people who are committed to empowering young men.

My Son is Me Inc. focuses on providing innovative mentoring strategies, as well as engaging workshops and interactive sessions for inner city boys between the ages of 8 and 13.  Since major urban centers of the United States predominantly house African-American and Latino youth, we emphasize, but are not exclusive in mentoring these populations.

My Son is Me Inc. already has garnered the pledge of local and national educators, community workers, law enforcement experts and a collective of volunteer professionals who vow to assist in providing healthy, nourishing environments by facilitating a series of programs, workshops, classes and activities that assist in developing whole, healthy young men.

One of the biggest failures in the United States is us failing our young black and brown boys.  Currently, African-American boys in urban areas are at higher risk of entering into unhealthy life paths than any other racial group of both genders.  Latino boys also have elevated risks.

According to Lewis et al., only 12 percent of black fourth-grade boys are proficient in reading, and only 12 percent of black eighth-grade boys are proficient in math.  By fourth grade, black boys are several grade levels behind their peers and are on average significantly behind white boys in reading and math.