Title
Calling on the City Council of Philadelphia to recognize and support President Barack Obama's execution of a Presidential Memorandum Creating and expanding ladders of opportunity for boys and young men of color which established the My Brother's Keeper Initiative.
Body
WHEREAS, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, recognized the disparities that existed between individuals of color and their peers and attempted to eliminate biases by asking that people be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character; and
WHEREAS, Many of the obstacles that faced minorities in 1963 such as a lack of quality education, unfair sentencing practices, and unequal opportunities in the labor market remain in 2014 and impact young boys and men of color to a disproportionate degree; and
WHEREAS, President Barack Obama, through his execution of a Presidential Memorandum on February 3, 2014, established the My Brother's Keeper Initiative; and
WHEREAS, The goal of My Brother's Keeper is to focus on critical challenges, risk factors and opportunities for boys and young men of color at key life stages, thus removing various obstacles that face these individuals; and
WHEREAS, The President's plan is a collaborative effort between the government, businesses, philanthropists, educational providers, and parents working in concert to improve outcomes for young boys and men of color; and
WHEREAS, The President has been able to get financial commitments from a number of organizations in the amount of $200 million over 5 years to address the problems that are holding young men of color back; and
WHEREAS, The issues facing young boys and men of color have been recognized by many government leaders and nonprofit organizations, and has led to the creation of the Mayor's Commission on African American Males in Philadelphia and former Mayor Bloomberg's Young Men's Initiative in New York City, which are comprehensive...
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