College prep access key for success of young men of color
It is a disheartening fact that the racism, microaggressions and blatant injustice committed against Black and Latinx people in this country manifest in America’s classrooms, effectively permeating and diminishing these students’ innate greatness.
Denied the supportive school environment to allow this greatness to shine, Black and Latinx students face additional systemic barriers — economic immobility, geographic segregation and lack of access to jobtraining programs — that make a path to college and career success even more difficult.
The disregard for the future of Black and Latino boys begins in our K-12 schools. It’s a hard truth demonstrated by the number of Black and Latino boys suspended and expelled compared to white students who commit the same offenses and the overrepresentation of Black students in special education courses. Improving college access, and ultimately life outcomes, for young men of color will not be a quick fix — no class, no workshop or random task force will drive long-term change by itself.
These young men deserve access to college preparatory courses, teachers with high cultural competencies who are adept at working with them, and effective guidance counseling to support academic performance and college application processes. Unfortunately, college access programs and organizations primarily cater to students who have proved to be academically and emotionally prepared to excel in college instead of working with students who need additional support. This behavior symbolizes the lack of interest in Black and Latinx students’ development and success in American schools and in society.
The task of deconstructing racist and outdated systems and creating a healing culture to elevate the genius of all students of color is a multifaceted approach. As educators, mentors and community members, we must transform our public school systems’ structures and cultures. It is past time we create an education system where every student, particularly Black and Latino boys, is primed to succeed in college and beyond. To begin healing this fractured relationship, leaders organizing these initiatives must acknowledge that young men of color in public schools need more than empty promises and mediocre academic support.
Kingmakers of Oakland, a nonprofit supporting school districts around the country to improve Black and Latinx students’ educational and life outcomes, is leading this holistic healing by partnering with JPMorgan Chase’s The Fellowship Initiative to leverage resources to underserved high school students. Through Kings in the Making, Kingmakers provides professional development opportunities and connects students with strong mentors. Students will gain access to academic advising, tutoring, financial literacy and professional development through college tours and field trips to learn about different careers from experts in the field.
Through the Kings in the Making program, these young men will also access programs such as The Aspiring Professionals Program, which creates a pathway for young people to access work experiences at JPMorgan Chase, and The Fellowship Initiative’s newly revamped Opportunity Youth Program, which allows young men to develop skills and relationships with local community leaders. It is programs like those that salvage decades of maltreatment of students of color in classrooms.
The American school system is not working for students of color. By unapologetically focusing on Black and Latino boys and their college and career success, we are effectively improving the life trajectory of our Kings. As adults, it is our job, not theirs, to fix a broken system and finally level the playing field, making school and life more equitable for all students.