Greetings,
Together, we are making great progress in our efforts to address the persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color in Newark!

This has been a banner year for My Brother's Keeper Newark. From February's Opportunity Summit where we helped over 700 young men of color connect with 1,000 opportunities -- from jobs to mentors to job training to continuing education. Over 100 Newark male educators of color celebrated the start of the school year with us at Barcade where Mayor Baraka and Superintendent Leon gave the charge to stand in the gap for our youth. The Obama Foundation's My Brother's Keeper Alliance named us a "Community to Watch," along with twenty-five other major cities across the country who were finalists in their first grant competition. We also kicked off our Moving the Needle Partner Showcase featuring MindRight, a trauma-informed care mentoring program that leverages text messages to connect with youth.

On behalf of our Board of Directors, and the 21 men from across the city who serve on our Community Advisory Board, we thank you for your unwavering commitment and support!

Sincerely,
The MBK Newark Team
MBKNewark Named One of 25 Communities to Watch by the Obama Foundation
MBK Newark Makes it to the Final Round of Obama Foundation's Community Challenge

MBK Newark made it to the final round for the Obama Foundation's Community Challenge grant out of 100 applicants across the country. This "special status is reserved for top applicants" who presented promising plans for addressing mentoring and violence reduction strategies for young men of color.

Newark will be listed on the Obama Foundation's website as a Community to Watch and receive special opportunities to highlight our work with funders and experts across the country. As a Community to Watch we will also be a part of a national learning cohort designed to deepen our local capacity.

For the list of the grant winners visit the Obama Foundation's website: Winners of Community Challenge Competition . To read more about MBK Newark's proposed plans, click here .

Men of Alpha Alpha Lambda Chapter Celebrate the 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Luncheon & Oratorical Contest
Honor the Life & Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Join the men of Alpha Alpha Lambda Chapter as they honor the life and legacy of Dr. King during their 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Luncheon & Oratorical Contest. Come support young students compete and showcase their oratorical skills.

The Alpha Alpha Lambda Chapter, also known as the Newark Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., celebrates 92 years of brotherhood and service. Founded in 1926, for generations its mission has been to uplift the City of Newark and support young boys and men of color as they strive to complete their education. Alpha Alpha Lambda currently provides a variety of quality mentorship and college-readiness programming in partnership with educators and school principals in Newark Newark and East Orange.

20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Luncheon & Oratorical Contest
Saturday, January 12, 2019 | 11:00AM
Metropolitan Baptist Church
149 Springfield Avenue
Newark, New Jersey 07103

Visit their website to purchase your tickets or to learn more about their work.
Opportunity Summit Helps Alan Nuñez Land a Job at Audible as a Customer Care Rep
Alan Nuñez from North Newark Lands a Job with Audible as a Result of the February 2018 Opportunity Summit

We interviewed Alan Nuñez, resident of North Newark, who attended the Pathways to Success Opportunity Summit back in February of 2018 and was hired by Audible in the summer of 2018 as a result of the summit. Alan is first in his family to attend and graduate college. He attended Rutgers Newark with a degree in Information Systems. Alan stated that he was not able to land a job in his field of study; however, he connected with Audible at the Opportunity Summit and, as a result, was hired as a Customer Care Representative. He just passed his six month mark at Audible and is growing in his role. We interviewed him and this is what he had to say.

Q: What is your role at Audible and how does it compare to other jobs that you've had in the past?

A : I am a Customer Care Representative. That's where I started and it's been a little over six months that I've been here. Overall, it's been a great experience that I'm truly grateful for it. The environment there is just amazing. Everyone has been beyond supportive from day one. Going into the interview I felt prepared. In terms of other jobs, I would say that this job is better in many ways. I previously worked overnight for many years. That was something I did well while I was in school and a little bit after I graduated. Overall it's definitely a much better environment and a better opportunity compared to my other jobs before in the past.

Q: Do you envision growing at Audible professionally?

A: Yes, I am embracing this opportunity. Now that I've been here for six months, I see more clearly what Audible is all about. Like the city of Newark, Audible is growing. It's a good time to be here in Newark and at Audible because they're providing good opportunity for growth. I see myself growing here career wise.


Q: What can MBK Newark continue to do to support young men to get ready for job opportunities like this one at Audible?

A: The Opportunity Summit surpassed my expectations. I want to see more things like the Summit happening more often in Newark. To those still searching, stay connected with My Brother's Keeper and the city of Newark. Take advantage of these opportunities. Some people could get discouraged when they're not seeing any growth. It's all about the right mindset and networking. We need to continue our own self education no matter what's happening in our lives.

MBKNewark's Keeping the Promise Action Plan
MBKNewark was started by Mayor Ras J. Baraka in 2015 with support from the Prudential Foundation, in response to then President Barack Obama's national call to action following the tragic murder of Trayvon Martin.

Since that time, MBK Newark has worked with partners on the ground to bring attention to challenges faced by boys and young men of color.

For the next three years, MBKNewark will collaborate with organizations to address persistent opportunity gaps through policy advocacy, scaling best practices and investing in innovative youth programs with a focus on: Mentoring, Reducing Violence & Second Chances and Living Wage Jobs.

Click here for your copy of the MBKNewark Keeping the Promise Action Plan .
We want to hear from you! Contact us.

My Brother's Keeper Newark
973-624-9400 Ext 34