A future in which success for Boys and Men of Color is the norm.
That is the vision. The hope that all boys and men of color have greater opportunity is what unites this diverse collective, from the largest private foundations to the smallest community groups.
What will it take to achieve significant change? A broad-based movement and the strategic coordination of funders, researchers, policymakers, advocates, and practitioners.
That is the end goal. With A Gathering of Leaders, we want to build a movement and sustain its momentum.
Read the Gathering of Leaders story.
A Gathering of Leaders 2015 is an invitation-only conference will draw over 400 leaders from over 25 cities across the country who are part of existing networks, coalitions as well as national groups, funders, and scholars dedicated to improving outcomes for boys and men of color.
Designed as a look forward to the future of the Boys and Men of Color movement, this conference will focus on disrupting the status quo by building on the current movement and expanding the ecosystem committed to improving the life outcomes for Boys and Men of Color. This year's conference identifies four critical areas: Sustainability, Intersections, Leverage, and Outcomes.
We believe the future of the Boys and Men of Color field depends on continuing to develop the infrastructure and foundation of the field. This priority will focus on building a movement that will continue to impact communities for years to come.
We believe social justice shouldn't function in silos. This priority will focus on how our work operates at the intersections with allied movements and learns from other frames.
In 2013, a second annual Gathering of Leaders built on the momentum from the first conference. This time 200 participants came to Detroit some to re-connect with peers, others to connect for the first time on achieving impact for males of color. The conference's themeLearn, Build, Movefeatured a triple focus on knowledge sharing, strategy coordination, and action planning.
In 2012, 150 leaders from multiple fields came to Philadelphia in June to develop new strategies and mobilize resources to confront the myriad challenges facing males of color.
This first Gathering of Leaders, organized by Frontline Solutions, sought to answer three fundamental questions: