What does it take to
Create Social Change?
Sustainability
Intersections
Leverage
Outcomes

The Movement

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, first held in June 2012, was conceived and implemented to help realize a field formally organized around greater opportunities for boys and men of color. About 100 leaders—funders, researchers, policymakers, advocates, and practitioners—convened for two days in Philadelphia.
  • In 2013, the second annual Gathering of Leaders built on the momentum of the first conference and brought together 200 participants for constructive dialogue on achieving impact for boys and men of color in Detroit, MI.
  • Building on this progress and recognizing that work happens in local communities, A Gathering of Leaders 2014 brought together over 350 individuals in Oakland, CA with a special emphasis on encouraging place-based delegations and established networks to work together and formulate action plans in real time.
  • A Gathering of Leaders 2015 is a look forward to the future of the field is an opportunity to continue the movement-building process and sustain an emerging field's momentum.

Conference

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.

Sustainability

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.

Intersections

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.

Leverage

We believe in the capacity and power of the people and institutions in this field. This priority will encourage participants to think critically about their leverage points for change and how to use them in service to improving life outcomes for Boys and Men of Color.

Outcomes

We believe that we have to both effectively employ and interrogate evaluation techniques in this work. This priority will highlight best practices around evaluation in the BMOC space and promote discussions on how to evaluate with an equity frame.

A Look Back

Co-Conveners