Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Terri Sewell joined President Obama at the White House in the announcement of “My Brother’s Keeper”— a new initiative aimed at empowering boys and young men of color.

“Today, I was honored to join President Obama at the White House for the announcement of the ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ initiative aimed at helping young men of color stay on track and reach their full potential. The dire statistics which highlight the negative outcomes young men of color face in America should compel all of us to act. This is why I am pleased that the Obama Administration is instituting a proactive initiative to reduce these troubling trends for boys and young men of color,” said Rep. Sewell.  “Our communities should work together to further the talents, skills and hopes of black boys and young men of color. I want to make sure that our rural youth are not forgotten. I look forward to working with the Obama administration, my colleagues in Congress and the business and civic communities in the district to cultivate ladders of opportunity for all young men of color in Alabama's 7th Congressional District and across the nation."

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At today’s event, President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum establishing the “My Brother’s Keeper” Task Force, an interagency effort, chaired by Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary Broderick Johnson, that will help the Administration and its partners in the initiative determine what public and private efforts are working and how to expand upon them, how the Federal Government’s own policies and programs can better support these efforts, and how to better involve State and local officials, the private sector, and the philanthropic community in these efforts. 

Contact:Hillary Beard

202.225.2665

Hillary.beard@mail.house.gov