Strategic Plan - My Brother`s Keeper San Antonio

San Antonio Strategic Plan
A network of opportunities. A future of hope.
MY BROTHER’S
KEEPER CHALLENGE
In September 2014, President Obama established the
My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Challenge, a call to action
to encourage local communities to work together to
close opportunity gaps still faced by boys and young
men of color, including Hispanic, African American,
Native American, or other non-White males.
This initiative is based on the premise that, as a nation,
we can no longer accept the staggering reality that
young men of color are more likely to lag in reading
proficiency, be expelled from school, or drop out of
high school. Young men of color are more likely to be
unemployed, enter the criminal justice system, and be
victims of violent crime. My Brother’s Keeper highlights
that our economy and civic life suffer when this
segment of our population faces disproportionate risks
and stark disparities in opportunity.
The President’s announcement sparked communities
around the country to develop strategies to ensure that
all youth are in a position to thrive, regardless of race,
gender or socioeconomic status. San Antonio Mayor
Ivy R. Taylor accepted the challenge in October 2014.
She formed a Steering Committee of leading experts in
youth and community development to establish goals
for our community and design “cradle-to-college-andcareer” strategies. My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio
(MBKSA) works closely with local partners in order to
identify proven practices, assess needs, and establish
collective priorities.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Executive Summary......................................1
The San Antonio Challenge........................4
The San Antonio Action Plan.....................5
Pillar I. Ensure All Youth Graduate
High School......................................................6
Pillar II. Ensure All Youth Complete
Post-secondary Education
or Training........................................................9
Pillar III. Ensure All Out of School
Youth Are Employed.................................. 10
Pillar IV. Ensure All Youth are Safe
from Violent Crime.................................... 12
Ensure All Youth Convicted or
Incarcerated Receive Opportunity
to Lead a Productive Life.......................... 13
Demonstration Sites.................................. 17
Acknowledgments..................................... 18
Appendix: Data Definitions..................... 19
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER SAN ANTONIO
STRATEGIC PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
“Our vision for My Brother’s Keeper in San Antonio is to encourage
young men of color to take advantage of the opportunities that life
presents. We have challenging neighborhoods in our city, but we’re
working hard to change this narrative and make San Antonio a place
with expectations that also provides second chances.”
–Mayor Ivy R. Taylor
THE MBK CHALLENGE
THE SAN ANTONIO CHALLENGE
In September 2014, President Obama
established the My Brother’s Keeper
(MBK) Challenge, a call to action to
encourage local communities to work
together to close opportunity gaps still
faced by boys and young men of color,
including Hispanic, African American,
Native American, and Asian American
males. My Brother’s Keeper highlights
that our civic life and economy suffer
when this segment of our population
faces disproportionate risks and stark
disparities in opportunity.
Seventy-six percent of males under 35
years of age in Bexar County are men
and boys of color. While San Antonio has
made progress in closing opportunity
gaps for youth of color overall, the
progress can mask declining outcomes
for males.
The President’s announcement sparked
communities around the country to
develop strategies to ensure that
all youth are in a position to thrive,
regardless of their race, gender or
socioeconomic status. San Antonio
Mayor Ivy R. Taylor accepted the
challenge in October 2014. She formed
a Steering Committee of leading experts
in youth and community development
to establish goals for our community
and design “cradle-to-college-andcareer” strategies. My Brother’s Keeper
San Antonio (MBKSA) works closely
with local partners to assess needs,
identify proven practices, and establish
collective priorities.
•In San Antonio, young men of color
are more likely to be victims of
violent crime and rearrested.
•They are also more likely to be out
of school and unemployed.
•Only one third of young men of color
ages 25-34 have some form of postsecondary education or training.
MBKSA is a call to action for San
Antonio to come together to support
and empower boys and men of color to
succeed. It is about making meaningful
and lasting change for and with
young men and boys of color. This plan
provides strategic direction to local
leaders in San Antonio and surrounding
Bexar County who are committed to
strengthening and scaling efforts to
address these gaps. Its success relies
on the commitment of our community:
students, parents, neighbors, business,
government and faith leaders, as well as
partners who serve youth in San Antonio.
•Young men of color also lag
behind their peers in high school
graduation rates.
64+7+2124A
ETHNICITY OF MALES UNDER 35 IN BEXAR COUNTY
76% of men under the age of 35 in Bexar County are men of color.
24%
WHITE
2% OTHER
0.2% NATIVE AMERICAN
2% ASIAN
7% BLACK
64%
HISPANIC
Source: American Community Survey 1-year Public Use Microdata Sample, 2014
SAN ANTONIO STRATEGIC PLAN
1
GOAL
INDICATOR
2020 TARGET
1
Ensure all youth graduate high school
4 year federal high school graduation rate
for males of color
90%
2
Ensure all youth complete
post-secondary education or training
Percent of males of color ages 25-34
with a level I certificate or above
50%
3
Ensure all youth out of school
are employed
Percent of 16-24 year old males of color
who are out of school and not working
Reduce by 4% points
4
Ensure all youth are safe from
violent crime
Ensure all youth convicted or
incarcerated receive opportunity
to lead a productive life
Ensure that local efforts
are sustainable
Annual number of males of color who are victims Reduce by 27% points
of violent crime per 100,000 population
Percent of first-time male juvenile offenders
of color who are re-arrested within 3 years
Reduce by 5% points
(ages 10-16)
5
6
Ongoing
ACTION PLAN
DEMONSTRATION SITES
The MBKSA Action Plan includes
four pillars, which are aligned with
MBK national milestones:
While working to advance the strategies
in this plan throughout San Antonio,
MBKSA will focus initial interventions
in two demonstration sites: 1) zip code
78214, the area including the feeder
pattern for Harlandale High School; and
2) 78203, the area including the feeder
pattern for Sam Houston High School.
1. High School Completion
2. Post–Secondary Attainment
3. Workforce Development
4. Reducing Violence and Recidivism
For each pillar in the plan there is a
Support Council lead by experienced
practitioners, and an Action Network
that provides an opportunity for local
stakeholders to share insights, and work
together toward shared goals.
Members of the public participated in
four MBKSA community forums held
throughout the city in September 2015.
MBKSA also engaged local students in
the formation of messages regarding
the effort.
2
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
MBKSA will work with school
districts, faith leaders, and community
organizations to develop initiatives for
each of these sites. The same indicators
as identified above in this strategic
plan will be used to measure progress
in these sites. Proven practices from
these two areas will be scaled citywide,
keeping in mind those activities that can
be sustained over time.
mbksa.org
THANK YOU TO MBK
FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS!
Community of Churches
for Social Action
3
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
THE SAN ANTONIO CHALLENGE
San Antonio is the 7th largest city in
the United States, with an estimated
population of 1.4 million people as of
2014, and continues to experience
rapid growth. There are currently over
356,000 men and boys of color under
the age of 35 in Bexar County.
the declining outcomes for males. For
example, according to the Census, while
the percent of young Bexar County
Latinos with an associate degree or
higher has increased over the last three
years, the figure has actually decreased
for young Latino men.
San Antonio’s effort to address
persistent inequality of opportunity
is crucial to the future success of our
city as the vast majority of men in San
Antonio are men of color. Seventy-six
per cent of males under 35 in Bexar
County are men and boys of color.
While San Antonio has made progress
in closing opportunity gaps for youth
of color overall, the progress can mask
Only one third of young men of
color ages 25-34 have some form of
post-secondary attainment (a Level I
professional certificate from a college or
university or higher). Young men of color
also lag behind their peers in high school
graduation rates.
4
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
In San Antonio, young men of color
are more likely to be victims of violent
crime. In 2014, 5,467 young men of
color under the age of 35 were victims
of violent crime in Bexar County. Young
men of color are also more likely to be
out of school and unemployed. Over
13,000 young men of color between
the ages of 16-24 are considered
“opportunity youth”, as they are neither
working nor in school (2009-2013).
By highlighting these gaps for young
men of color, MBKSA is a call to action
for San Antonio to come together to
empower boys and men of color to
succeed. This plan provides strategic
direction to local leaders in San Antonio
and surrounding Bexar County who are
committed to strengthening and scaling
efforts to address these gaps.
THE SAN ANTONIO ACTION PLAN
The Action Plan developed by My
Brother’s Keeper San Antonio includes
four pillars, which are aligned with the
MBK national milestones:
• High School Completion
• Post-Secondary Attainment
• Workforce Development
• Reducing Violence and Recidivism
The Action Plan highlights strategies,
examples of initiatives that are already
in place to work toward the community’s
objectives, as well as proposed action
steps for stakeholders and community
members. The plan spotlights existing
local efforts, but is not an exhaustive
list of programs to support young men
of color. Additional information is
available at www.mbksa.org regarding
other local programs that support
MBKSA goals. MBKSA will continue
to build a more comprehensive list of
existing programs that specifically serve
men and boys of color.
The planning process, initiated by
Mayor Ivy Taylor, has included
substantial data analysis, compiled
by P16Plus Council of Greater Bexar
County (P16Plus). The mayor appointed
the MBKSA Steering Committee as
the leadership of the initiative. The
City of San Antonio identified P16Plus
as the “backbone organization” to
support the initiative, which followed
the national recommendation from the
White House to include StriveTogether
organizations to support the “cradle
to career” collective impact approach.
The Reducing Violence and Recidivism
Committee held a summit at
Sam Houston High School in July 2015
for direct service providers to share
insights on the issues facing men and
boys of color. Members of the public
participated in four MBKSA community
forums held throughout the city in
September 2015. MBKSA also engaged
local students in the formation of
messages regarding the effort.
MBKSA is a collective impact effort
involving many partners who work
together toward the shared goals
outlined in this plan. For each pillar
in the plan there is a Support Council
lead by experienced practitioners,
and an Action Network that provides
an opportunity for local stakeholders
to share insights, and work together
toward shared goals.
MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER:
MBKSA is about making meaningful and
lasting change for and with young men
of color. It is a community effort to make
systemic changes using evidence-based
interventions. The success of this plan
relies on the commitment of our community:
students, parents, neighbors, business,
government and faith leaders, as well as
partners who serve youth in San Antonio.
This plan is merely a snapshot in time of
the efforts being developed by a network
of community leaders. MBKSA will update
and refine this strategic plan as the project
progresses in order to incorporate new
findings and make adjustments to ensure
accountability to the goals established by
our community.
SAN ANTONIO STRATEGIC PLAN
5
ACTION PLAN – CITYWIDE
FOUR–YEAR LONGITUDINAL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE IN BEXAR COUNTY
83% of males of color graduated from high school within 4 years in Bexar County in 2014.
83++83+8389
+
100%
92%
84%
76%
68%
60%
83%
83%
83%
Hispanic Males
Black Males
All Males of Color
89%
White Males
Source: Texas Education Agency Federal Graduation Rates, class of 2014, Bexar County 15 ISDs
CHALLENGE:
83%
OF YOUNG MEN OF COLOR GRADUATE
FROM HIGH SCHOOL WITHIN 4 YEARS.
MBKSA STRATEGIC
OBJECTIVE:
90%
Strategy 1: Build a supportive
community around boys of color
through culturally responsive
systems, which engage families, faith,
and cultural institutions.
MBKSA will continue to identify
successful programs that are designed
for young men of color, such as the
XY-Zone, run by Communities In Schools.
XY-Zone is a leadership development and
MBKSA will work together to highlight
peer support initiative that promotes
positive role models who underscore the
productive life skills with at-risk
importance of education. The project will
adolescent males. Based on high school
form strategic alliances with other city-
campuses, this effort targets, engages,
wide initiatives such as the Martin Luther
and guides young men at risk of dropping
King, Jr. Commission, the Eastside Promise
out of school.
Zone, San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of
in order to further MBKSA objectives.
Strategy 2: Increase engagement of
men of color in the lives of young
men and boys.
Parents will enhance and expand efforts to
Through the national MBK initiative, the
engage and empower parents, such as the
City of San Antonio and San Antonio ISD
Familias en Acción Collaborative Council.
and other local partners are participating
MBKSA will work with stakeholders in two
in a White House initiative to address
demonstration site school districts
chronic absenteeism of 6th and 9th
ADDITIONAL MEASURES OF PROGRESS:
to develop restorative discipline
graders by pairing students with MBK
• 3rd grade reading rate
• 9th grade retention
• 4-year dropout rate
procedures for K-12 students in order
Success Mentors. Teams of mentors
to minimize the negative outcomes
at pilot schools will include coaches,
associated with school expulsion and
teachers, school staff and staff from
suspension practices.
community partners such as City Year.
OF BEXAR COUNTY YOUNG MEN OF
COLOR GRADUATE ON TIME BY 2020.
6
PILLAR I. ENSURE ALL YOUTH GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
Commerce STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, Math) week and others
In order to increase the number of men
working and serving as role models in
local schools, MBKSA will coordinate
efforts to increase awareness of
programs such as Troops to Teachers,
market available scholarships for teacher
candidates, and evaluate the adoption
of models from other communities,
such as Call Me Mister. Toyota Motor
Manufacturing Texas has partnered
with Texas A&M University-San Antonio
to offer two full-ride scholarships. In
keeping with My Brother’s Keeper San
Antonio, one will be awarded to a male
of color who intends to teach in his
community, while the other aligns with
the goals of the Martin Luther King, Jr.
Commission to educate and retain
minority youth in San Antonio.
MBKSA will highlight programs such as
Watch D.O.G. and Father’s Call, models
that are used in several local schools
to engage fathers in the lives of their
children and other students. 100 Black
Men of San Antonio works to enhance
the lives of men and boys of color.
MBKSA will work with existing
mentoring organizations and programs
such as Big Brothers Big Sisters,
Communities In Schools, faith-based
efforts, such as Youth for Christ and
eligible members of the San Antonio
Mentoring Forum, to communicate the
need for more mentors for men and
boys of color. MBKSA will create and
market a “menu of options” for men
wishing to volunteer and commit to
mentoring in the San Antonio area.
The San Antonio Area African American
Community Fund has committed to play
a convening role and to drive outreach
efforts to professional associations to
increase the number of men of color
serving as mentors and role models.
Over 40 local employers participate
in the Inspire U workplace mentoring
program, managed by Big Brothers Big
Sisters of South Texas. Through MBKSA
this program can be targeted to pair
young men of color in demonstration
site schools with mentors. Local
partners will also seek to expand
internships and job shadow experiences
for young men of color.
Strategy 3: Create network of
educator and service provider
champions focused on effective
approaches for success in school
for boys of color.
MBKSA will convene teachers,
counselors, administrators, parents,
and higher education partners to learn
about the project’s goals and strategies.
MBKSA creates a forum to share best
practices and encourage usage of
those practices.
MBKSA and P16Plus will partner with
school districts to focus on chronic nonattending students, those missing 10%
or more of school days. As attendance
is one of the primary reasons students
drop out of high school and struggle
meeting academic milestones, MBKSA
will work with partners to focus on
attendance with students and parents.
SAN ANTONIO STRATEGIC PLAN
7
MBKSA will work with the high
schools in the demonstration sites
to ensure that boys of color are fully
engaged in available programs such as
Gaining Early Awareness Readiness
for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR
UP), which offers high school students
tutoring, academic advising, parent
engagement opportunities, high school
transition support, college tours, and
connection to cafécollege, San Antonio’s
college access center.
MBKSA will also work with existing
programs, such as San Antonio Youth
Literacy (SAYL), to focus on outcomes
for boys of color in their work and
expand their services within elementary
schools in the MBKSA demonstration
sites. SAYL is one of a number of
programs actively working with second
grade students to improve reading
abilities by engaging and training
volunteers to work with students.
Teach for America San Antonio will
partner with schools to provide cultural
relevance training to staff and teachers
in schools in the demonstration sites.
Strategy 4: Support families in
providing enriched home learning
environments, which promote
academic success.
MBKSA will work with existing parent
engagement efforts to align goals and
encourage programs to address the
specific needs of young men of color.
San Antonio has invested in a range
of programs to provide early
education to children and
offer resources to parents
to support their child’s
academic success including
Head Start, Avance’s
Early Beginnings
Program, and Family
Service Association’s
65-SMART program.
P16Plus partners
with school districts
and community based
organizations to offer
Ready Rosie, an online
resource with daily
activities for adults to
utilize with children ages
three to five to promote
academic readiness. To date,
8
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
over 14,000 parents have accessed this
literacy – and numeracy-based content,
available in English in Spanish. Pre-K 4
SA, the City of San Antonio’s full-day
prekindergarten, provides valuable
support to increase families’ capacity
to engage in educational endeavors
to include the child’s academic, socialemotional, health and nutritional needs.
MBKSA will engage public resources
to provide information and resources
to parents. The project will also survey
parents regarding what schools and
community-based organizations can do
to support families to create enriching
home learning environments. MBKSA
will communicate helpful information
to parents on MBKSA.org, social media
and by working with schools and
organizations in the demonstration sites
and in San Antonio.
The San Antonio Public Library provides
many vital resources to parents, children
and teenagers. The Little Read Wagon is
an early literacy program that provides
learning activities and materials to
families of children birth to five years.
The Mayor’s Summer Reading program
further encourages literacy among
young children. The library provides live
homework help and a series of events
for local teens. The city’s Parks and
Recreation Program offers extended
learning opportunities outside of school.
MBKSA will work with out of school
time providers to identify ways to
better address opportunity gaps for
boys of color. Excel Beyond the Bell is
a community of youth development
leaders whose members provide outof-school time services to young people
and their families. Excel Beyond the Bell
provides a forum to identify and address
gaps in programming for boys of color.
24+38
+ 28
+ 50
+
MALES 25–34 WITH A CERTIFICATE OR HIGHER IN BEXAR COUNTY
28% of males of color ages 25-34 have obtained at least a post-secondary certificate.
75%
50%
25%
0%
24%
Hispanic Males
38%
28%
Black Males
All Males of Color
50%
White Males
Source: American Community Survey 1-year Public Use Microdata Sample, 2014; Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board estimates
PILLAR II. ENSURE ALL YOUTH COMPLETE POST-SECONDARY
EDUCATION OR TRAINING
Strategy 1: Promote community
and family engagement and
involvement in student success,
including celebrating success
among males of color.
A number of higher education
institutions in San Antonio, including
the Alamo Colleges, Texas A&M San
Antonio, and the University of Texas at
San Antonio, analyze data on student
outcomes by race, ethnicity, and gender
and develop targeted strategies to
ensure that all students persist and
succeed. Several partner institutions,
including San Antonio Education
Partnership and Our Lady of the Lake
University, have analyzed disaggregated
data on outcomes for men and boys of
color for their respective institutions,
and are developing targeted events and
programming to address gaps. MBKSA
will create a clearinghouse of initiatives
to support men and boys of colors so
that partners know how best to guide
students. MBKSA will partner with the
UTSA Office of P-20 Initiatives to offer
resources to parents through their
Parent Engagement Summit. MBKSA
will serve as a clearinghouse tracking
Level I certificate attainment of males of
color through our Community Colleges
and Workforce Development Partners.
Strategy 2: Build upon mentoring
and navigation support structure
for transitioning to and persisting
through post-secondary education.
Individual partners will provide targeted
tours, orientation, mentoring and other
opportunities for students and parents
to assist in navigating higher education
institutions. Local mentoring efforts,
including faith-based efforts, will draw
on national mentoring models for
resources and training to support men
and boys of color in college persistence
and attainment.
Strategy 3: Demystify the higher
education process and access
through culturally-relevant
messaging to and engagement
of minority males.
MBKSA will work together to develop
culturally relevant messages for young
men of color and develop and share
key messages to inspire students
and demystify the process through
videos and other means. Public Service
Announcements will be developed and
shared to reach various audiences.
Strategy 4: Focus on institutional
accountability for faculty and staff
development to promote cultural
and situational awareness and
pedagogical approaches that are
CHALLENGE:
28%
OF MEN OF COLOR AGES 25-34 IN
BEXAR COUNTY HAVE ATTAINED A
LEVEL I CERTIFICATE OR ABOVE.
(A LEVEL I CERTIFICATE IS A
WORKFORCE EDUCATION PROGRAM
OF STUDY THAT CONSISTS OF AT
LEAST 15 SEMESTER CREDIT HOURS).
MBKSA STRATEGIC
OBJECTIVE:
50%
OF YOUNG MEN OF COLOR AGE 25-34
IN BEXAR COUNTY WILL HAVE A LEVEL
I CERTIFICATE OR ABOVE BY 2020.
ADDITIONAL MEASURES OF PROGRESS:
• Persistence rate
• College graduation
• Student engagement
effective for young men of color.
Local partners who have received federal
Title V funds to increase college attainment
for minority students, such as the Puente
Program at San Antonio College and the
Academy for Teacher Excellence at the
University of Texas at San Antonio, will
share successful models for other partners
to use in faculty training. MBKSA will share
research and best practices on advising
and faculty development.
SAN ANTONIO STRATEGIC PLAN
9
14181511
OPPORTUNITY YOUTH IN BEXAR COUNTY
15% of males of color ages 16-24 in Bexar County are not in school or working.
30%
20%
10%
0%
14%
Hispanic Males
+ + +
19%
Black Males
15%
All Males of Color
11%
White Males
Source: American Community Survey 5-year Public Use Microdata Sample, 2009-2013
PILLAR III. ENSURE ALL OUT OF SCHOOL YOUTH
ARE EMPLOYED
Strategy 1: Present career pathways
in a culturally-relevant manner.
MBKSA efforts will focus on community
outreach to engage businesses and
opportunity youth. MBKSA will align
with existing programs, as well as efforts
led by Workforce Solutions Alamo,
Goodwill and many other partners.
The City of San Antonio’s Promise
Zone to Work initiative provides free
training in trades such as manufacturing,
construction, welding, information
technology and nursing. The San Antonio
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
partners with industry leaders and six
local colleges to present the annual
Core4STEM Expo, offering students and
parents an opportunity to learn about
career opportunities and pathways in
science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics. MBKSA will collaborate
with these initiatives to incorporate
support for the goals of MBKSA.
MBKSA will collaborate with existing
programs such as the internship
programs offered by Joven, and the
newly formed SA Works, an industry
led coalition, led by the San Antonio
Chamber of Commerce, which offer
10
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
educators and students experiential
learning opportunities such as job
shadow experiences, and internships.
Strategy 2: Increase job readiness
and essential skills.
MBKSA will share information about
and job skills and training with youth
by partnering with SA Youth, the
George Gervin Youth Center, Goodwill
Academy, Project Quest, Dress for
Success, Workforce Solutions Alamo and
many other partners. The Career and
Technology Education program (CATE)
also supports youth enrolled in high
school with career track training.
In 2015, the City of San Antonio and
Bexar County launched the San Antonio
– Talent for Economic Competitiveness
(SA-TEC) initiative to align and execute
strategic initiatives to impact the
workforce delivery systems in San
Antonio. Alamo Colleges and the San
Antonio Chamber of Commerce will
co-lead this alignment and integration
model developed from best practices
and proven industry-led efforts. MBKSA
will align with this effort in order to
further employment opportunities for
out of school youth.
CHALLENGE:
15%
15% OF YOUNG MEN OF COLOR AGES
16-24 IN BEXAR COUNTY ARE OUT OF
SCHOOL AND UNEMPLOYED.
MBKSA STRATEGIC
OBJECTIVE:
4
REDUCE
BY
PERCENTAGE
POINTS
MBKSA WILL WORK TO REDUCE
“OPPORTUNITY YOUTH” OF BEXAR
COUNTY YOUNG MEN OF COLOR BY
4 PERCENTAGE POINTS BY 2020.
ADDITIONAL MEASURES OF PROGRESS:
•Rate of youth with high school
credential
•Employment rate for youth with
a criminal record
Strategy 3: Work with employers
to increase job openings for men of
color with criminal records.
MBKSA will reach out to local chambers
of commerce to increase awareness of
MBKSA goals and resources such as the
federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit, a
tax credit that is available as an incentive
to employers who hire individuals who
might otherwise have difficulty finding
a job, including formerly incarcerated
individuals. Other resources include
the Workforce Solutions Alamo fidelity
bond program, which provides free
fidelity bonding services to reduce
employers’ concerns about hiring at-risk
job applicants who cannot be bonded
through other sources.
of color with a criminal record who
Numerous local business partners
currently hire ex-offenders. Through
MBKSA, industry leaders will create a
toolkit for businesses. The toolkit will
be designed to give examples of how
human resource and hiring policies and
practices can be revised to allow more
job opportunities to individuals with a
criminal background.
provides resources, support, job
MBKSA will continue to serve as a
clearinghouse of resources for men
placement or case management
are seeking employment. Examples of
such programs include the Resurgence
Collaborative Center at the Barbara
Jordan Community Center, which
training and assists in job placement
for recently incarcerated individuals.
This program is funded by the Byrne
Memorial Justice Assistance Grant.
Other examples include Bexar County
Detention Ministries, Goodwill, and
Workforce Solutions Alamo, Salvation
Army and others who provide job
services to ex-offenders.
Strategy 4: Employ wraparound
employment case management.
MBKSA will develop an asset map
or central repository of services for
men and boys of color. The project’s
website, mbksa.org, will serve as a
way for men and boys of color and
case managers to identify services.
A range of existing programs offer
case management support specifically
based on the barriers that opportunity
youth face such as transportation,
lack of essential skills, child care, and
a lack of job availability. The George
Gervin Center and Youth Against Gang
Activity are examples of such programs.
SAN ANTONIO STRATEGIC PLAN
11
Workforce Solutions Alamo youth
programs offer a range of services to
economically disadvantaged youth
including mentoring, career navigation
assistance, and alternative secondary
school offerings. The Eastside
Promise Zone is preparing to open the
Eastside Education & Training Center,
a “one stop shop” for those seeking
employment, including full training
for high-impact skills, child care, and
business marketing. This site will also
include a truancy intervention center
run by San Antonio Municipal Court
to provide case management for
chronically absent students.
A number of organizations offer
support to individuals seeking their
GED, including the San Antonio
Public Library, ESC-20’s Adult
Education and Literacy efforts, and
others. Bexar County’s Bibliotech
offers GED testing at their current
sites. This program will be replicated
and enhanced on the east side.
12
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
PILLAR IV. ENSURE ALL YOUTH ARE SAFE FROM
VIOLENT CRIME.
VIOLENT CRIME VICTIMIZATION RATE
71+27
1,492 out of every 100,000 males of color are victims of violent crime in Bexar County each year.
1800
1400
1000
0
1492
949
All Males of Color
White Males
Source: San Antonio Police Department, 2014; American Community Survey 5-year Public Use Microdata Sample 2009-2013
CHALLENGE:
1,492
PER 100,000 OF POPULATION
FOR YOUNG MEN OF COLOR IN BEXAR
COUNTY UNDER THE AGE OF 35, THE
VIOLENT CRIME VICTIMIZATION RATE IS
1,492 PER 100,000 OF POPULATION.
MBKSA STRATEGIC
OBJECTIVE:
REDUCE
BY
27%
REDUCE THE RATE OF VIOLENT CRIME
VICTIMIZATION BY 27% BY 2020 FOR
YOUNG MEN UNDER THE AGE OF 35.
30+32+30+22
ENSURE ALL YOUTH CONVICTED OR INCARCERATED
RECEIVE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD A PRODUCTIVE LIFE.
JUVENILE REARREST RATE IN BEXAR COUNTY
30% of males of color ages 10-16 are rearrested within three years in Bexar County.
45%
30%
15%
0%
30%
32%
30%
Hispanic Males
Black Males
All Males of Color
22%
White Males
Source: Bexar County Juvenile Probation, 2012-2015
Strategy 1: Identify and address
policy and structural barriers to
successful second chances.
The MBKSA Steering Committee will
develop recommendations to address
policy barriers to successful second
chances, such as limitations on financial
aid, employment opportunities, housing
and community engagement for
individuals with criminal convictions.
San Antonio has demonstrated a
commitment to juvenile justice reform.
The newly formed City/County Criminal
Justice Coordinating Council offers a
forum to shape systems to allow for
individuals to successfully transition
from the criminal justice system and
re-enter the community and the
workforce. Youth Enrichment Services,
a partnership between Big Brother Big
Sisters of South Texas and Bexar County
Juvenile Probation, provides formerly
incarcerated youth with mentors and
effectively reduces recidivism rates. The
Bexar County Community Supervision
and Corrections Department
(BCCSCD) supervises adults who have
committed a misdemeanor or felony
act. These individuals face a range of
barriers to employment such as lack
of transportation, lack of education,
and their criminal history. BCCSCD
has begun to form partnerships with
various employers in order to assist this
population with employment.
Strategy 2: Intervene early-on
for young men in distress.
The San Antonio/Bexar County Joint
Commission on Truancy has made
significant strides in reframing the
community’s approach to truancy
to focus on intervention and case
management rather than criminalizing
students. The “San Antonio model” was
the inspiration for statewide legislation
passed in 2015 to decriminalize truancy
and require school districts to intervene
to address the root causes of chronic
absenteeism, such as homelessness or
chronic illness, prior to filing charges.
The Truancy Court annex recently
opened on the City’s east side which will
further extend the reach of this effort to
connect with the community.
San Antonio Municipal Court, San
Antonio Independent School District,
and local community partners
have piloted a robust outreach and
intervention program to reduce truancy
in the Lanier High School feeder pattern.
MBKSA will work with this team to
CHALLENGE:
30%
REARRESTED WITHIN 3 YEARS
YOUNG MEN OF COLOR AGES 10-16 WHO
ARE CONVICTED OF A JUVENILE OFFENSE
ARE REARRESTED WITHIN 3 YEARS.
MBKSA STRATEGIC
OBJECTIVE:
REDUCE
BY
5%
POINTS
MBKSA WILL WORK TO REDUCE THE
RECIDIVISM RATE FOR JUVENILE
OFFENDERS (AGES 10-16) BY 5
PERCENTAGE POINTS BY 2020.
ADDITIONAL MEASURES OF PROGRESS:
• Homicide mortality rate
• Child abuse indicators
• Juvenile arrest rate
• Alternative school referrals
• Violations of probation
• Truancy filings
replicate this effort and engage more
community partners to offer families
on-site referrals to address barriers to
student attendance.
Juvenile Probation, Communities In
Schools, Southwest Key and Northeast
ISD partner in Project Connect,
an intensive collaborative truancy
prevention program at Roosevelt High
School and two of its feeder middle
schools. The teams in these programs
are identifying barriers to student
attendance and working closely with
SAN ANTONIO STRATEGIC PLAN
13
MBKSA partners will launch a call to
action to encourage more members of
the community to serve as mentors for
young men of color.
students and families to provide
resources to overcome those barriers
and improve attendance rates.
Stand UP S.A. is a city run violence
prevention and intervention program,
which uses the Cure Violence model, an
evidenced-based public health approach
to reduce and prevent violence.
Strategy 3: Make cultural
interventions and build character
development to address cognitive
behavior.
MBKSA will work with partners to
develop interventions that are culturally
specific and rooted in traditions, and
activities that cultivate youth pride
regarding their culture. This will
include identification and promotion
of role models, particularly those who
have successfully overcome adversity.
Partners will consider how to scale
efforts such as the Rites of Passage
program and the Compadres Network
led by the American Indians In Texas
At The Spanish Colonial Mission, the
Passport to Manhood Program led by
the Boys and Girls Club of San Antonio,
and efforts led by Alpha Gents, Christ
Church, and many others.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Amachi program
connects children whose parents are
incarcerated with role models from all
walks of life in order to broaden their
perspective on what they can achieve.
Strategy 4: Focus on positive
sustained male engagement and
peer association.
MBKSA will partner with schools
and community groups to advance
strategies to address intergenerational
post-traumatic stress, caused by
abandonment or exposure to violence.
Partners will work together to develop
a class on what it means to become a
man, for grades 5-10 to model positive
behavior, offer early intervention, and
connect youth to resources.
MBKSA will participate in the Wisdom
Keeper’s national campaign to engage
men across generations to “Speak Up,
Stand Up and Show Up” to foster healing
in communities of color.
MBKSA will also create a menu of
mentoring opportunities and explore a
range of mentoring models, including
sports and outdoor activities to engage
youth. Examples of existing mentoring
efforts are 100 Black Men of San
Antonio, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.,
and the U.S. Army that currently mentors
22 students at Sam Houston High School.
MBKSA identified the expansion
of youth sports programs led by
community based organizations, the San
Antonio Policy Department’s Midnight
Basketball, and Police Athletic League
(PAL Program) that steer children and
teens towards athletics and away from
participation in gangs and drug use. Such
programs could be targeted to serve
men and boys of color in areas of need.
Strategy 5: Break cycles
of family violence.
MBKSA will develop branding and key
messages regarding family violence
prevention to distribute in partnership
with community organizations, as well
as through PSAs and social media. Faith
based organizations will convene to
14
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
develop a unified approach to violence
prevention and intervention.
MBKSA will work with existing efforts
to address the needs of men and boys of
color. Juvenile District Court operates
a Specialty Court “Family Enrichment”
for youth in the juvenile justice system
who are dealing with family violence.
Bexar County Juvenile Probation funds
a prevention program for at-risk teens
on the east side of San Antonio, the
Claude Black Youth Leadership Institute,
which provides mentoring, enrichment
activities and skill-building opportunities
to youth at risk of entering juvenile
probation or child protective services.
The San Antonio Police Department’s
Crisis Response Teams work with
perpetrators and victims of family
violence to intervene and prevent further
violence. The Battering Intervention and
Prevention Program provides education
on the effects of violence and abuse and
challenges clients to strive for equality,
respect, trust, and support in order to
maintain non-abusive relationships.
MBKSA will encourage programs that
offer interventions to teen mothers
to engage teen fathers as well to
encourage responsible fatherhood
and will highlight programs that
promote fathers’ involvement in their
children’s development.
Strategy 6: Address substance abuse
and mental health needs in at-risk
neighborhoods.
MBKSA will work with community
groups to address problem areas that
make neighborhoods more vulnerable
to substance use and abuse, such as
securing or improving abandoned
structures. Partners will work to build
awareness of the problem and expand
the use of successful curriculum, such
as www.drugfreeworld.org. MBKSA will
work with partners to educate service
providers on how to identify and connect
men and boys of color to mental health
resources earlier.
MBKSA partners will develop or adopt a
proven health-focused risk assessment
in order to identify mental health and
substance abuse issues early on and
refer young people to appropriate care.
This approach would be confidential and
intended to offer interventions early on,
before an individual enters the criminal
justice system.
Bexar County Juvenile Probation
screens every youth entering the juvenile
justice system for mental or emotional
disturbance or distress, and provides
for follow-up to services when there are
warning signs. There is a also specialized
probation unit where probation officers
and counselors from Center for Health
Care Services team up to work with
youth with serious mental health issues.
Juvenile Probation does risk and needs
assessments that help identify substance
abuse issues, and connects those youth
to services. The Juvenile District Courts
operate a post-adjudication drug court
and three pre-adjudication drug courts.
Strategy 7: Increase workforce
preparation and employment.
MBKSA will create a process map for
successful informal efforts to mentor and
assist ex-offenders to navigate and obtain
employment opportunities that allow for
financial self-sufficiency. The process will be
developed in order to replicate and expand
services to meet the growing need. The
Project will also partner with educational
institutions to stress trades and certificates
as a workforce pathway for students.
The 2nd Chance Job Fair, convened by
Bexar County and Workforce Solutions
Alamo and other partners, connected
employers with job seekers who have been
unemployed due to the economic downturn
or who have a criminal conviction. The
2015 Fair included over 80 employers
and drew over 1,000 jobseekers.
SAN ANTONIO STRATEGIC PLAN
15
16
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
DEMONSTRATION SITES
While working to advance the
strategies in this plan throughout
San Antonio, MBKSA will focus initial
interventions in two demonstration
sites. The members of four MBKSA
Support Councils, leading experts in
the focus areas of this plan, selected
two demonstration sites from a list
of zip codes that identified areas with
high concentrations of men of color
and a convergence of risk factors, such
as teen pregnancy, poverty and high
school drop outs. After considering
these factors and discussing existing
interventions in high need zip codes,
the Support Councils selected 78214,
the area including the feeder pattern
for Harlandale High School, and 78203,
the area including the feeder pattern
for Sam Houston High School, as
proposed demonstration sites.
MBKSA will work with community
members, faith leaders, school districts,
business owners, and community
organizations to develop initiatives for
each of these sites. The same indicators
as identified above in this strategic
plan will be used to measure progress
in these sites. Proven practices from
these two areas will be scaled citywide,
keeping in mind those activities that can
be sustained over time.
DEMONSTRATION SITE 1
Zip Code
Rate of Economic Disadvantage in High School
Rate Students of Color in High School
Rate Hispanic Students
Rate Black Students
Rate White Students
Median Household Income
78214
85%
99%
98%
0.4%
1%
$33,352
MBKSA is a
community effort
to bring about
meaningful and
lasting change
for young men
of color. The
success of this
plan relies on the
commitment of
our community:
students, parents,
neighbors,
business,
government and
faith leaders, as
well as partners
who serve youth
DEMONSTRATION SITE 2
Zip Code
Rate of Economic Disadvantage in High School
Rate Students of Color in High School
Rate Hispanic Students
Rate Black Students
Rate White Students
Median Household Income
78203
92%
98%
52%
44%
2%
$25,517
in San Antonio.
SAN ANTONIO STRATEGIC PLAN
17
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The development of the MBKSA Action Plan was a collaborative effort between many local organizations. Thank you to
the following organizations and community members for their commitment to ensuring that all San Antonio youth have the
opportunity to achieve their dreams.
STEERING
COMMITTEE
Mayor Ivy R. Taylor
Co-Chair of Steering
Committee
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
Dr. Mike Etienne
Co-Chair of Steering
Committee
Priscilla Camacho
Ana Acevedo
Dr. George Williams
JudgeJohn Bull
SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
OUR LADY OF THE
LAKE UNIVERSITY
MUNICIPAL COURTS
Captain Andy Carian
SAN ANTONIO POLICE
DEPARTMENT
Dr. Mateen Diop
SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT
SCHOOL DISTRICT
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
Frank Dunn
Jessica Weaver
100 BLACK MEN
Chair of High School
Graduation
Dr. Mike Flores
COMMUNITIES IN
SCHOOLS SAN ANTONIO
Dr. Michael Laney
Steven Hussain
Cedric Ikpo
SPURS SPORTS / SILVER
AND BLACK GIVE BACK
Mario Lozoya
Lori Johnson-Leal
CPS ENERGY
TOYOTA
Tony Leverett
Ramon Vasquez
UNITED WAY OF SAN
ANTONIO AND EASTSIDE
PROMISE NEIGHBORHOOD
AMERICAN INDIANS IN
TEXAS AT THE SPANISH
COLONIAL MISSIONS
Ana Acevedo
Andrew Solano
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
Zuani Villarreal
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB
Dr. Shari Albright
Lynne Wilkerson
TRINITY UNIVERSITY
BEXAR COUNTY JUVENILE
PROBATION DEPARTMENT
Denise Barkhurst
Pastor Warren Beemer
HEALING PLACE CHURCH
SAN ANTONIO
Akeem Brown
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
Philip Carney
Dr. Mateen Diop
SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT
SCHOOL DISTRICT
Tony Leverett
UNITED WAY
P16PLUS
Janna Poth
EDUCATION SERVICE
CENTER REGION 20
SUPPORT
COUNCIL FOR
HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATION
Jessica Weaver
SAN ANTONIO POLICE
DEPARTMENT
100 BLACK MEN
SUPPORT
COUNCIL FOR
WORKFORCE
Melissa Portugal
Mario Lozoya
Judit Vega
Chair
TOYOTA
Judy McCormick
Captain Andy Carian
Frank Dunn
NORTHEAST INDEPENDENT
SCHOOL DISTRICT
Priscilla Camacho
SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE
BEXAR COUNTY ADULT
PROBATION
SAN ANTONIO
METROPOLITAN HEALTH
DISTRICT/STAND UP S.A.
Lynne Wilkerson
BEXAR COUNTY JUVENILE
PROBATION DEPARTMENT
Dr. Mike Etienne
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
Gail Hathaway
SUPPORT
COUNCIL FOR
POST-SECONDARY
Dr. Michael Laney
Chair
OUR LADY OF THE
LAKE UNIVERSITY
Dr. Edwin BareaRodriguez
WORKFORCE
SOLUTIONS ALAMO
Steven Hussain
GOODWILL
Michelle Perales
ALAMO COLLEGES
Dr. Roxanne Rosales
SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT
SCHOOL DISTRICT
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
AT SAN ANTONIO
Dr. Adriana Contreras
SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION
PARTNERSHIP
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS
Michael Ximenes
ALAMO COLLEGES
GOODWILL
OUR LADY OF THE
LAKE UNIVERSITY
Chair of Reducing
Violence and Recidivism
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS
PALO ALTO COLLEGE
Chair of Post-Secondary
Attainment
Chair of Workforce
Development
Denise Barkhurst
Dr. Mike Flores
SUPPORT
COUNCIL FOR
REDUCING
VIOLENCE &
RECIDIVISM
PALO ALTO COLLEGE
Dr. Eric López
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
SAN ANTONIO
Judge John Bull
Chair
Dr. Francisco Solis
MUNICIPAL COURTS
COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS
ALAMO COLLEGES
Ramon Vasquez
Chair
AMERICAN INDIANS OF
TEXAS AT THE SPANISH
COLONIAL MISSIONS
MBKSA is grateful to the many community members who gave their time and shaped this plan through their participation in public
meetings, Action Network Meetings, student events, and the MBKSA 2015 Summit.
18
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
THANK YOU TO MBK FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS!
Community of Churches
for Social Action
mbksa.org
SAN ANTONIO STRATEGIC PLAN
19
APPENDIX: DATA DEFINITIONS
PILLAR: HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION
High School Graduation Rate: Four-year federal graduation rate, Bexar County 15 ISDs
Texas Education Agency, Texas Academic Performance Reports (TAPR) 2014
PILLAR: POST-SECONDARY
Post-Secondary Attainment Rate: Rate of males 25-34 with certificates or higher in Bexar County
American Community Survey (ACS), 1-year Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS), 2014; Texas, Higher Education Coordinating
Board estimates
PILLAR: WORKFORCE
Workforce Participation – Opportunity Youth Rate: Rate of males 16-24 not employed or in school
(including those not in the labor force)
ACS 5-year PUMS, 2009-2013
PILLAR: VIOLENCE AND RECIDIVISM
Violent Crime Rate: Rate of victims of violent crimes per 100,000 Bexar County residents
San Antonio Police Department, 2014; ACS 1-year PUMS, 2014
Recidivism Rate: Rate of males 10-16 rearrested within three years
Bexar County Juvenile Detention, 2012-2015
DEMONSTRATION SITES
Economic disadvantage in High School: Percent of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch
in Harlandale and Sam Houston High Schools
TAPR 2014-2015
Students of color in High School: Percent students of color in Harlandale and Houston High Schools
TAPR 2014-2015
Median Household Income: Average of the median income of households for the following census tracts:
1506-1509, 1519, 1922 for ZIP 78214; 1302, 1303, 1304.1, 1305 for ZIP 78203
American FactFinder Table S1903, ACS 5-year survey 2010-2014
20
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
A network of opportunities. A future of hope.
mbksa.org