FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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State Education Department Announces Sixth Class of My Brother’s Keeper Fellows and MBK Communities Network Milestone
97 Students Identified as Leaders, Largest Fellows Class in NYS MBK History
My Brother’s Keeper Community Network Grows to 36 Member Communities
The State Education Department today inducted 97 new My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Fellows—the largest ever class of boys and young men of color who are leaders in their schools and communities—and announced that the MBK Community Network has now grown to 36 member communities, according to Commissioner Betty A. Rosa. The most recent Network additions are Kingston and LaFayette. MBK Fellows receive mentor relationship opportunities in government, education, and business. The My Brother’s Keeper initiative helps boys and young men of color—and all students—realize their full potential.
Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. said, “My Brother’s Keeper is removing barriers, empowering our young people to affect actionable change, and creating a generation of leaders prepared for civic duty and deeply committed to social justice. We are excited to welcome our newest MBK Network Communities and this year’s class of My Brother’s Keeper Fellows to continue the growth of this movement to build a culture and society of opportunity where every student can be successful. We thank Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and their colleagues for their continued support of New York’s MBK Program and for opening doors to success for all New Yorkers.”
Commissioner Rosa said, “My Brother’s Keeper is emblematic of the Department’s commitment to doing what is right for all students. It is up to each of us to help close and eliminate the opportunity gaps these young adults face, and to guide them to reach their full potential. The remarkable young men who have been named 2023 Fellows are the voices of our future and worthy champions of our cause.”
“As a proud champion of the My Brother’s Keeper initiative here in New York, it is an honor and a privilege to see the largest class of fellows enter the program this year,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. “As the first Black speaker of the Assembly, I know how important it is to foster and develop the next generation of Black leaders and ensure that we always have a seat at the table and to amplify our voices in our communities. I look forward to seeing the incredible work I know these young people will do, as well as the continued success of My Brother’s Keeper across New York as the program continues to grow.”
New York Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “I am a big believer in My Brother's Keeper, this program plays a crucial role in providing opportunities for young men of color to develop their leadership capabilities and support their commitment to uplift their communities. I am especially gratified that the City of Yonkers' program was honored this month by former President Barack Obama as one of four “My Brother's Keeper Model Communities.” I am also proud that in partnership with the Assembly, the Senate Majority under my leadership has secured a total of $90 million in funding since 2019 to support the great work of this initiative and continue to grow its reach to more young men in communities across New York. I am delighted to congratulate the 2023 Fellows of My Brother's Keeper. I have no doubt that this cohort of inspiring young men will have a bright future."
MBK Community Network
To join the NYSMBK Community Network, the school superintendent and local government official must sign a joint letter to the State Education Department indicating their support of, and commitment to, meeting the six MBK National milestones and the six New York State MBK goals. Upon becoming a member of the statewide network, a community gains the support of 鶹's Office of Access, Equity, and Community Engagement Services to help build a community initiative and develop a local MBK action plan.
My Brother’s Keeper Fellows
Each of the 97 Fellows will be matched with a mentor from a NYSMBK Community Network partner and given a fellowship opportunity. Each rising senior will also be required to develop and execute a service project related to a NYSMBK initiative, such as:
- Ensuring equitable access to high-quality schools and programs;
- Expanding prevention, early warning, and intervention services;
- Responding to structural and institutional racism; or
- Engaging families and communities in a trusted and respectful way.
Theapproved MBK Community Networkswere eligible to apply to the Fellows Program and consist of a partnership between the Office of the Mayor and the School District Superintendent (or the Chancellor in New York City). Additionally, each Community Network must secure a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with a local postsecondary education institution, local business, or community-based organization for this program.
Fellows participated in an induction ceremony today during the 2023 MBK Symposium.
The 2023 MBK Fellows are:
MBK Community | Fellow | School |
---|---|---|
Albany |
Patrick Ponza III |
Albany High School |
Albany |
Jakiem Walden |
Albany High School |
Arlington |
Jordan Butler |
Arlington High School |
Arlington |
Sebastian Woods-DeLeon |
Arlington High School |
Brentwood |
Jermaine Gardner |
Brentwood High School |
Brentwood |
Eloy Mendez-Vargas |
Brentwood High School |
Brentwood |
Alexander Renteria |
Brentwood High School |
Brentwood |
Luis Velasquez |
Brentwood High School |
Buffalo |
Edwin Cordero |
McKinley High School |
Buffalo |
Alejandro Ortiz |
Burgard High School |
Buffalo |
Jamari Shaw, Jr. |
Research Laboratory HS for Bioinformatics & Life Sciences |
Buffalo |
Paul Wilson |
Hutchinson Central Technical High School |
Dunkirk |
Octavian Porter |
Dunkirk Senior High School |
Dunkirk |
Jordan Torres |
Dunkirk Senior High School |
East Ramapo |
Luigui Moises Marin, Jr. |
Ramapo High School |
East Ramapo |
Jayvienn Martin |
Spring Valley High School |
Elmont |
Blessing Olawoye |
Elmont Memorial High School |
Elmont |
Quincy Velez |
Elmont Memorial High School |
Greenburgh |
Isaiah Tufouh |
Woodlands Middle/High School |
Greenburgh |
Eric Woodberry |
Woodlands Middle/High School |
Hudson |
Dejuan Bailey |
Hudson High School |
Hudson |
Besham Burgess |
Hudson High School |
Ithaca |
Allen Simms |
Ithaca High School |
Ithaca |
Nicholas Talbot |
Ithaca High School |
Kingston |
Aiden Charlot |
Kingston High School |
Kingston |
Kenyon Greaves |
Kingston High School |
LaFayette |
Bruce Benedict |
LaFayette Middle High School |
LaFayette |
John-Lou Moreno |
LaFayette Middle High School |
Lyons |
Devyn Williams |
Lyons Middle/High School |
Lyons |
Darius Wood-Asberry |
Lyons Middle/High School |
Middletown |
Jairus Cody |
Middletown High School |
Middletown |
Michael Culver |
Middletown High School |
Monticello |
Judah Brown |
Monticello High School |
Monticello |
Xavean Mitchell |
Monticello High School |
Mount Pleasant |
Aden Delvalle |
Mount Pleasant Cottage School |
Mount Pleasant |
Messiah Serrano |
Edenwald School |
Mt. Vernon |
Levonn Latham |
Mount Vernon STEAM Academy |
Mt. Vernon |
Kevon Palmer |
Mount Vernon STEAM Academy |
New Rochelle |
Luis Ayala |
New Rochelle High School |
New Rochelle |
Shawndel Gilchrist |
New Rochelle High School |
New Rochelle |
Biery Guevara |
New Rochelle High School |
New Rochelle |
Justin Lloyd |
New Rochelle High School |
Newburgh |
Dyonne Cameron |
Newburgh Free Academy West Campus |
Newburgh |
Hanif Inman |
Newburgh Free Academy West Campus |
Newburgh |
Matthew Patterson |
Newburgh Free Academy North Campus |
Newburgh |
Jamari Robertson |
Newburgh Free Academy Main Campus |
NYC Bronx |
Giandel Hernandez |
Fordham High School for the Arts |
NYC Bronx |
Meki Qualls |
Bronx Studio for Writers and Artists |
NYC Bronx |
Eric Silverio, Jr. |
Bronx Studio for Writers and Artists |
NYC Bronx |
Amadou Tall |
Eagle Academy for Young Men |
NYC Brooklyn |
James Baker |
Medgar Evers College Preparatory School |
NYC Brooklyn |
Elijah Chapman |
Brooklyn Community Arts & Media High School |
NYC Brooklyn |
Caleb Fernandez |
Brooklyn Community Arts & Media High School |
NYC Brooklyn |
Seth Shaheed-Myrthil |
Midwood High School |
NYC Manhattan |
Moussa Konde |
The High School for Mathematics, Science & Engineering at City College |
NYC Manhattan |
Adrian Neequaye |
The Frederick Douglass Academy |
NYC Manhattan |
Joshua Nicolas |
Eagle Academy for Young Men of Harlem |
NYC Manhattan |
Eliezer Talavara |
Esperanza Preparatory Academy |
NYC Queens |
Aaron Olton |
Scholars Academy |
NYC Queens |
Jemal Thornhill |
High School for Law Enforcement and Public Safety |
NYC Queens |
Mamadou Traore |
Channel View School for Research |
NYC Queens |
Devonte Walker |
Richmond Hill High School |
NYC Staten Island |
Shawn Dhurup |
Eagle Academy for Young Men of Staten Island |
NYC Staten Island |
Nana Hermans |
College of Staten Island High School for International Studies |
NYC Staten Island |
Gio Lopez |
Eagle Academy for Young Men of Staten Island |
NYC Staten Island |
Mubaraqs Olayokun |
Ralph R. McKee Career and Technical Education High School |
Ossining |
Jayden Correa |
Ossining High School |
Ossining |
Gavin Thomas-Walters |
Ossining High School |
Peekskill |
Ruben A. Gray |
Peekskill High School |
Peekskill |
Dylan Diaz Santos |
Peekskill High School |
Poughkeepsie |
Abass Ana-aata |
Poughkeepsie High School |
Poughkeepsie |
Peter Sealy |
Poughkeepsie High School |
Rochester |
Cameron McClaney |
Wilson Magnet High School |
Rochester |
El-Amin Ortiz-Price |
Early College International High School |
Rochester |
James Preston |
Wilson Magnet High School |
Rochester |
Michael Stroughter, Jr. |
Early College International High School |
Roosevelt |
Angel Eduardo Chevalier |
Roosevelt High School |
Roosevelt |
Justin Deron McDonald |
Roosevelt High School |
Schenectady |
Samer Abudalla |
Schenectady High School |
Schenectady |
Khasier Morton |
Schenectady High School |
Sewanhaka |
Lovell Cannon IV |
Sewanhaka High School |
Sewanhaka |
Raymar Duncan |
Sewanhaka High School |
Sodus |
Angel Padilla-Sequeira |
Sodus High School |
Sodus |
Marquez Wigent |
Sodus High School |
Syracuse |
Daniel Alabi |
Henninger High School |
Syracuse |
Michael Johnson |
Public Service Leadership Academy at Fowler |
Syracuse |
Kenneth Lanterman |
Henninger High School |
Syracuse |
Azariah Yemma, Jr. |
Public Service Leadership Academy at Fowler |
Uniondale |
Jayden Prophete |
Uniondale High School |
Uniondale |
David Reid, Jr. |
Uniondale High School |
White Plains |
Endry Guichardo Sanchez |
White Plains High School |
White Plains |
Brandon Patoir |
White Plains High School |
Yonkers |
Justin Lauture |
Roosevelt High School Early College Studies |
Yonkers |
Jason Martinez |
Saunders Trades & Technical High School |
Yonkers |
Juan Morales |
Saunders Trades & Technical High School |
Yonkers |
Cameron Williams |
Yonkers Middle High School |
Manhattan |
*Samuel MacKay MBK Fellows Operations Assistant Intern |
Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology |
In 2014, former President Barack Obama established the My Brother’s Keeper Task Force at the federal level. The Task Force was an interagency effort focused on closing and eliminating the opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color so that all young people have the chance to reach their full potential. With the adoption of the 2016–17 New York State budget, New York became the first state to accept the President’s challenge and enacted the My Brother’s Keeper initiative into law. The budget included a $20 million investment supporting the initiative to improve outcomes for boys and young men of color.
Visit the Department’sMy Brother’s Keeperwebsite for details on this movement and information on how to, “Changing the Narrative.”
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