Make an IMPACT This Father’s Day
June 21st is Father’s Day in the United States. It’s a day devoted to the fatherly figure of your life who has lovingly devoted himself to raising you to be the admirable, remarkable human you are today. At Impact Everything, we have partnered with Giving the Beyond the Box to create the perfect box of impactful goodies to gift to your dad. We decided to take things a step further, however.
It would be insensitive for us to disregard the ongoing outcries of police brutality and protests in support of the Black Lives Matter Movement. Because of the devastation of systematic racism in this country, hundreds of Black communities have lost beloved friends, siblings, cousins, mothers, wives and yes, husbands and fathers. It only makes sense that in support of our Black community, we further demonstrate affirmative action.
A portion of the proceeds made from the purchase of the limited time Father’s Day boxes will be donated to My Brother’s Keeper. At Impact Everything, we support a number of various causes, including the equal access to education for all.
Given the current political state of the United States, it is clear we have normalized discriminatory behavior of countless minority groups in this country, more specifically, members of the Black community. Predominantly black communities can be negatively connoted. They can be overly policed, with investments prioritized for the police force rather than education and policy reform to help children prevail above any presumed capacity.
My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) is an organization established by the Obama administration. The mission is to foster success in communities across the country by addressing persistent opportunity gaps for young men of color.
Statistics have suggested that lower-income communities stricken by poverty, drugs and violence, often consist of a greater minority population. It can be difficult for young people of color to pursue their ultimate, preeminent goals when the system has been rigged against them for decades. It can be discouraging when no one flagrantly supports the triumphs or encourages big dreams. A harsher reality hits when no one advocates for diversity and representation in the workforce.
Founded February 27, 2014, the organization was created to positively reinforce the tools needed for young men to dedicate themselves and redirect their focus to the greater picture. Former president Barack Obama recognized the importance of establishing the groundwork, which should consist of access to basic health, nutrition, and to high-quality early education, but stressed that the work must continue until the time the student graduates. The real impact happens behind the scenes. He identified the need for a harmonious relationship between community figure heads and the police to collectively reduce violence in neighborhoods across the country to encourage a safer environment for all (“FACT SHEET”).
The organization focuses on six milestones (“Our Work”):
- Reading at Grade Level by Third Grade
All children should be reading at grade level by age 8, the age at which reading to learn becomes essential. - Graduating from High School Ready for College and Career
All youth should receive a quality high school education and graduate with the skills and tools needed to advance to postsecondary education or training. - Completing Postsecondary Education or Training
Every American should have the option to attend postsecondary education and receive the education and training needed for the quality jobs of today. - Successfully Entering the Workforce
Anyone who wants a job should be able to find a job that allows them to support themselves and their families financially. - Keeping Kids on Track and Giving Them Second Chances
The youth of America should feel safe from violence, and those susceptible to the adversary of their community should receive the education, training, and treatment they need for a second chance.
Registered communities of MBK are granted endless resources to national and regional assemblies, funding opportunities, and specialized courses and webinars to strengthen individual MBK branches, and improve the outcomes for the boys and young men enrolled. Soon after the development of the organization, the My Brother’s Keeper Task Force was founded to facilitate conversations within the public and private sector of policy and legislation to ensure federal programs and regulations acknowledge and support the community of young black of men MBK serves.
Express gratitude to the selfless, doting, loyal, humorous, protective, supportive and present father-figures in your life. Consider gifting one of our Father’s Day Boxes. In doing so, recognizing the impact the contents of the box and the overall purchase will make to better our communities.
Sources
“FACT SHEET: Opportunity for All: President Obama Launches My Brother’s Keeper Initiative to Build Ladders of Opportunity For Boys and Young Men of Color.” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, 27 Feb. 2014, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/02/27/fact-sheet-opportunity-all-president-obama-launches-my-brother-s-keeper-
“Our Work.” Obama Foundation, MBK Alliance, www.obama.org/mbka/our-work/.
