Creating Employment Opportunities for Boys and Men of Color

Bay Area Council Workforce of the Future Co-Chair Glenn Shannon of Shorenstein Properties on Thursday (June 9) kicked off a fantastic employer convening at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco to discuss opportunities to tap into the boys and men of color (BMOC) talent pool. With 5.5 million opportunity youth (OY) – Americans ages 16 to 24 who are out of school and unemployed — it costs the nation $93 billion each year and $1.6 trillion over their lifetimes in lost productivity and increased social services.

As a specific component of the our broader Workforce of the Future initiative, the Council is partnering with LeadersUp, My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, PolicyLink, and Urban Strategies Council to launch a regional employment strategy focused on BMOC and opportunity youth. A group of over 50 employers at the meeting Thursday heard from My Brother’s Keeper Alliance CEO Blair Taylor, learned about a June 21 hiring event and were asked to become involved in a larger two-year program to train, hire, and retain young men of color to fill critical employment needs.

With the goal of placing hundreds of BMOC in career pathways to success, we will take a huge step toward ensuring an inclusive economy, while filling key workforce needs with talented young men of color. To get involved, please contact Policy Associate Rachele Trigueros.