“The strain on school budgets due to the economic challenges of the pandemic response has also negatively impacted arts education, including cuts to arts programs.(7) These impacts have disproportionately affected Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities, and proximity to this tragedy has dire effects on the mental health of children and youth”
(Kisida, 2021, 2).
“Black men and boys face disproportionate hardships that result in disparities in areas including: education, criminal justice, health, employment, fatherhood, mentorship, and violence. These hardships have negative consequences for national productivity, especially for Black families and communities.” (H.R. 1636, 116 Congress Session)
“Latinos experienced the second-highest rate of police violence-driven fatalities, after Blacks growing 45% in the last decade. Latino men between the ages of 20 to 39 and those living in Western U.S. states have seen the greatest spikes in deaths caused by police” (Axios.com).
Why all Black & Brown Men and Boys ?
"all Boys . all Men." is our declaration, born from the powerful legacy of the "I Am A Man" movement during the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers' Strike. It stands as our belief that every Black and Brown boy and man is deserving of dignity, respect, and emotional connection. Just as the Black men in Memphis boldly affirmed their humanity, we continue that legacy by proclaiming that all Black and Brown boys and men are men, with the right to feel, heal, and thrive!
When we say "all," we purposefully create space for every male-identified individual to find their voice and be seen.
Why all?
What does the data say about Black & Brown boys and men?
Black students have experienced a 49% reduction in arts education, and Hispanic students saw a 40% reduction compared to "virtually no decline" among white students (WordinBlack.com)
Access to Art Education
One out of every three Black boys born today can expect to be sentenced to prison, compared 1 out 6 Latino boys; one out of 17 white boys (NAACP Criminal Fact Sheet).
Classroom to Prison Pipline
Black boys are twice as likely to die by suicide than White youth. In 2014, 80% of suicide deaths in the Black community were men. While, the death rate from suicide for Hispanic men was four times the rate for Hispanic women, in 2018.
Suicide Rates
Impacts of Art
"Art has been proven to produce academic benefits such as increased vocabulary, plus math and reading growth, as well as behavioral benefits such as social-emotional learning" (Meyer in Arts Educ Policy Rev 106(3):35–40, 2005).
Improve Academics
"Art education provide students with opportunities to express themselves, interact in novel ways, and work collectively, practicing and developing interpersonal skills such as collaboration, communication, and conflict resolution" (Barrett & Bond, 2014).
Improve Interpersonal
"Arts engagement can serve as a potent antidote to chronic stress and depression. By facilitating face-to-face social interactions, the arts create a platform for emotional expression and psychological relief. This, in turn, can lead to lower levels of stress hormones, contributing to better mental health and potentially extending lifespan" (Fancourt, D., & Steptoe, A., 2019).