Visible Men Inc.
Neil Phillips

Program Area: Education
Location of Impact: National

Bold Idea: Elevate black boys and men to new heights of achievement by telling the untold stories of black male success in America.

Why I Am Passionate About This: In 2008-2009, 47 percent of black boys graduated from high school. This low rate foretells eventual crises like unemployment, incarceration, recidivism, and mortality. As a black man who has found success and fulfillment as an educator, I feel compelled to the search for solutions. I’ve worked with black youth as a coach, teacher, mentor, and school administrator, and have been exposed to many black male role models. Vast numbers of accomplished black men already exist—we know this truth, but need to broadcast success in a systematic and compelling way. Visible Men recruits a corps of accomplished black role models or “Visible Men,” identifies their insights to success, and shares the stories with black boys through a curriculum in schools and community agencies. We also empower black boys to identify role models in their own communities as part of a cycle of service and achievement.

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These profiles are derived from Fellowship applications.