26 Sacramento youth graduate from My Brother's Keeper 12-week program
SACRAMENTO — A celebration was held to honor some Sacramento youth participating in a national effort to improve the community through mentorship.
Ray Green helps lead the Sacramento chapter of My Brother's Keeper, an organization that provides mentorship and teaches civic engagement to kids between 16 and 24 years old.
This year, more than two dozen are graduating from the 12-week fellowship.
"They learn about challenges and issues in the community and come together to bring about change," Green said.
My Brother's Keeper was founded during former President Barack Obama's administration as an effort to provide opportunities to young men of color.
"I've learned networking. I've learned social skills," said Mathias, a participant in the program.
This year is the first time young women have been invited to participate.
"They taught us about how to better our mindset and not to always put ourselves down and that if you speak positive, positive will happen," said Azariyah Mae, another participant.
The program also prepares kids for future jobs in green technology like solar power and electric cars.
"To make sure that the green economy is not leaving black and brown young people like we did with the dot com era," Green said.
Opportunities like this are also credited with putting kids on the right path, keeping them out of trouble and preventing youth violence.
"It allows for community safety when you bring young people from all over the community together for one common mission and that's to improve life outcomes," Green said.
Now that they've graduated, the young men and women will help build the first electric vehicle charging station in south Sacramento, which will be located at the Simmons Community Center.