Our Vision
We envision a nation where Black men and boys are empowered to thrive—free from systemic barriers, affirmed in their humanity, and supported in their full potential. In an age where progress is threatened and justice delayed, we are reclaiming our collective future with urgency, determination, and hope. Our vision is rooted in equity, guided by truth, and driven by the unwavering belief that the dreams of Black men and boys will not be deferred—they will be realized.
Our Pillars
EDUCATION
Meaningful progress requires more than marginal reform — it calls for a systemic overhaul. Policies and practices that dehumanize Black boys must be replaced with those that affirm their dignity, cultural identity, and right to succeed. Until then, the promise of education will remain unfulfilled for too many.
HEALTH
Black boys and young men in the United States face significant health challenges stemming from systemic inequities, environmental conditions, and limited access to quality healthcare. Over the past 15 years, the health sector has increasingly embraced concepts such as social determinants of health and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as frameworks for understanding health outcomes.
EMPLOYMENT & WEALTH
Employment and wealth are core to Black men’s well-being and sense of belonging. Structural racism has profoundly shaped disparities in both areas, denying Black men equitable access to economic mobility and security. From slavery, Black Codes, and convict leasing to Jim Crow labor restrictions, Black men have been exploited for their labor while their wealth-building opportunities were systematically stripped away.
JUSTICE, RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, & OPPORTUNITIES
Perhaps no other system better exemplifies the dehumanization of Black boys and young men than the criminal-legal system. Since the publication of the original We Dream A World 2025 (WDAW) report, robust scholarship has entered the national conversation detailing how, from enslavement to sharecropping to incarceration, the very roots of modern-day law enforcement and the criminal legal system, particularly in the South, have functioned to extract labor and suppress autonomy in service of maintaining racial hierarchies and protecting wealth accumulation for white elites.
This is not just a framework. It’s a roadmap to the future we deserve
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