U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will host a roundtable discussion on President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative Friday in Philadelphia, listening to a dozen young men of color share their experiences and highlight the importance of strong leadership and a solid education.
Among those on hand for the 10:15 a.m. event at the Community College of Philadelphia will be Mayor Michael Nutter, U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., David Johns, executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans, and college President Donald Generals. A press availability will follow.
The dozen young men range in age from high school students to non-traditional college students, including the student body president at the Community College of Philadelphia, who at 30 years of age is a veteran with a disability.
Secretary Duncan will share the latest information about the president’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative, which was launched in February and recently released Opportunity for All: My Brother’s Keeper Blueprint for Action. The report outlines a set of initial recommendations and a blueprint for action to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color and help all young people succeed and reach their potential.
Earlier this year, President Obama named Philadelphia as one of the first five “Promise Zones,” where local communities and businesses will work together to create jobs, increase economic security, expand educational opportunities and improve public safety.
Following the roundtable, Secretary Duncan will address the National Network of State Teachers of the Year National Conference in Philadelphia. There, he will discuss the new Teach to Lead initiative and engage in a conversation with teachers about key issues in education, such as reducing opportunity gaps, strengthening teacher preparation and ensuring that the most effective teachers reach the neediest students.