Graduation Ceremony Celebrates 150 College Bound Young Black Men From Around The San Francisco Bay Area

Oakland, CA — More than 150 African American young men from throughout the San Francisco Bay Area who are heading to college in the fall were recognized June 19 at a special graduation ceremony. Nearly 300 community members attended the mass graduation ceremony, which also featured spoken word as well as pledges for the graduates and community members. 

College Bound Brotherhood 2.0 – a growing network of organizations, funders, educational institutions and other stakeholders committed to supporting the college completion of young Black men from the Bay Area’s nine-county region – hosted the ceremony at the Oakland Museum of California. 

“A college degree is a staple of success in the 21st century,” said Cedric Brown, managing partner of the Kapor Center for Social Impact. “This graduation ceremony is particularly significant because, through our new partnership with the College Access Foundation of California, we are helping to ensure more African American young men in the Bay Area can gain access to and complete college. We are excited to celebrate the emerging talent of college bound Black men in this unique way. These are the next entrepreneurs, professionals, leaders, and contributors to our communities.” 

The Kapor Center has joined forces with the College Access Foundation of California to establish the College Bound Brotherhood 2.0 (also known as the Brotherhood), which is expanding community partnerships to advance college success for African American young men. The Marcus Foster Education Fund serves as the intermediary responsible for guiding the vision and strategy for the Brotherhood. 

“We are committed to working with the Kapor Center and other Bay Area partners to grow the scale and impact of the College Bound Brotherhood,” said Julia I. Lopez, president and CEO of the College Access Foundation of California. “Improving college achievement for all is critical to preserving California’s economic future. We must work in partnership and more strategically to ensure that low-income and traditionally underrepresented students, including young African American men, have the knowledge, resources, and opportunity to make that achievement possible.” Together, the two foundations are investing more than $1 million in grants and other resources to support the Brotherhood’s efforts to reach 500 African American young men in 2013, connecting them to resources that will ensure access to college and degree completion. 

As part of this work, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on August 8, the College Bound Brotherhood is hosting The Bro’s Seminar for College Success at the Forum at Laney College in Oakland. African American young men starting college in the 2013-2014 school year can learn vital skills and tools to transition smoothly to college, meet and collaborate with other college bound peers, and much more. For more information and to RSVP: http://brosseminar4collegesuccess.eventbrite.com. 

College bound young Black men from around the country can continue to be recognized online by posting pictures in their caps and gowns to the Brotherhood’s Tumblr blog, along with a brief caption about the college or university they are attending. Young men are encouraged to visit http://collegeboundbro.tumblr.com to share their success. 

College Bound Brotherhood first was established in 2008 by the Kapor Center (formerly the Mitchell Kapor Foundation). 

About the College Bound Brotherhood 2.0:

The College Bound Brotherhood 2.0 is a network supported by the Kapor Center for Social Impact, the College Access Foundation of California, and the Marcus Foster Education Fund. Through investments and partnerships, the Brotherhood seeks to increase college readiness, enrollment, persistence, and completion rates for Bay Area African American males. For more information or to get involved, visit www.CollegeBoundBros.org; on Twitter, @collegeboundbro; or contact the Marcus Foster Education Fund at (510) 777-1600 or www.MarcusFoster.org. •

About the Kapor Center for Social Impact:The Kapor Center for Social Impact relentlessly pursues creative strategies that will leverage technology for positive social impact. The Kapor Center primarily works with underrepresented communities, focusing on closing academic, political, health, and economic gaps. For more information, www.KaporCenter.org, or on Twitter, @kaporcenter. 

About the College Access Foundation of California:College Access Foundation of California helps California students with financial need attend and complete college. The foundation makes grants to community organizations and programs that offer college scholarships, financial aid advising, and specialized support services to low-income students across California. For more information, www.CollegeAccessFoundation.org, or on Twitter, @collegeaccessca.