Independent researchers want to understand the roadblocks young men of color face that may impede their success in life. They are looking into the underlying causes: disparities in education, economic opportunities, and health and safety concerns in various California communities.
A report by the Central California Children’s Institute (CCCI), distributed by California State University Fresno, presents new research findings regarding the “well-being of boys and men of color ages 6-25 years” in Fresno County, CA.
The goal of this effort is to create new guidelines and practices to allow more opportunities that are evenhanded for boys and men of color.
The Fresno Boys and Men of Color (BMOC) Community Academic Task Force, developed a three part report; Part 1—summarizing data research, Part 2—presents recommendations, Part 3—shows those who are disproportionately affected in; (a) Community Development and Economic Opportunity, (b) Health and Safety, and (c) Education.
The Task Force began June 2010 with the goal of developing recommendations particularly for Latino and Southeast Asian boys and men. From the outset, it was the intention of the Task Force to weave into its work the recent research and policy advocacy efforts conducted on behalf of African American boys and men by the Fresno West Coalition for Economic Development.
In 2009, the California Endowment (TCE) commissioned a study by the RAND Corporation examining the circumstances of boys and men of color in California. The study, Reparable Harm: Assessing and Addressing Disparities Forced by Boys and Men of Color in California (Davis, Kilburn, and Schultz) inspired additional research in Oakland, Los Angeles, and Fresno.
The California Endowment had selected Fresno County as a research site “because it is different from urban areas in northern and southern California.”
Representing the heart of the Central Valley, Fresno has a large number of immigrant families working in agriculture and its population is divided “approximately equally across urban and rural communities.”
In Fresno County, study findings pointed to notable outcome disparities for boys and men of color within each community.
An overview of the RAND research data looked at deficiencies of; household income, single-parent households, education (less than high school), ages 6 to 24 below poverty level, ages 16 to 24 unemployment rate, and ages 25+ unemployment rate.
Health issues included; asthma, obesity, and lack of health insurance, teen births, health insurance, fitness standards, risk for depression, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV & AIDS, and childhood obesity. Safety issues were; community violence, juvenile arrest and custody rates, firearm-related deaths, and homicide rates.
The RAND study investigated education opportunities that covered preschool attendance—nursery school, Head Start—English/language arts proficiency, mathematics, school suspension rates, high-school/drop out rate, and 12th grade course completion of California State University Eligibility.
According to the CCCI’s 2011 report, The Fresno Boys and Men of Color Date Chart book, “A Comparative Analysis of Disparities Facing Boys and Men of Color in Fresno County” contains supportive information buttressing the CCCI’s mission.
The Rand Corporation worked in collaboration with academic and community representatives and leaders collecting data.
With this collective data, TCE determined that if California communities are to be healthy, the disparity in outcomes among boys and men of color must be directly addressed.
