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A Message from the President on COVID-19, racial justice, and equity media

A Message from the President on COVID-19, racial justice, and equity

President Caldwell talks about MBSK Colorado's response to COVID-19, racial justice, and equity.
July 3rd, 2020

Greetings Colorado’s communities of color and organizations that serve them,

My name is Christian Caldwell, and I am the president of My Brothers and Sister's Keeper, Colorado (MBSK Colorado). At MBSK Colorado, our mission is to disrupt and dismantle the cumulative adverse childhood and young adulthood experiences that have had intergenerational effects on our African Americans and Hispanics in Colorado. Our vision is to become the nation’s leader in creating opportunities and access for black and brown youth to become innovative and effective change-makers. Our mission is accomplished through dynamic partnerships and collaborations with city, county, and state-level partners, including businesses, government agencies, elected officials, religious, and community organizations.

Over the last few months, we have seen many changes in our community with the spread of COVID – 19; and the virus has a significant impact on our communities. To the racial injustices regarding the heartfelt deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor locally Elijah McQueen, and countless others. Even though we are facing hard times and unique challenges, we believe every problem creates an opportunity.  At MBSK Colorado, we are working hard to do our part to help serve our youth and communities. Our current initiatives include Colorado Alliance – Which will serve as a state leader and collaborator for our youth of color and the various agencies, community organizations, educational systems, business leaders across the state.  Our goal is to help bridge the gap in Colorado's sea of resources to build a more complete and aligned approach when dealing with the vicious cycle of disadvantage that is now an integrational curse among our communities of color.

We have also adopted the following strategic areas (Achievement, Career and Post-Secondary, Health and Wellness, Community Criminal, Family, and Social Justice and Economic Empowerment) as they fit Colorado's unique need in addressing the Colorado Paradox and Losing Ground report.  By aligning Obama's MBK Community challenge goals with major initiatives /agenda items in Colorado's Black and brown community based on the Gaining Ground Report's recommendations. I am excited to announce in response to COVID -19, MBSK Colorado is partnering with Microsoft to launch our Rethinking Technology Initiative. With this partnership, MBSK Colorado will offer two innovative projects to the communities that we serve. These includes:

  1. Project Connect- An online community platform to exchange critical information, Training Courses for parents, students, mentors, and other partners, as well as hosting community web discussions and conferences around issues that face Colorado’s communities of color.

  2. Project Engage - A purpose-built constituent engagement platform, including:

    1. A case management and online meeting solution for mentoring and counseling organizations.

    2. A nonprofit operation solution for tracking events, donors, and mass communications.

    3. A Human and Volunteer Management solution allowing effective management of employee/volunteer information, volunteer and staff hours, recruiting and talent tracking, and payroll.

Over the next few weeks, I will be inviting many of you to join me in a virtual information-sharing meeting/working session with Metro Denver and Colorado Springs stakeholders, families, and youth around building a border MBSK Alliance across the state of Colorado.  During this session, we hope to break out into working groups to give feedback and input on the Alliance drafts and projects. We are expecting the working groups; we can gain one of the three commitments from constituents and partners on their Time, Talent, or Treasure.

Based on these things, my team and I will go back and start working on building connections with the commitments made. More information regarding the date and time will be coming shortly. We ask that you, please Subscribe for Updates from MBSK Colorado at www.mbskco.org/getinvolved. I want to thank you for the time and for watching to video. I want to leave us off with a quote I learned during this pandemic, and I feel it is key to surviving life's changes right now. In the words of American novelist James Baldwin “There is never a time in the future in which we will work out our salvation. The challenge is in the moment; the time is always now.” Remember, Stay Safe and Stay Healthy, Stay Woke, and I look forward to your engagement with MBSK Colorado now and in the future.

 

Sincerely,

 

Christian A. Caldwell, MS

President and CEO

My Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper Colorado (MBSK Colorado)