MEE’s Boys and Men Of Color Website

Heard Not Judged

MEE’s latest national research project shows that the creative use of mobile digital technology could be an effective tool to help boys and young men of color (BMOC) overcome adversity and achieve their goals. In this new report and video series, Heard, Not Judged: Insights Into the Talents, Realities and Needs of Young Men of Color, MEE adds the voices of 18 to 24 year-old men of African and Hispanic descent, from nine U.S. cities, to a dialogue about their place in the “American Dream.” This project explored whether a brand-driven, private-sector approach, using technology the millennial generation already embraces, could help erase disparities and reduce inequities that have put many boys and young men of color at a competitive disadvantage. These young men open up about their lives—the everyday challenges they face, who matters to them (and who doesn’t) and who they can trust, their inherent skills and talents, along with the need for access to jobs, education, mentoring and holistic wellness. The research was co-funded by The California Endowment and the Open Society Foundations.