My Brother’s Keeper Alliance and MLT: Expanding access to the American Dream

By: John Rice, MLT Founder & CEO

In his State of the Union speech last year, President Obama said, “If you work hard and play by the rules, you should have the opportunity to succeed, and your ability to get ahead should be determined by your hard work, ambition, and goals – not by the circumstances of your birth.”  His belief gave rise to the initiative known as My Brother’s Keeper.

Last week I was delighted to accept an invitation to join the Advisory Council of the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance (MBK Alliance).  The MBK Alliance is a new non-profit organization that brings together leaders from non-profits, private sector companies, and philanthropic organizations to increase access to the American Dream to all boys and young men of color.

I am honored to support a mission that resonates so deeply with me. Twelve years ago, I founded Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) to accelerate the career paths of underrepresented minorities – in particular, Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans – and to close the leadership gap that is prevalent in this country’s private and social sector organizations. I am committed to expanding access to the dream that is at the heart of our American heritage, a dream that historically has eluded boys and men of color.

A key focus of the Alliance’s efforts will be helping individuals successfully prepare for and enter the workforce, a core focus area at MLT since its inception. Our experience has given us a deep understanding of the unique challenges minorities face as well as the interventions that drive game-changing outcomes.

I look forward to sharing the insights we have gained from helping 5,000 minority men and women prepare for jobs and maximize their career trajectory.  We have pioneered a winning formula that gives our “Fellows” a personalized professional playbook, one-on-one coaching, and door-opening relationships to help them reach their potential and transform the diverse talent pipelines at our more than 100 partner organizations.

Congratulations to MLT’s corporate partners who have already signed on to the Alliance including Deloitte, American Express, and PepsiCo. Additionally, I know that our 5,000 rising leaders, half of whom are first generation college graduates, are personally committed to helping those coming up behind them, so being able to connect MLT’ers to the MBK Alliance will have lasting impact.

I look forward to working with the MBK Alliance to improve the life trajectories of this nation’s boys and men of color.  Everyone deserves a chance to succeed. Everyone deserves access to the American Dream.

If you have any ideas or suggestions, I would love to hear them, so please comment below.