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To the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance Family,  As we continue to navigate our third year of a pandemic, we’ve been reflecting on how we can best ensure our communities have the emotional support they need. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and while we know how important it is to raise awareness and destigmatize mental health year round, we also know that summer brings its own set of challenges.    The MBK Community has been gathering to focus on our collective healing, how we can remain steadfast in our commitment to reforming unjust systems, and provide opportunities for change in our communities—while encouraging each other to make space for mutual and self-care.  Whether you’re looking to get involved with our work or simply interested in accessing mental health resources, check out our list of resources. May is also Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage month.  During this time, we’d like to highlight the work of the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association who joined at our last town hall to share more about their work. Visit their website to find out more about how they support the AANHPI community. In hope and faith,  Adren Adren Wilson Executive Director of My Brother’s Keeper Alliance   The MBK Alliance Gathers for a Town Hall Series Focused on Our Collective Healing  The MBK Alliance recently hosted a pair of town halls focused on destigmatizing conversations on our mental health and well-being. This forum allowed us to speak openly with each other around the barriers to accessing help, and the  challenges that many of our boys and young men feel around seeking it out.  Our first session was held in partnership with OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network and Discovery+, and attendees watched clips from their four-part docuseries, “Profiled: The Black Man.” A number of speakers joined us to share their own experiences, you can hear from them on our blog: Six Reflections on Black Mental Health and Self-Care. We followed that conversation with a second town hall featuring Dr. Eric Thomas and a number of speakers representing different communities of color, who discussed how important strong mentors are to younger generations. Through both of these conversations, one thing became immensely clear: mental health affects us all, and it’s up to all of us to remind each other that support is here. Our speakers shared a number of resources, which you can view here.     Remembering George Floyd  May 25 marks two years since George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Like many before him—and many since—the footage documenting the brutality unleashed upon him has been cast around the world, igniting pain and anger throughout our communities. As we remember his life and celebrate his legacy, we urge everyone in our network to get involved in the fight for justice, but most importantly to make time and space to process all that you feel.  To learn more on how to take action for yourself and those around you, visit our list of resources.     MBK Chicago Attends the NCAA Final Four  In April, representatives from MBK Chicago were invited to New Orleans to work with Turner Sports on the production of the NCAA Final Four and learn about the career opportunities within the sports, entertainment, and media industries. Through this Milestone Five effort,  MBK youth had the chance to network with individuals from Turner Sports who shared advice with our young men looking to make an impact in sports, while exploring everything that goes into putting together a large-scale sporting event like the NCAA Final Four. Big shoutout to Turner Sports for hosting MBK Chicago and giving these young men an opportunity of a lifetime! Towards A New Era of Policing with John Jay College of Criminal Justice  The MBK Alliance and John Jay College of Criminal Justice are proud to announce a strategic collaboration to further the Reimagine Policing Pledge. John Jay College will lead the next phase of The Reimagine Policing Pledge, which focuses on educating and incentivizing investments in community-driven public safety strategies.  John Jay College is in a unique position to advance the Reimagine Policing Pledge and develop solutions related to justice and public safety. As a majority-minority institution, they reflect the diversity of voices of communities that need to be heard. They educate the future leaders for justice, safety, and peace—whether they go on to run advocacy campaigns, wear a uniform, serve their communities, conduct research to evaluate policy or uncover bias, or all of these. This partnership will help local governments respond to the heightened demand from communities for investments that are responsive to their particularized needs. Please stay tuned for updates and more information.  Read John Jay’s Report on the Future of Public Safety here.    Summertime Youth Development and Violence Prevention  For many communities across the country, summer represents the freedom to be outdoors, reconnect with loved ones, and enjoy the activities a city has to offer. At the same time, however, data has illustrated that violence, particularly gun violence, rises during summer months.  Every summer, our partners enhance their programming to ensure that our boys and young men have the opportunity to participate in activities and have access to safe spaces. Whether that’s opening community centers for longer hours during the week, or holding more sessions for young people to engage in personal development, we’re supporting efforts to keep communities as safe as possible during summer months. MBK Alliance Curated Funding Opportunities Visit our page for MBK Community leaders, or anyone seeking funding for their work. The funding opportunities you’ll see listed are from a diverse array of funders from across sectors, as well as tools, grant maker profiles and tips that can help enhance your work.   We Are Hiring! Learn more about the MBK Alliances’s open roles and apply today to join our team. Our partners at John Jay College are hiring for a Director of Future of Public Safety Programs and Partnerships. Learn more about this open position here.     “Before we can be there for the young men that need us, we need to pause, and check in with ourselves. It’s okay to not be okay. ”     —President Barack Obama If You Want to Stand for Something, Stand for Someone Sign up to become a mentor.