Contributed
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) las week hosted students from My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) chapters around Ohio at Great American Ball Park for a unique leadership event with the Cincinnati Reds. Brown and the students were also joined by Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval and Reds and MLB Hall of Fame player Barry Larkin.
“We launched My Brother’s Keeper chapters to give all Ohio students the chance to learn more about career opportunities and connect with mentors,” said Brown. “These kinds of partnerships are what MBK is all about – it’s showing more Black and brown kids that there is a whole network of people who want to help you achieve your dreams.”
Students from MBK chapters in Dayton, Cincinnati, Youngstown, Mansfield, and Columbus joined Brown and Reds representatives to engage with leaders and each other, providing an opportunity to learn about management, career opportunities, and how to grow and develop as leaders in occupations like sports management, health care, and public service.
“The Reds are honored to participate in My Brother’s Keeper programming and harness the power of collaboration in building a brighter future for all youth,” said Victor Livisay, Vice President of People & Culture for the Reds. “We are committed to supporting our community and expanding the doors of opportunity. Our collective engagement helps to provide a clearer pathway for young boys and young men of color to pursue their dreams and improve life outcomes”
My Brother’s Keeper was started by President Obama in 2014 as a national initiative to address opportunity gaps facing boys and young men of color, and to ensure all young people reach their full potential. In 2015, Brown led efforts to launch MBK chapters around the state and helped launch the statewide MBK coalition in 2018.
“Everything MBK stands for aligns with our vision for an equitable, vibrant, opportunity-rich City for all Cincinnatians,” Pureval said. “Thank you to the Cincinnati Reds for supporting this leadership event, one so committed to lifting up our Black and brown children and exposing them to local leaders who will undoubtedly help set the trajectory of their professional lives.”