What Happens to a Dream Concurred? The Division of Diversity and Community Engagement's Focus on Men of Color

• In Event: 42.045 - As Goes Texas: Knowledge to Action Toward Educational Equity in the Lone Star State

Abstract

The University of Texas at Austin established the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE) in 2006 (Division of Diversity and Community Engagement [DDCE], 2016a). Since then, DDCE has expanded community engagement efforts in communities where the university has been absent or perceived as hostile (Goldstone, 2006). Aside from addressing issues related to campus climate (Rosen, 2015; Titus, 2010), DDCE has advanced work on critical issues pertaining to communities of color – impacting educational equity on the local, regional, and national level. In this presentation, I will discuss two community engagement initiatives based in DDCE in which I play a role, using a community cultural wealth framework (Yosso, 2005) to describe how these efforts bring together the university and local/state community to advance educational equity for historically underrepresented populations in Texas.

AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE RESEARCH INITIATIVE
One of the most significant steps that DDCE has engaged upon is the faculty-led African American Male Research Initiative (AAMRI) (DDCE, 2016b):

AAMRI includes a research focus, too, that informs public policy experts, practitioners, and concerned citizens on how best to create and maintain a culture of Black male excellence in K-16 settings. This research guides our hands-on practical approach to help AAMRI achieve its major goals: to increase the four-year graduation rate for African American males at the University of Texas and to increase the number of Black males attending four-year colleges and universities across the state of Texas. (DDCE, 2016b)

AAMRI’s focus on improving campus climate for Black male students is manifested in activities directly impacting students, including academic coaching and advising, weekly empowerment meetings, and study abroad (Lu, Reddick, Dean, & Pecero, 2016). Regarding research and teaching partnerships, AAMRI is connected to Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, 100 Black Men, and the African American Youth Harvest Foundation, among other organizations (DDCE, 2016b). In the presentation, I will discuss how these efforts enhance the self-worth of Black male students and serve as a vehicle to enhance the educational experience for this population at the university and beyond.

MY BROTHER'S KEEPER: FOCUSING ON AUSTIN, NATIONAL IMPACT
President Obama’s focus on men of color is manifested in the My Brother’s Keeper Initiative (The White House, 2016). DDCE has taken a leadership role by leading the City of Austin’s efforts in the Community Challenge, focusing on early education, middle and high school initiatives, healthcare, postsecondary education, and violence reduction/second chance programming (Longhorn Campaign for Men of Color, 2016).

Through partnerships, DDCE is positioned to greatly impact the life and educational opportunities for young men of color in the Austin and central Texas region. My presentation will examine how these manifest efforts have brought institutions and community members into collaborative spaces for the first time, leveraging cultural knowledge, skills, abilities and contacts to advance men of color in the city and county (Yosso, 2005). With contributions from the participants in our symposium, I intend to focus on the successes at this early stage, as well as the enduring challenges of collaboration with community partners.

Author

• Richard J. Reddick, The University of Texas - Austin