Ideas for Action In a Time of Worry

Michael Brown

There are a lot of reasons to worry about young people right now. The young people traveling the continent– will they be sent back to face the violence once again? The young people in Ferguson – are they safe from their own police? It’s not always easy to know what to do, but we know we have to do something. Here is just a quick peek at some ideas for action.

Unaccompanied Minors

In the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Diana Campoamor, president of Hispanics in Philanthropy, calls for the following to address the needs of unaccompanied minors:

• Advocate for the humane treatment of refugees everywhere.
• Insist on fair treatment for every unaccompanied minor.
• Urge the government to fix the immigration system.
• Fund services to support local nonprofits that provide legal and human services to unaccompanied minors. 

Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees has compiled a great list of resources about children migrating to the U.S.

The Well-Being of African-American Boys and Men

The events in Ferguson are agitating many of us to step up our work on behalf of African-American boys and young men. My Brother’s Keeper is already in play with philanthropy and business, mobilizing resources to better support young men of color. Thirteen civil rights organizations have sent a letter to Attorney General Holder with recommendations, including:

• An independent and comprehensive federal investigation by the Department of Justice of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown; 
• A comprehensive federal review and reporting of all police killings, accompanied by immediate action to address the unjustified use of lethal and excessive force by police officers in jurisdictions throughout this country against unarmed people of color;
• A comprehensive federal review and reporting of excessive use of force generally against youth and people of color and the development of national use of force standards;
• A comprehensive federal review and reporting of racially disproportionate policing, examining rates of stops, frisks, searches, and arrests by race, including a federal review of police departments’ data collection practices and capabilities

Our agenda needs to include making these things happen through a combination of advocacy and well-placed investments.

_______

Other ideas? Please let us know what you are doing to address the well-being of young people as they show courage in making a difference in their lives.