|| The California Endowment

MEE received a planning grant from The California Endowment that allowed us to develop the framework for a brand-driven, private-sector approach to help boys and young men of color (BMOC) succeed by developing their “opportunity-finding” skills and giving them ongoing, daily access to resources, information and networks that can be the tools for “winning” in life. The planned digital platform would help young men of color make better “real-time” decisions, by connecting them to a diverse range of community (offline) touch-points and services mobilized to support them. The planning phase explored whether the concept was viable and could generate interest among its target audience. The grant also focused on developing a sustainability strategy to allow the platform to grow and expand even beyond The Endowment’s initial funding.

After a successful planning phase, MEE began conducting audience research with potential consumers of the forthcoming digital platform: Latino and African-American boys and men of color in urban communities across the country. Four groups were conducted in California, while five other groups were conducted in Detroit, MI; Atlanta, GA; New Orleans, LA; Baltimore, MD; and New York, NY.  The final research report and videos are available on www.HeardNotJudged.com.