New storytelling initiative elevates the work of diverse Sacramento leaders

As we are experiencing by way of national protests for racial equity in cities across our country, authentic storytelling is an essential part of our quest for justice. How we learn about and ultimately view others shapes our knowledge and perspective of who they are and how we should engage with them.

Stories influence our ability to demonstrate respect for each other’s history, successes, struggles and humanity. False narratives work in opposition to these values by creating unfounded fear, distrust, and disrespect.

That is why a new storytelling initiative celebrating the leadership, power and voices of boys and men of color, #HeretoLeadCA, is such an inspiration, especially in this moment.

Through the #HeretoLeadCA hashtag, and through HeretoLeadCA.org, we as a state, and as a country, are able to be introduced to people like Michael Lynch, Daniel Mendoza, and Brandon Dawson – to name a few. In this region and around California, these community leaders are fighting to expand the vote to younger residents, advocating for an end to police violence and organizing for education, health and opportunity for all. In big and small ways, they are helping to shape California into a state where everyone belongs — and showing that those who experience injustice are best equipped to create real and lasting change.

Michael Lynch of Improve Your Tomorrow has dedicated his life to helping young people, particularly young people of color, recognize their own worth and potential for leadership.

As a policy advocate for Sierra Club California, Brandon Dawson puts the concerns of communities of color front and center so that the environmental justice movement reflects the communities he comes from.

Once formerly incarcerated, Fathers and Families of San Joaquin’s Daniel Mendoza challenges narratives about youth of color, bringing together stories with data to transform the justice system for young people and adults.

Every day, directly impacted leaders like Michael, Brandon and Daniel are designing and leading powerful solutions to the challenges our communities are facing. In a state where young people of color make up over 70 percent of youth, California’s future prosperity depends on our young men of color. Cultivating access and removing barriers to opportunity for our young people benefits us all – they are our future business, social and civic leaders.

Yet there is no question that our boys and men of color are facing barriers to success at every point in their development, from childhood to adulthood. Every day, boys and men of color are being left behind by our education system, held back by the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems and shut out of employment that can help them support their families.

America’s painful history of racism continues its destruction today, widening the disparities in health, safety, education, and economic success for people of color. Right now, Americans in all 50 states, including California, are rising up to protest the impact of police brutality and violence on Black men and boys and communities of color.

We also know that the public health and economic crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic is only exacerbating these existing structural issues. That is why the core of our work together at the California Funders for Boys and Men of Color, along with community partners at Alliance for Boys and Men of Color and the Assembly Select Committee on the Status for Boys and Men of Color, is shifting the unequal policies and systems that deny boys and men of color the opportunities they need to thrive.

Dismantling harmful policies requires the dismantling of harmful narratives. Underlying these disparities are the prevailing stories in the dominant narrative that other and vilify boys and men of color. As we have seen again and again, including in recent news with the horrific killings of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, even the existence of boys and men of color can be seen as a threat. Negative narratives and stereotypes have a devastating impact, dehumanizing and devaluing our sons, brothers, friends and neighbors, threatening every aspect of their lives and those of their families and communities.

The #HeretoLeadCA initiative aims to change that. We are challenging damaging stereotypes that mischaracterize boys and men of color. Instead, we are lifting up stories that show how boys and men of color not only belong in our communities, our schools and in the hallways of power, but are actively engaged in solutions that help all of us.

Beginning with this piece, we are partnering with the Sacramento Bee’s Community Voices section to highlight inspirational Sacramento leaders whose stories deserve to be told. In the coming weeks, you will see profiles of boys and men of color who are taking action to help our communities during COVID-19 and beyond. We look forward to sharing their stories, and, together, celebrating their leadership.

This story was originally published June 23, 2020 at 11:32 AM.