Addressing Disparities, Creating Pathways to Success 

Boys and Young Men of Color Strategy

The YMCA seeks to reduce disparities through the Boys and Young Men of Color (BYMOC) Strategy. Through BYMOC, YMCAs across the United States provide safe spaces for boys and young men of color, ages 11-17, to connect with one another, express themselves, nurture their unique identities and gain important life skills.  

Launched in 2018, the YMCA BYMOC Strategy aims for equitable outcomes for boys and young men of color, addressing disparities in rates of poverty, incarceration, high school graduation, workforce participation, health and well-being and life expectancy. The strategy also works to increase representation of this population among our members, program participants and staff.  

At YMCA of Metro Denver, we are currently evaluating the impact of these programs on boys and young men of color:

Boys and young men of color, when compared with their white counterparts, are more likely to:

  • Grow up in poverty
  • Live in neighborhoods of concentrated poverty
  • Fall into poverty as adults, regardless of background

BYMOC Strategy supports young people in:

  • Education
  • College and Career Readiness
  • Character Development
  • Belonging and Community Building
  • Health and Well-being    

BYMOC Strategy currently impacting:   

  • 50 YMCAs   
  • 26 cities   
  • 16 states  
  • 1,400+ boys and young men of color served      
     

To find out more what the YMCA is doing on a national level, click here.