Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
5 <br /> I...le. (:la cmge <br /> .. <br /> "•"410/* 'yam' ' <br /> 1 4'4110 <br /> . Illy f Il i; �� <br /> fi nom' <br /> la <br /> Ju II <br /> iVIII ii �' <br /> Fill i 1 <br /> 11. \ II <br /> ��ol�luull ugh <br /> III <br /> lin <br /> The experiences and decisions that young men of color deal with on a daily basis have a profound impact <br /> on their ability to access the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to be engaged, productive 21st <br /> century citizens. Consider these facts about the barriers that young men of color face in comparison to <br /> their white counterparts: <br /> • Many young men of color struggle because they don't have fathers or other positive male role <br /> models in their lives. <br /> • Young men of color are more likely to drop out of school than any other group of Americans and <br /> end up underemployed, reliant on government assistance, and facing a lifetime of health <br /> problems as a result. <br /> • Many young men of color witnessed violence or experienced abuse when they were young <br /> children.The long-term impact of childhood trauma has the potential to create social, emotional <br /> and cognitive impairment. <br /> • Young men of color are five times more likely than average Americans to have a parent in prison. <br /> In addition, actions that would be treated as youthful mistakes for young white men are often judged and <br /> punished more severely for young men of color. For example,according to Human Rights Watch,although <br /> whites are more likely to violate drug laws than people of color, in some states black men have been sent <br /> to prison on drug charges at rates 20-50 times greater than white men. <br /> While these challenges are by no means new, as we have seen through recent events, they are just as <br /> relevant and pressing to address as they have ever been. <br /> 3 <br />