The Alliance for Boys and Men of Color Expands to Texas
The Catalyst Fund Will Enhance Fatherhood Programs in San Antonio
August 28, 2018 (San Antonio, TX)—The Alliance for Boys and Men of Color www.allianceforbmoc.org today announced a grant to American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (AIT) aitscm.org. Through the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color Catalyst Fund at Community Partners, a national fund established to build, develop, and invest in local coalitions across the nation, San Antonio will join the movement to advance justice and build opportunity for boys and men of color, their families, and communities.
“Since our inception, more than 20 years ago, we have been striving to strengthen family structures and ties, built on our long-standing cultural traditions,” said John Ramon Vasquez, executive director for AIT. “This funding from The Alliance for Boys and Men of Color will enable us to further enhance our San Antonio Fatherhood Program www.safatherhood.com., as well as our newly launched Seventh Generation birthing services, which is in effect an offshoot of our exemplary fatherhood programming.”
Through the Catalyst Fund, the Alliance is investing in continued policy and systems changes that engage and invest in grassroots leaders working at the intersection of race and gender justice, while advocating for state policy that improves outcomes for boys and young men of color. American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions will receive a nine-month grant to advance legislative strategies in San Antonio through Texas policy on a range of issues, including: teen and young adult pregnancies, a staggeringly high maternal and infant mortality rate among people of color, and overall lack of access to quality affordable health care in our communities.
“We know the role a parent plays in the life of their child is a vital one,” added Vasquez. “That role begins even before the birth of the child, and we can effectively help men overcome obstacles and barriers that may prohibit them from being the most effective and nurturing parents possible.”
American Indians in Texas has one of the only Fatherhood campaigns, of its kind, in the country. The San Antonio Fatherhood Campaign is a community initiative designed to promote responsible fatherhood by helping males and fathers of all ages to achieve greater self-esteem and better awareness of their responsibilities to their families and community. Providing this tradition-based approach to fathering for nearly two decades, AIT just launched a free doula (pre/post natal and birthing) program to both mothers and fathers which will be introduced here.
The Catalyst Fund amplifies policy priorities from a growing network of organizers to build stronger futures for the nation’s boys and young men of color. Currently American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions is championing unique culturally-relevant programs to guide young men to be positive parents.
Originating in California, the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color was launched in 2012 to address the fact that boys and young men of color are more likely to grow up in poverty, live in unsafe neighborhoods, have high exposure to violence and trauma, and attend schools that lack the basic resources and support that young people need to thrive.
Our new office at 1410 Guadalupe St., Suite 115, San Antonio, TX 78207 will focus on this, along with bring Fatherhood Services to the local community.