My Brother's Keeper—Stockton
My Brother's Keeper—Stockton
When people hear about Stockton, California in the news, they usually hear of crime, bankruptcy, and foreclosures. Not surprisingly, many assume Stockton is a city with no opportunities, no hope and no love — and much of the data does not discourage that point of view. While it’s true that Stockton is up against incredibly difficult challenges, our city is also full of resilience, strength and heart. Stockton can never realize its full potential until we create pathways to opportunity for all residents, including our boys and young men of color. Members of our community came together to respond to this reality at the My Brothers Keeper Challenge in Summer 2015, and this report lays additional groundwork for planning and action. We aim to galvanize a community orientation toward these young men as assets to invest in and resources to cultivate. At the core of this work, we must prioritize healing and justice for all of Stockton’s residents. Healing-Centered Organizing is based on four core principles: healing responds to the needs of the community; healing is political; healing and organizing intersect; and healing is found in culture and spirituality. Healing together and creating a framework of justice defined by the community will create a strong foundation for Stockton’s My Brother’s Keeper work.