Boys and young men of color continue to face the challenges of living in communities of poverty, attending under-resourced schools, facing high rates of violence and trauma, and having limited job prospects. These early disadvantages affect their life prospects and their health, including shorter life spans than their white peers.

In conjunction with the announcement of a new, $12 million commitment to Forward Promise, an initiative to improve the prospects of boys and young men of color, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) commissioned seven issue briefs that examine key barriers to health and success for young men of color, as well as some promising practices. With this information, the Foundation hopes to engage schools, communities, and governments in a national dialogue on how to turn around the disturbing trends.