Not even an unexpected blizzard could stop the March 23 Albany High School My Brother’s Keeper youth summit from being a resounding success!
The summit – “Rising Kings Unleashing Potential” – included a variety of workshops and talks that featured youth motivational speaker John Johnson, entrepreneur Angelo “Justice” Maddox and Albany High alum and fashion designer Taofeek Abijako (Class of ’16).
The summit was organized by Albany High’s My Brother’s Keeper club. Former President Barak Obama launched a national “My Brother's Keeper” program in 2014 to address persistent opportunity gaps facing boys and young men of color. The program aims to expand opportunities and create pathways for success for young men of color through public-private partnerships. Albany High established its own My Brother's Keepers Club that year, as well.
New York also has a My Brother’s Keeper Fellows program that each year recognizes two outstanding young men from Albany High along with their peers from schools statewide as they enter their senior year of high school. The program matches each student with a mentor and provides leadership workshops throughout the year.
The 2023-24 My Brother's Keeper Fellows from Albany High are Patrick Ponzo and Jakiem Walden.
