Why study the well-being of Black boys and men?

This report outlines the community-engagement process conducted by the Brookings Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative (RPII) in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for the Wellness in Black Life Project (WIBL). WIBL is a community-based project focused on building definitions of well-being for Black boys and men by Black boys and men across three communities: Little Rock, Arkansas; Montgomery County, Maryland; and Baltimore, Maryland. We describe how these cities were selected below. Each partner organization in these sites held a deep commitment to building community connections to enhance and promote well-being.  

The RPII team worked directly with local communities to learn how Black men want to define, discuss, and assess well-being for Black boys and men and how it will impact Black communities. This report documents the methods used to convene community members, summarizes our community-engagement process and feedback received, and highlights how this input will shape the initiative moving forward. The social risks many Black men and boys face despite pathways to social and upward mobility have many consequences throughout their life-course. These are well noted in the literature. Engaging Black men and boys by partnering with community-based organizations may not only strengthen social ties but also reimagine opportunity structures and well-being protective factors that can be sustained and replicated in other cities across the United States.  

This technical report accompanies our main findings report highlighting key definitions of well-being generated by Black men in our study sites. Important insights from this study suggest:  

• Promoting support initiatives to enhance well-being for Black boys and men can come from many different individuals, such as family, friends, religious leaders, teachers, mentors, and coaches. These individuals exist in many different organizations and can deepen and expand support structures and resources.  

• Black boys and men need safe spaces for discussions about individual, family, and community well-being.  

• Black boys and men want to guide narrative-building and counter existing narratives about them that have led to historical policymaking practices that are part of the root causes of their social inequalities.  

• Convening Black men to discuss strategies for community change will require sustained efforts and connections with community-based partners and should include advocacy strategies to promote policy change.  

• Institutionalizing community-engagement with Black boys and men requires committed partners, collective access to resources, and influencing policies to increase the quality of life, longevity of life, and well-being.  

Project background 

Across the vast body of scientific literature, numerous reports, statistical analyses, and philanthropic efforts have drawn attention to the wide range of challenges facing Black boys and men. Yet few of these initiatives have been led by community-based organizations or shaped by the voices of Black boys and men themselves. Too often, global conversations, well-being measures, and policy outcomes overlook communities of color—particularly Black boys and men—creating a troubling information gap for public health research and policymaking. There is more we can do to strengthen emerging programs and policy recommendations that address the unique barriers Black boys and men face, while leveraging the assets within their social networks. Advancing these efforts requires the leadership and guidance of Black boys. 

Our work and this report aim to advance the growing body of literature on best practices for engaging Black men in social science research. Across disciplines, studies have consistently shown that communities of color are less likely to participate in research, particularly in projects that use clinical or experimental designs. The cultural, historical, and social factors underlying Black communities’ and Black men’s reluctance to participate are deeply rooted in centuries of unethical practices by researchers, clinicians, universities, hospitals, and museums. 

Engagement methods and process  

The research project used multiple methods. The Brookings team began with a literature review and found that Black boys and men were largely absent from the interdisciplinary literature on “well-being.” Instead, most studies and programs focused on violence prevention, high school dropout rates, sexually transmitted infection prevention, and prostate cancer. The concept of well-being for Black boys and men remains underexplored and deserves the same level of attention and investment—through an asset-based framework aimed at improving their social and health outcomes. 

 The initiative was carried out over a three-year period from September 2022 to August 2025. The project unfolded in three overlapping phases. 

Phase 1: The initial phase of the project focused on literature reviews, developing research design, securing Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, and selecting the local partner organizations.  

Phase 2: This phase centered partnership exploration and formation by identifying community-based organizations that develop and provide programs and services to Black boys and men. We also formed an Advisory Board to collectively establish research priorities. We selected four community research partners in three geographic areas: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas and the Urban League of the State of Arkansas (Little Rock, Arkansas); Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families (Montgomery County, Maryland); and the Haywood Burns Institute and Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (Baltimore, Maryland).  

Phase 3: We launched community convenings in each geographic area with the community research partners leading recruitment and convening efforts. During the community convenings held as part of the second phase, we documented discussions around well-being. These convenings took place from October 2024 to March 2025. At the conclusion of the community convenings, we delved into data analysis—facilitating feedback sessions with local communities and drafting and revising research reports to disseminate.  

The project timeline was intentionally flexible to accommodate partnership building, occasionally adjusted to meet community needs and times to meet; meeting days and times were selected by community partners in response to local events and emerging opportunities for deeper engagement. 

The objectives of the community-engagement process were to gather shared definitions around well-being, with a particular focus on Black boys and men. Black boys and men shared their experiences and expressions about well-being and identified the roles policy and community leaders play in shaping their well-being. The convenings aimed to collaboratively identify and develop strategies and solutions to enhance the state of well-being of Black boys and men, by discussing how policies and programs can be shaped by these strategies and identifying resources needed to support them.  

The literature reviews from Phase 1 guided us to consider counties and cities with a mix of social challenges and assets. These assets in one study were framed as opportunities for social mobility as a result of less poverty, higher life expectancy for Black men, and a higher percentage of elderly civilian veterans. The literature review allowed us to learn more about well-being research studies and programs and facilitated our selection of community partners. Lessons learned from this phase guided our search for organizations working directly with Black boys and men to provide care, support, and mentoring. We collected information from nonprofits and other community-based organizations in cities and metropolitan areas such as Little Rock, Arkansas; St. Louis, Missouri; Atlanta, Georgia; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, California; Detroit, Michigan; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Baltimore, Maryland. This information provided insight into how different organizations approached addressing the needs of Black boys and men and how their organizational structures may be leveraged as partners for this project. After selecting a sample of organizations, we conducted stakeholder interviews to learn more about their work and to introduce the project’s goals. Many organizations noted their limited capacity to facilitate the project’s activities.  

The Brookings team partnered with four local organizations who agreed to facilitate community conversations within their geographic area with Black boys and men. To facilitate the recruitment of participants, the Brookings team worked with its community partners to develop promotional and marketing materials to depict well-being in Black communities by using images of Black boys and men. The partner organizations handled the direct participant recruitment process and used similar but personalized outreach strategies to target and recruit participants to ensure a diverse, committed, and representative group of participants for community-driven conversations. Outreach efforts included posting social media messages, mailing direct personalized correspondence, distributing flyers, partnering with local clubs and initiatives, utilizing professional networks, and reaching out to community and civic leaders.  

The organizations recruited Black men, 18 and older, who both lived and worked in the area they served. Collaborating organization did not recruit minors, citing several barriers to recruitment and the need for repeated engagement with minors and their parents or legal guardians. Protocols were revised to ensure questions during community conversations prompted participants to reflect on different life stages and consider how the discussion topics might influence Black boys.Others interested in advancing the health, well-being, and social mobility of Black boys and men were also invited to participate. Participation was voluntary, and informed consent was obtained from all participants in accordance with IRB guidelines.  

Community convenings 

All four partner organizations utilized a network-sampling strategy to recruit participants for community-driven conversations. Similarly, three of these programs, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas (BBBSCA), Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families (MCCC) and Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP), took broad approaches to the recruitment process, drafting social media posts, emails, and flyers to draw in attendees. Notably, the Urban League intentionally avoided the use of social media for the recruitment process to create a consistent and private space where participants could engage without distraction or outside pressure. Consistently, across all the organizations, personalization and community outreach proved to be the most effective means of gathering attendees. This approach was leveraged across a multitude of community-centric directives including, but not limited to, direct personalized correspondence, partnering with local clubs and initiatives, utilizing professional networks, and reaching out to community leaders.  

While each organization invited Black men age 18 and older to participate, the conversations were not limited to these individuals. They also welcomed anyone interested in advancing the health, well-being, and social mobility of Black boys and men. In particular, MCCC and the Urban League expanded their geographic reach and age range to gather insights from participants across generations on the meaning of well-being for Black boys and men. They also invited people from diverse social groups and professional backgrounds to ensure a wide range of perspectives and experiences were represented. 

Each organization facilitated four discussion sessions, except Johns Hopkins, which hosted a two-day hackathon or design-a-thon, approaches that draw on the nominal group process and Delphi strategies. The conversations took place from October 2024 through March 2025. Each session lasted about 90 minutes and included between 10 and 40 participants from the local community. All participants completed a demographic questionnaire, which allowed us to describe the population; a copy of the survey is included in the Appendix. Data were collected and analyzed using Qualtrics XM software. Each partner organization selected facilitators, typically local community members, to lead the discussions. The community conversations followed a semi-structured format based on an initial set of open-ended questions developed by the Brookings team. Facilitators were encouraged to tailor these questions to their community’s specific context, fostering relevant and inclusive discussions. 

Each community conversation focused on a different theme: 

• Community Conversation 1: Community building to identify definitions and reflections about well-being.  

• Community Conversation 2: Examples and expressions of well-being for Black boys and men.  

• Community Conversation 3: Identifying community leaders who are able to influence well-being for Black boys and men.  

• Community Conversation 4: Discuss solutions and collaborations to enhance well-being for Black boys and men.  

Recruitment and retention strategies  

The community conversations took place in Little Rock from October to December 2024, in Baltimore on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, 2025, and in Montgomery County from December 2024 through March 2025. To support attendance and participant retention, the four host organizations implemented engagement strategies before, during, and after the events. BBBSCA was the only facilitator to send regular email reminders about upcoming sessions, but all four hosts provided meals and refreshments for participants. Additional incentives included gift cards, attendance payments, and, in the case of the Urban League of the State of Arkansas, practical raffle prizes. To foster a sense of belonging and mutual respect, the hosts also sent follow-up emails thanking participants for their time and input, along with forms that allowed them to share additional comments they were unable to voice during the discussions. 

CCP took a different approach to attendance and retention. Rather than hosting four separate sessions, the team consolidated its community conversations into a two-day hackathon, providing breakfast and lunch as well as travel reimbursements. Similarly, to strengthen community engagement, MCCC held its sessions at various locations across the county and ensured they were accessible by public transportation. Overall, BBBSCA, the Urban League, CCP, and MCCC thoughtfully addressed the needs of their communities through their attendance and retention strategies, creating welcoming environments where community members felt encouraged to share their perspectives. 

In their approaches to retention, all four organizations incentivized attendance by providing meals and some form of monetary compensation. CCP offered both lunch and dinner during its sessions, along with $100 payments to participants. MCCC and BBBSCA provided gift cards, while the Urban League distributed raffle prizes. Additionally, CCP and MCCC took steps to ensure that transportation did not present a barrier to attendance. MCCC intentionally selected venues that were easily accessible by public transportation and offered convenient parking, while CCP provided transportation vouchers and parking reimbursements for its workshop site. Collectively, these incentives underscored each organization’s commitment to accessibility and participant convenience. 

To maintain engagement with participants, the organizations used a combination of email correspondence and in-person meetings. BBBSCA sent frequent reminders, providing regular emails about upcoming sessions and emphasizing the value of each participant’s contributions. After each session, they followed up with thank-you emails. Similarly, MCCC conducted systematic follow-ups through emails and Q&A forms that allowed participants to share additional questions or insights after the conversations, and it also established a group text chat for ongoing communication. CCP and the Urban League continued engagement through follow-up meetings, which gave participants the opportunity to revisit previous discussions and raise new questions. CCP also provided additional compensation for participation in these sessions. Across all four organizations, these efforts fostered a sense of community and created welcoming environments that encouraged continued participation. 

Click here to view the full table in a new tab.

Lessons learned from the community-engagement process  

Social science and clinical research often face challenges with participant retention. In Little Rock, inconsistent attendance and scheduling conflicts led the Urban League of the State of Arkansas and BBBSCA to adjust their approach to facilitating community conversations across the four convenings. These adjustments included serving meals at the start of each event, sending reminder emails, and arranging convenient parking. Looking ahead, both organizations agreed to explore alternative logistics, such as hosting sessions earlier in the day or on weekends, to improve participant retention. 

CCP experienced delays in IRB approval, which shortened its recruitment timeline. However, underscoring the importance of community partnerships, the team leveraged its connections in Baltimore City and its community engagement specialist to quickly spread the word. Similarly, BBBSCA noted challenges in recruitment and emphasized the value of strengthening community partnerships for future efforts, particularly by collaborating with Black universities and churches that have established and trusted social networks. 

It is worth noting the MCCC concerns regarding personnel demographics. The race, gender, and ethnicity of both the conversation facilitators and the RPII project team raised questions about participants’ comfort in sharing their unique and often vulnerable experiences as Black men. While the RPII team addressed these concerns, MCCC’s feedback underscores the importance of community-led initiatives in creating safe and trusting spaces for participants. 

 Observations and implications 

Highlighting the importance of fostering respectful and inclusive environments to promote meaningful dialogue, both the Urban League of the State of Arkansas and BBBSCA maintained consistent communication with participants, provided high-quality meals, and offered practical raffle prizes to show appreciation for participants’ time and insights. Looking ahead, the Urban League plans to deepen future conversations by sharing discussion questions in advance, teaching participants how policy affects their daily lives, and explaining how they can engage with local governments. These efforts aim not only to strengthen civic education and participation but also to build community members’ confidence in working with local officials to advance policies that support the well-being of Black boys and men. 

CCP and MCCC highlighted the importance of leveraging long-standing relationships to engage multiple social networks effectively and build trust and credibility with community members. Emphasizing the ongoing value of these relationships, MCCC maintained open lines of communication with participants through its “show and prove” approach, consistently delivering results and following up on participants’ concerns and feedback. As Brookings and the host organizations remain committed to incorporating a range of lived experiences, reliable and transparent communication has proven to be a foundation for successful community engagement. 

Final reflections  

The social risks that Black boys and men face across the life course present unique challenges for identifying strategies to improve both the quality and longevity of a healthy life. Findings from this project emphasize sources of support that buffer Black boys and men against negative structural risk factors. Many of these supports, as discussed by participants, come from interpersonal supports—such as family and friends—and organizational resources, including faith-based institutions, organized sports leagues, and mentoring programs. These supports are shaped by broader structural and social factors and influence how Black men define well-being and envision improvements at different life stages. Participants explored how they want to lead efforts to enhance the quality and longevity of life for Black boys and men, seeking to create structures and processes that explain why some adolescent males develop positive identities and socially responsible behaviors while others do not. 

Collaborating with the Urban League of the State of Arkansas and BBBSCA in Little Rock, MCCC in Montgomery County, and the Haywood Burns Institute and CCP in Baltimore played an essential role in recruiting participants for the Wellness in Black Life Project conversations. These organizations had already built strong relationships and trust within their communities, enabling them to tailor outreach and engagement strategies to the unique needs, values, and cultural contexts of each community. This approach fostered a supportive and inclusive environment where participants felt comfortable sharing personal experiences, offering insights, and being vulnerable without fear of judgment. Most importantly, partnering with local organizations promoted community ownership of the project and ensured that the work reflected the perspectives and needs of Black boys and men in these communities. 

Appendix  

Demographic survey 

What organization are you speaking with today? 

• The Urban League of the State of Arkansas 

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas 

• Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs 

• Montgomery County Collaboration Council 

Q1. What is your year of birth? 

Q2. What is your race and/or ethnic identity? Select all that apply.  

• American Indian or Alaska Native 

• Asian 

• Black or African American 

• Hispanic or Latino 

• Middle Eastern or North African 

• Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 

• White 

• Other, not listed above 

Q3. Tell us your preferred gender identity. 

• Male  

• Female 

• Non-binary / third gender  

• Prefer not to say 

Q4. What city and state were you born? 

Q5. What is your current neighborhood zip code?   

Q6. What is the name of the county of your primary residence?    

Q7. What is the racial composition of your current neighborhood?  

	0%	10%	30%	50%	70%	100%
White
Black or African American
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Middle Eastern or North African
Hispanic or Latino
Other

End of Block: Default Question Block 

Start of Block: Tell us about your household 

Q8. How long have you been living in your current residence? 

• less than 1 year  

• less than 5 years 

• 5 – 10 years 

• 10 – 15 years  

• 15 – 20 years 

• 20 – 25 years 

• 25 – 30 years  

• 30 – 35 years  

• 35 – 40 years  

• more than 40 years 

Q9. Please describe your housing situation. 

• Apartment  

• Condo 

• Townhouse  

• House   

• Other   

Q10. How many people, including yourself, live full-time in your household? (Enter a number for adults and children) 

Q11. How many people, including all adults and children, live full-time in your household? (Please include yourself and select/enter a number) 

	Please Enter a Number for Each Category
Spouse/Partner
Child/Children
Other family members
Friends
Roommates
Other

End of Block: Tell us about your household 

Start of Block: Tell us about your marital and living arrangements 

Q12. What is your current marital status? 

• Cohabitant  

• Married 

• Separated  

• Widow/Widower  

• Divorced 

• Single 

End of Block: Tell us about your marital and living arrangements 

Start of Block: Education 

 Q13. Tell us about your current education status 

• Not a student  

• Full-time student  

• Part-time student  

• Other  

Q14. What is your highest degree of educational attainment? 

• Less than a high school degree 

• High school degree 

• GED   

• Some college but no degree  

• Certificate or technical degree  

• Associate degree  

• Bachelor’s degree   

• Some graduate or professional degree  

Q15. If you have completed some college or some education after high school or GED how did you finance your education? (select all that apply) 

• My own savings  

• Savings and contributions from others  

• Work study (including federal work study) 

• Loans 

• Scholarships  

• Others   

End of Block: Education 

Start of Block: Tell us about your employment and earnings 

Q16. What best describes your current employment situation?  

• Self-employed, full-time for pay (includes independent contract work)  

• Self-employed, part-time for pay (includes independent contract work) 

• Work full-time for pay   

• Work part-time for pay 

• Unemployed, looking for work 

• Unemployed, not looking for work  

• Disabled, not able to work  

• Stay at home parent or spouse  

• Full-time caregiver for a family member  

Q17. How many total jobs do you currently have? 

• None  

• One  

• Two  

• Three or more  

Q18. In what sector are you working (for your primary job)? 

• Private sector  

• Government sector 

• Self-employed 

• Non-profit sector  

• Unpaid family sector  

Q19. Please tell us what benefits are associated with your current job (primary job)?  

• Health  

• Dental  

• Vision 

• Disability  

• Retirement  

• Paid sick leave  

• Paid vacation  

• Flexible work schedule  

• Family leave  

• Childcare  

• Education  

• Disability pay/disability insurance  

• Other 

• None 

Q20. On average, how many hours do you work per week? 

• None  

• 10 or less   

• > 10 to 20  

• > 20 to 40   

• > 40  

Q21. Do you have a consistent work schedule every week? 

• No  

• Yes   

Q22. Which category best describes your monthly income? 

• less than $5,000  

• $5,000 – $10,000  

• $10,000 – $20,000  

• $20,000 – $30,000  

• $30,000 – $40,000   

• $40,000 – $50,000   

• More than $50,000  

• I prefer not to say  

Q23. Thinking about your main job how are you paid? 

• Salaried  

• Hourly  

• Other   

Q24. Thinking about the next month, how concerned are you that you and your family might experience difficulties with each of the following? 

	Not at all worried	Not too worried	Somewhat worried	Very worried
Having enough to eat
Being able to work as many hours as you want
Being able to pay your rent or mortgage
Being able to pay your gas, oil, or electricity bills
Being able to pay your debts
Being able to pay for medical costs

End of Block: Tell us about your employment and earnings 

The Brookings Institution Wellness in Black Life Indicator Survey  

If republishing survey results: 

This survey originally appeared as part of the final report of the Wellness in Black Life project by The Brookings Institution. It is republished here with Brookings’ permission. 

If redoing the survey with a different sample: 

This survey and its methodology have been developed by the Brookings Institution as part of the Wellness in Black Life project. They are being repurposed here with Brookings’ permission. 

Q1. This project’s focus is on advancing the well-being of the Black community here in [Insert city name]. In your own words, how would you define “well-being,” what words come to mind that help define this for you?  [Open Ended] 

Q2. Which of the following are the most important to you when you think about the well-being of the African American community / your community? 

1. Affordable housing
2. Quality schools  
3. Jobs that pay affordable wages 
4. Access to healthy and affordable food
5. Low crime rate  

Q3. Which community do you currently live in? 

[These were the locations for this study. If replicating this survey please insert your own locations.] 

1. Little Rock, AR  
2. Montgomery County, MD  
3. Baltimore, MD  

Q4. What are the most important issues that you want local officials to address that you think can help improve the well-being of Black men and Black boys? Select up to three.  

• Affordable housing 
• Affordable childcare 
• Reducing homelessness 
• Impacts from climate change (wildfires, droughts, and flooding etc.) 
• Universal, highspeed, affordable internet 
• Clean up pollutants and environmental threats 
• Rising cost of living 
• Reducing government spending 
• Police reform 
• Supporting K-12 education 
• Improving and expanding public transportation 
• Creating jobs with better wages 
• Health care costs 
• More funding for community-based organizations 
• Address crime / make our community safer 
• Providing services for mental health and substance abuse 
• Something else 

Q5. What do you think are the three biggest problems or challenges facing Black men and Black boys’ well-being?  

• Car break-ins and robberies 

• Home break-ins and robberies 

• Child abuse 

• Disorderly conduct / public intoxication / noise 

• Domestic violence 

• Discrimination against Black men and Black boys 

• Drunk driving / driving under the influence (i.e., alcohol or drugs) 

• Drug abuse (e.g., manufacture, sale, or use of illegal / prescription drugs) 

• Fraud / identity theft 

• Gang activity 

• Gun violence 

• Hate crimes 

• Homelessness 

• Homicide 

• Mugging 

• Physical assault 

• Prostitution 

• School safety (e.g., bullying, fighting, or weapons) 

• Sexual assault / rape (adult) 

• Traffic issues /residential speeding 

• Underage drinking 

• Vandalism / graffiti 

Q6. Which of the following are most important to you to make your community safe and vibrant? Select all that apply. [RANDOMIZE] 

• Access to safe and clean public parks and spaces  

• Affordable housing  

• Quality schools  

• Jobs that pay affordable wages  

• Access to healthy and affordable food 

• High quality transportation infrastructure / public transportation  

• Low crime rate  

Q7. Overall, how would you rate your community as a place for Black men and Black boys to live?  

Excellent …………………………………………………………………. 1  

Very good ……………………………………………………………….. 2 

Good ………………………………………………………………………. 3  

Fair ………………………………………………………………………… 4 

Poor ……………………………………………………………………….. 5 

Q8. How much influence do you think Black men and Black boys have on the decisions made to advance the well-being of the community? 

• Too much influence 

• The right amount of influence 

• Not enough influence 

• Don’t know 

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? 

Q9. If I work with other Black males, we can make our community a safer place to live and work. 

• Strongly agree 

• Agree 

• Neither agree nor disagree 

• Disagree 

• Strongly disagree 

Q10. If I work with other members of my community, we can work together to advance the well-being of Black men and Black boys.  

• Strongly agree 

• Agree 

• Neither agree nor disagree 

• Disagree 

• Strongly disagree 

Q11. How concerned are you that you might have to move away from your community because housing and / or rent prices are getting too expensive? 

• Very concerned 

• Somewhat concerned 

• Not that concerned 

• Not at all concerned 

Q12. How much do you worry about crime and safety where you live? 

• A great deal 

• Some 

• Not very much 

• Not at all 

Q13. Compared to one year ago, do you feel safer or less safe living in your community now? 

• Felt safer living in [insert location here] LAST year 

• About the same 

• Feel safer living in [insert location here] NOW 

Q14. Please indicate if the following should be a high priority or low priority for Black men and Black boys in your community? 

• Addressing police brutality  

• Reducing mass incarceration  

• Opposing same-sex marriage  

• Raising the minimum wage  

• Restricting access to abortions  

• Addressing climate change 

• Addressing domestic violence / sexual violence  

• Reducing the number of liquor stores in the [racial group] community  

• Stopping voter suppression  

• Reducing crime  

• Increasing funding for public schools  

• Supporting immigrant rights  

Very Low Priority ……………………………………………………..  1  

Low Priority ……………………………………………………………..  2  

High Priority …………………………………………………………….  3  

Very High Priority …………………………………………………….  4  

Q15. Where you live, which of the following HEALTH SERVICES, if any, do you want to see more of (make more widely available) for Black men and Black boys? Select all that apply. [RANDOMIZE] 

• Basic medical care 

• Mental health care 

• Addiction / substance abuse services 

• Specialty care, like dentists 

• Holistic medical care like acupuncture 

• Vocational education 

• Access to youth programs (resident and non-resident)  

• Fatherhood programs and services  

• None of these 

Q16. Which of the following EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, if any do you want to see more of (make more widely available) where you live for Black men and Black boys to access? Select all that apply. 

• Obtaining a GED  

• Job search assistance / training 

• Keeping current or maintaining job skills 

• Vocational training  

• None of these 

Q17. Which of the following FAMILY / CHILDREN’S SERVICES, if any, do you want to see more of (make more widely available) where you live for Black men and Black boys to access? Select all that apply. 

• More preschool options  

• More K-12 school options  

• More after-school activities  

• More community programs for children when schools are closed 

• More summertime programs 

• More child care / daycare options 

• More athletic programs for boys 

• More STEM programs  

• None of these 

Q18. Over the past year, would you say that the economic well-being of Black men in this country has, overall, gotten better or worse as a result of the Trump administration’s policies? 

• A lot better 

• Somewhat better 

• Same / no change 

• Somewhat worse 

• A lot worse 

Q19. Given the current political climate, are you optimistic or pessimistic about the prospects of Black boys achieving upward mobility in this country?  

1. Optimistic that Black boys will achieve upward mobility  
2. Pessimistic that Black boys will achieve upward mobility 

Q20. Have you noticed more Black men in your community having to do any of the following to manage their financial situation during the past year SPECIFICALLY because of price increases and rising costs of living? Select all that apply. 

• Borrowed money from friends or family 

• Applied for a loan from a bank or credit union 

• Borrowed money from a payday or title loan company with a high-interest rate 

• Used up all or most of their savings to help pay for their family’s expenses 

• Skipped a monthly car, rent, or mortgage payment 

• Postponed or cut back on health-related expenses 

• Postponed or quit education / career-related expenses 

• Moved or changed my housing situation 

• Postponed or cut back on family or children’s activities 

• Relied on food banks / pantries and / or cut back on meals to manage cost of food   

• Spent less time with their children / family on entertainment 

• Cut back or withdrew their child from child care due to costs 

• Quit their job or reduced hours because they could not afford child care 

• None of these 

Do Black men and boys have access to each of the following where you live? 

Q21. Safe parks and public spaces to exercise in the community 

• Yes 

• No 

• Not sure / don’t know 

Q22. Access to healthy and affordable food  

• Yes 

• No 

• Not sure / don’t know 

Q23. Health care facilities near me that provide the services I need 

• Yes 

• No 

• Not sure / don’t know 

Q24. Clean air and drinking water 

• Yes 

• No 

• Not sure / don’t know 

Q25. Reliable and high-quality public transportation  

• Yes 

• No 

• Not sure / don’t know 

Q26. To what extent (how much) does local law enforcement where you live develop relationships with community members (residents, organizations)? For example, walking around the neighborhood to get to know people who live in the community. 

• Not at all 
• A little 
• Somewhat 
• A lot 
• To a great extent 

Q27. How often do you believe that local law enforcement where you live treats Black men and Black boys with dignity and respect? 

• Always 

• Usually 

• Sometimes 

• Rarely  

• Never 

• Don’t know 

Q28. Which of the following emerging careers do you think Black men and boys need training opportunities for in order to be competitive for the jobs of the future?  

• Energy (clean energy jobs, solar power, etc.) 
• Health care industry 
• Artificial intelligence / AI 
• Finance and banking 
• Construction  
• Science / technology / engineering  
• Data science and virtual data  

Q29. Which of the following actions can Black fathers and boys take to help improve their overall well-being? 

• Make sure to register and vote to make their voices heard
• Invest in themselves through education and workforce / career training 
• Work with others in community organizations to push for their collective goals 

Facilitator Discussion Guide 

Ground rules:

• There are no right or wrong answers to the questions 

• We want to hear what you feel and think about (your topic) and related issues  

• It’s ok to disagree with something that is said  

• Be respectful of other’s opinions 

• You don’t have to respond if uncomfortable 

• There are no unimportant or silly ideas  

• We want you to be comfortable, so feel free to get up for a drink or to visit the restroom during the discussion 

This discussion will be audio recorded so that the team can have the tapes transcribed with accuracy. The audio recording will be reviewed by the team to better understand your responses.  If you feel uncomfortable with the discussion, you may discontinue or refuse to be audio recorded. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask.   

Names: Please say your name before speaking. This will make it easier for us to know what you said when we go back and listen to the recordings. Also, when referring to someone else in the group, please use the name printed on their name tag. Because we are recording, it is very important for only one person to speak at a time. So, if I cut you off to let someone else speak, please don’t think that I am being rude. I am only directing the discussion so that we can hear what both individuals have to say. 

Session length – 90 minutes 

Focus group – Session 1: Building rapport and understanding shared definitions around well-being 

1) How would you define well-being? 

• Discuss the artifact 

• Create a word cloud 

• Recap (after the artifact discussion) 

2) What challenges, barriers, or narratives hinder or interfere with how Black men and boys define well-being?  

3) What current support systems exist for Black men and boys? 

• How do these systems help counter negative narratives and barriers 

Focus group – Session 2: Expressions of well-being in the lives of Black men and boys 

1) Icebreaker: Rose / bud / thorn of their week (open/non-specific) 

2) Facilitator does reflections/recap of last conversations 

For recap: 

• Summarize barriers 
• Summarize supports 
• Review definitions, ideas, and new language for well-being 
• Transition: “We’ve talked about well-being in your community. How does this apply specifically to Black boys and men?” 

3) Application to Black boys and men – describe the topic for the conversation and outline the questions that follow  

4) Exploring people, places, and expression 

• Describe people (networks) that allow Black boys and men to feel free, vulnerable, and safe
• When are Black boys and men most likely to be heard and free to express themselves?
• Describe places or outlets that allow Black boys and men to be free, vulnerable, and safe

5) Healthy environments and quality of life 

a) In what ways can these people, places, or outlets be used to help Black boys and men achieve a high-quality life? 

b) What does a healthy environment for them look like? 

• Probe: education, safety, joy, happiness, success, thriving (take the words in the word cloud and apply them specifically to Black boys/men) 
• Idea: make another word cloud activity for the people/places questions 

6) Sub-question: What other structures need to be in place to help achieve this? 

7) How would you describe Black boy/men joy? 

Focus group – Session 3: Well-being in the community for Black men 

Icebreaker: Rose/bud/thorn of their week (or something else) 

Facilitator recap 

• Three word clouds – definitions, people, places 

After thinking about definitions, people, places 

• Question (word cloud for this – separate for boys and men): a) What/where/who are the advocates, voices to take up concerns to enhance well-being about Black boys and men? 
• Probe/ follow-up: What are the accountability structures/follow through? 
• What is the role of policy leaders?  [For this question, make a distinction between boys and men] 

Question: We’ve talked about community structures, networks, and organizations. We do recognize that there are other factors that contribute to well-being, so we want to spend a little time discussing the impact of climate, environment, and natural disasters. As we know, the climate is changing, becoming hotter and with more violent weather. Some of that can dislocate families. In addition, the need to adapt to climate change is changing the types of jobs that are available. There are more jobs that use technology. How do these ideas of weather dislocation, heat, and changes in the types of jobs available affect Black boys and men? 

Question: What more needs to be done to ensure that Black boys and men in your community experience well-being? Again, we welcome all ideas and are not judging any of those ideas here.  

Focus group – Session 4: Developing solutions. How collaboration is needed to accomplish the well-being of Black males in their community 

Icebreaker: Rose/bud /thorn of their week 

Reflection: Create word clouds. 

• What’s missing from the word clouds? 

• What other solutions or strategies can you suggest? 

• What examples of policies or programs come to mind? 

• How can programs and policies be shaped by these ideas? 

Activity: 

• Update the word clouds with the above responses. 

• Develop a list of strategies. 

• Use a Qualtrics poll: Rank your top three choices to prioritize issues, recommendations, and strategies. 

After the break: 

• Present the three most common themes. 

• Facilitate discussion on these three focus areas. 

Discussion prompts: 

• What resources are needed to support these strategies? 

• If we were to track and monitor progress, how should we measure it? 

Focus group – Session 5: Sharing the results. Definitions we gathered (indicators and tools) 

After the statement has been established, end the recording, and thank everyone.