Phila. Mayor Appoints Director Of Office Of Black Male Engagement
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney has appointed a new director of the Office of Black Male Engagement.
Community College professor Jack Drummond will lead the office, which was created under the Nutter administration, one of several efforts to improve opportunities for African-American men, who statistics show are disproportionately poor, unemployed, undereducated, unhealthy and incarcerated. Drummond admits it's a daunting challenge.
"I am quite understanding and alarmed by the statistics. However, I'm also a person who believes that persistence, making sure that we educate ourselves around those particular aspects and areas, that change can come," said Drummond.
Drummond will also help another effort to level the playing field for black males, the Philadelphia chapter of My Brother's Keeper.
There's also another initiative in the works to ask voters to make a Commission on African-American males part of city government.