Derek Rhodes • March 3, 2023

The Data Is In: Black Male Youth in Durham Deserve More

We are living in a time of great transformation. Our communities are adjusting to the evolution of our state and our country and we are advancing at a pace with which we are conspicuously unfamiliar. Rapid change, of course, inevitably results in upheaval, a consequence we can’t help but witness manifest as we scroll our social media platforms each evening.


We are flooded every day with talking heads espousing thoughts and ideas and opinions, very little of which is ever backed up with data. Very little of which is ever rooted in fact. At times it can feel discouraging. At times it can be frustrating. And it is during these times when it is incumbent upon us to stay grounded. And it is during these times when it is incumbent upon us to make decisions based upon what is real and honest and truthful and not what is distributed to us as political propaganda disguised as authenticity.


Because here’s the good news. In times of great transformation, we are afforded great opportunities. Opportunities will pass us by if we do not make the right decisions now or if we do not seize the right moments today.


In July 2011, Forbes Insights, the research arm of Forbes Media, published a study called “Global Diversity and Inclusion: Fostering Innovation Through a Diverse Workforce.” In that study, the conclusion was definitive. The most certain path to remaining competitive and creative and inventive and viable is through a diverse and inclusive workforce. And since that time, study after study, year after year, the evidence continues to mount. The conclusions are crystal clear: the most successful businesses, the most profitable institutions, and the most innovative companies are the ones that employ a diverse labor force under the all-inclusive umbrella of an accepting environment.



The future is coming fast and make no mistake about it: the future of our community is big and it is bright. But it will not wait for us. 


In December 2019, Charles Becker, research professor of economics at Duke University, forecast that Durham will grow anywhere from 30-50% over the next twenty years. Apple is opening a $1 billion campus in Research Triangle that is expected to create 3,000 jobs and generate more than $1.5 billion in economic benefits annually. Google recently announced that an engineering hub focusing on cloud computing will be opening in Durham and it is expected to bring another 1,000 jobs to the area. These titans of industry recognize our promise and our potential. Now, we are responsible for realizing it.



In our community, we are face-to-face with a unique moment in time. The rapid economic growth and development we are experiencing in Durham today allows us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to wedge open the doors that have been stubbornly nailed shut by the sins of our past. Doors that will lead to a brighter future for new generations of young men of color if only we provide them with the tools they need to breakthrough.


The time is upon us. For far too long young men of color are underrepresented among youth who excel in school and overrepresented among those with low grades and low test scores. We need to remove barriers that stand in the way of their academic success so that, when the time comes to apply for jobs and apprenticeships, they stand ready and able.


The Brookings Institution in Washington, DC is a nonprofit public policy organization whose mission is to conduct non-partisan, in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level. Camille Busette, the Policy Program Director for the Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative at the Brooking Institute, recently wrote, “To be male, poor, and either African-American or Native-American is to confront, on a daily basis, a deeply held racism that exists in every social institution. No other demographic group has fared as badly, so persistently and for so long.”


We can change that in Durham. We can change the future of the 43,800 black men and boys in our community. We can brighten the future of the 12,000 young men of color between the ages of 16-24. We can do this by offering them the opportunity to better themselves in the classroom and in their lives beyond school.


It is imperative that we seize this moment. If we cannot assure that young men of color are afforded the opportunities provided by our growth, we risk being mired, once again, in the muck of history, ignoring the data and the facts and the truth that clearly demonstrate the success that we can achieve if all our children are provided an equal chance to succeed.


We need to create a feeling of real belonging in our community. Our philosophy on growth and opportunity needs to be rooted in connection and acceptance. But this is not easy. Realizing this vision means moving past old archetypes and beyond old definitions that view diversity as a mere “box-ticking” exercise. And as a single-minded community, we can succeed. Because the truth is, creating a more inclusive and diverse work environment (reflective of our community and our society) is not only the right thing to do, it also makes business sense. Because by building a more diverse and inclusive work environment, you are instilling greater trust in workers. And more trust means more engagement. And highly engaged workers go the extra mile for their company. And more successful companies mean a more robust and prosperous community.



The data is right there. This time let’s use it.

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