Our Direction

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1. Education Empowerment Initiative

• Implement mentorship programs to support academic excellence among Black men, particularly in underprivileged communities.

• Advocate for increased funding and resources for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to ensure access to quality education for all.

• Advocate for equity in academic placements, curriculum, disciplinary policies, and the treatment of special education students in public schools

• Support candidates for local school Boards who embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)

Legislative Agenda: Advocate for legislation that increases funding for public education, particularly in underserved communities, such as the implementation of the Equity and Inclusion Act, which allocates additional resources to schools with high populations of minority students.

2. Economic Equity Agenda

• Promote entrepreneurship, small business development and financial literacy programs tailored to empower Black men in building wealth and economic independence.

• Support policies that address the racial wealth gap, including equitable access to banking services, affordable housing, and fair lending practices.

Legislative Agenda: Support legislation aimed at expanding access to capital for minority-owned businesses, restoring the original intent of the Minority Business Development Act to provide grants and loans to support entrepreneurship in communities of color.

3. Criminal Justice Reform

• Advocate for police reform measures to address systemic racism and promote accountability within law enforcement agencies; including the appointment of special prosecutors to oversee incidents of excessive force and ending qualified immunity for local law enforcement officers. 

• Support initiatives to end mass incarceration and implement alternatives to incarceration that focus on rehabilitation and community reintegration.

Legislative Agenda: Advocate for the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which seeks to address police misconduct, racial profiling, and use of excessive force by law enforcement through various measures including mandatory body cameras and enhanced accountability mechanisms.

4. Health and Wellness Initiatives

• Address disparities in healthcare access and outcomes by advocating for policies that ensure equitable healthcare coverage and resources for Black men.

• Promote mental health awareness and destigmatize seeking help through culturally competent programs and support services.

Legislative Agenda: Support the expansion of Medicaid and other healthcare programs to provide coverage for mental health services, as proposed in the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, ensuring that mental health is treated with the same importance as physical health.

5. Civic Engagement and Empowerment

• Foster civic engagement and leadership development among Black men through voter education, registration, and mobilization efforts.

• Encourage community-based initiatives focused on improving neighborhood infrastructure, access to essential services, and promoting civic pride and unity.

• Oppose efforts to restrict access to the ballot, impose voter identification or removes poll locations accessible to the poor and communities of color. 

• Support the drawing of legislative district lines that reflect communities of interest and the election of candidates of their choice.

• Support the electoral campaigns for public office of members of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. and NPHC organizations that align with this agenda.

• Encourage every Iota chapter and Brother to join the NAACP as a commitment to the fraternity’s civil rights heritage.