Government, businesses, education institutions, and nonprofits continue to evaluate the roles they play in addressing injustice towards Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

For 30 years, CFES Brilliant Pathways has been deeply committed to changing life trajectories of youth across our country. We have shown that educational attainment—whether a four-year or community college degree or a credential of value—is critical to changing life trajectories of BIPOC youth. In fact, CFES has helped more than 70,000 students of color attain degrees (and a total of 100,000 students).

We know that young people with a postsecondary degree will earn, on average, twice as much as their peers with a high school diploma or less — in fact, they are seven times more likely to pull themselves out of poverty.

For these reasons, CFES is renewing its deep commitment to changing life trajectories and closing the opportunity gap. We plan to help, in the next three years, 25,000 BIPOC students become college and career ready through these activities:

• Mentoring for 25,000 BIPOC youth. For three decades, CFES mentoring programs have moved children to college and beyond.
• Training and certifying adults to serve as College and Career Readiness (CCR) Advisors. This will provide adults the skills, information and knowledge they need to support additional BIPOC youth, beyond the 25,000 served by CFES mentoring. Included in this training will be instruction on trauma-informed care to better address the needs of students.
• Helping students develop Essential Skills™ such as leadership, networking, goal setting and agility will prepare them not only for college and job success but for life.
• Building College Pathway knowledge and skills for students will prepare them for higher education.
• Providing internships and exposure to jobs will build critical career readiness.