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We can revolutionize the attitude of inner city brown and black kids to learning. We need a civil rights movement within the African-American community.

In too many communities, too many young men of color are left behind and seen only as objects of fear. Through initiatives like My Brother's Keeper, I'm personally committed to changing both perception and reality.

Take the time to discover how African-Americans have had a great impact on this country. In science, education, literature, art, and politics.

We have a powerful potential in out youth, and we must have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good ends.

I want young people to look at me and go, 'Damn, I want to be like that brother. He sharp, he be on point. He represent black people.' I want to make the life of the mind sexy.

As a young black boy, it made me proud to see black leaders that did something amazing and made the world change.

Our children need to see and hear about more black role models in many fields so they can make better choices.

I want to be able to talk about changing the world through your actions and being a generation that is aware and a force to be reckoned with - and at the same time be dancing.

In the long run, we will need many more African-American, Latino, and Native American leaders, and leaders from low-income communities, who can bring additional insight and a deeply grounded sense of urgency, and who are the most likely to inspire the necessary trust and engagement among students' parents and community leaders.

By dismantling the narrow politics of racial identity and selective self-interest, by going beyond 'black' and 'white,' we may construct new values, new institutions and new visions of an America beyond traditional racial categories and racial oppression.