A response to governor Newsom’s executive order on boys and men

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OPINION – Too many of our boys are dying—by suicide, by violence, by slow disconnection.

Too many are growing up in neighborhoods abandoned by the state, locked out of opportunity, and left to navigate their pain alone. These issues have existed for a long time, but they will only worsen as the federal government continues to defund social programs and education, attack culturally-rooted programming, and impose tariffs that raise the cost of living for working-class communities.

This summer, Governor Newsom issued an executive order to address this crisis – a long-overdue recognition. But it’s not enough. If we are to truly shift outcomes for boys and men in California—especially for Black, Indigenous, Brown, and masculine-identified youth—we must transform the systems that harm not just boys and men, but our entire communities.

At the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color (ABMoC), we’ve spent over a decade working alongside youth, families, formerly incarcerated people, and grassroots organizations across California to challenge these conditions and reimagine what’s possible. We know the crisis young men face goes beyond mental health—it’s about poverty, policing, patriarchy, violence, and disconnection. It’s about the failure of our environment to treat young men as whole human beings.

We see this when young people are pushed out of school by harsh discipline policies, or when schools spend money on police instead of counselors and mental health programs. It looks like young men returning home from juvenile detention or incarceration with no tools to facilitate a second chance. It looks like boys growing up without safe spaces to express emotion or ask for help, because we have normalized the idea that vulnerability is weakness.

And yet, when we’ve invested in community-rooted programs—like culturally grounded healing circles, youth organizing fellowships, or trauma-informed mentorship—we’ve seen young men reconnect to themselves, to each other, and their whole communities. These solutions work because they treat young people as humans, and don’t judge them by their past.

Organizations like the National Compadres Network are facilitating healing circles rooted in Indigenous values and traditions—advancing violence prevention through cultural reconnection, intergenerational healing, and the reweaving of kinship networks. Black Men Build, a national organization with a chapter in Los Angeles, engages Black men in political education, healing spaces, and acts of community service that foster accountability and collective care.

CURYJ (Communities United for Restorative Justice) draws on ancestral wisdom and lived experience to create healing spaces in response to trauma, police violence, and grief—supporting young people to reclaim their cultural roots through traditional ceremony while grounding movement work in wellness and self-knowledge. The Brotherhood of Elders Network nurtures Black boys and men from infancy to adulthood by uplifting African heritage, prioritizing holistic wellness, and advocating for their rights and long-term success. And organizations like the Social Justice Learning Institute, Pillars of the Community, and BEAM (Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective) are also leading transformative work across the state. These are the models we should be funding and learning from—community-rooted, culturally grounded, and driven by the very people most impacted.

If the Governor is serious about breaking the cycles harming boys and men, here’s what must come next:

Build new systems that guarantee stable housing, education, healthcare, and dignified employment for all communities pushed to the margins.

Fund community-based organizations that facilitate healing, build healthy models of masculinity, and foster belonging where the state has failed.

Elevate youth leadership in shaping this agenda. The people most impacted must lead the way, and our young people are already doing incredible work to challenge gender norms and build more liberatory forms of masculinity.

Reject reactionary masculinity and co-create new models rooted in care, accountability, gender justice, and collective well-being—not performance or power.

Address intimate partner violence as a public health crisis—not just through punishment, but through prevention. Invest in community-based programs that engage boys and men in healing, accountability and long-term support.

While we support real efforts to meet the unique needs of boys and men in this moment, we also call on the Governor and policymakers: do not allow this to become a backslide on gender justice. Our work—and our liberation—must include everyone. Men are not served by patriarchy—they are simply conditioned to see it as their only option. It’s time to offer them a vision that speaks to their real struggles, meets their material and emotional needs, and builds a future where everyone can thrive. That’s the work ahead—and it’s work we must do together.

Eric Morrison-Smith is the executive director of the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color.