During the regular meeting today of Milwaukee’s Black Male Achievement Advisory Council, Alderman Khalif J. Rainey assumed co-chairmanship of the body following his appointment by outgoing co-chair Council President Ashanti Hamilton.

“It is both a tremendous honor and a heavy responsibility to assume the leadership of the BMA Advisory Council, which is tasked with addressing the grievous disparities faced by young men and boys of color in Milwaukee,” Alderman Rainey said. “If we are to build a society with equal opportunity for everyone, these disparities are the most pressing issues with which we must contend.”

The BMA Advisory Council was created by the Milwaukee Common Council in 2013 as part of a broader nationwide initiative driven by the National League of Cities. The group is charged by the NLC with identifying local challenges and opportunities, exploring policies and strategies that have the potential to make an impact on outcomes for black males and developing mechanisms to evaluate and sustain progress over time.

Alongside honorary co-chair Mayor Tom Barrett, Alderman Rainey was selected to serve as co-chair due, in part, to his extensive experience with issues specific to Milwaukee’s African American community, including a joint city-county venture to launch a local Office of African American Affairs.

To learn more about Milwaukee’s Black Male Achievement initiative, visit milwaukee.gov/bma.