Mission

Concerned Black Men of Los Angeles (CBMLA) seeks to unite African American men to support and empower youths and advocate for the betterment of our communities. As part of our mentorship, we provide community leadership opportunities and encourage education as a first priority. We are strongly committed to the social, emotional, academic, and psychological development of African American youth. Thus we work to provide them with positive outlets to help them engage in constructive behaviors and develop positive mindsets and attitudes.

History

Concerned Black Men was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1975 by a group of police officers dedicated to reducing gang violence. Their vision was to provide at-risk youth ages 11 to 19 with academic support, career enrichment, and more importantly, mentorship from positive Black male role models in their communities. Through mentorship and programming, they sought to affirm young Black men, help to foster discipline within them, and ultimately support and care for them. Since its founding, CBM has expanded beyond Philadelphia and has now served children and families nationwide for over 40 years. Los Angeles, California is one of the many cities to which CBM expanded. CBMLA was established in 2003 as an independent non-profit organization. Since 2003, CBMLA has provided quality youth and adult services to African American communities throughout Los Angeles County.