In January, Dr. Ivory Toldson and Dr. John H. Jackson received Keys to the City of Little Rock, AR, in recognition of their work with Beyond the Bricks Project.

Beyond the Bricks is a media project and national community engagement campaign that seeks to promote solutions for one of America’s critical problems in education: the constantly low performance and graduation rates of school-age Black males. The film follows two African-American students navigating the Newark, NJ public school system and weaves in commentary from some of the foremost leaders and experts on the education struggles of young black males, including Dr. Toldson and Dr. Jackson.

The film, which is screening at events across the nation, has helped to foster discussion and awareness of the the dire obstacles young students of color face in obtaining a quality education.

learn more about the project