He Is Me Institute and Breakthrough Collaborative, two pioneering organizations dedicated to advancing educational equity, are proud to announce a strategic partnership to support the professional growth and success of aspiring Black male teachers. By leveraging their respective strengths and resources, the partnership seeks to identify and address critical gaps in teaching preparation to reduce barriers to building a diverse teacher workforce.

He Is Me Institute and Breakthrough Collaborative have a unique opportunity to enhance support for Black male college students participating in Breakthrough’s national Teaching Fellowship. By combining He Is Me’s expertise in mentorship and identity-affirming programming with Breakthrough’s established pre-professional teacher preparation program, the partnership will allow students to build community and engage in affinity groups to grow as young people, leaders, and future educators.

“This partnership signifies a significant step forward in our collective efforts to empower Black male educators to enter the classroom with instructional experiences and identity awareness,” said Robert Hendricks, Founder and CEO of He is Me Institute. “By combining our expertise and resources, He Is Me and Breakthrough are poised to make a lasting impact on the teaching profession and student outcomes, given the powerful influence of Black male teachers.”

“We are excited to partner with He Is Me Institute to enhance the support available to our Black male Teaching Fellows and provide them with opportunities to grow as educators after their time at Breakthrough,” said Alex Serna, Chief Program Officer at Breakthrough Collaborative. “This collaboration supports our strategic priority to enhance our Teaching Fellow experience and how we support our alumni, with our ultimate goal to strengthen and diversify the teaching pipeline.”

He Is Me Institute, renowned for its mission to recruit, retain, and retire Black male teachers (BMTs), has a proven track record of empowering current and aspiring teachers with the tools, support, and development needed to excel in the classroom. Through its initiatives, He Is Me Institute has witnessed significant outcomes, including increased confidence in teaching among instructors, with 83% of Black Male Teacher Fellows expressing that their experience will help them become effective teachers. Additionally, 80% of He Is Me’s first cohort of college students have gone on to become teachers, demonstrating the organization’s impact on the Black male teacher pipeline.

Breakthrough Collaborative is a leading national organization improving equity in education through a focus on both student success and the teacher pipeline. Each year, Breakthrough recruits and trains more than 1,000 college-aged Teaching Fellows who support more than 10,000 students in 25 cities across the country. Nearly 80% of Breakthrough Teaching Fellows identify as people of color, reflecting the diversity of their students and our nation’s classrooms. Nearly three-fourths (74%) of Teaching Fellow alumni go on to work in the education field, and more than half (52%) have taught in the classroom, highlighting the program’s success in cultivating future educators.

Through collaboration, He Is Me Institute and Breakthrough Collaborative are focused on prioritizing the recruitment and tailored support necessary for Black males to enter and thrive in the teaching profession.

About He Is Me Institute:

He Is Me Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to recruiting, retaining, and retiring Black male teachers (BMTs). In partnership with education institutions, we offer unique development and support for Black males in K-12, college, and throughout their careers. Founded in 2018, 100% of our high schoolers have had an increased interest in teaching, over 80% of our college students have become teachers, and over 1,000 Black male teachers in our network receive personal and professional development.

About Breakthrough Collaborative:

Breakthrough Collaborative is a national nonprofit that prepares traditionally underrepresented students to succeed in college and introduces college students to careers in teaching to build a diverse and talented educator workforce. Our cost-effective, near-peer mentoring model centers relationships between students and Teaching Fellows, fostering a culture of high expectations and high support, spirit, and joy. With over 40 years of experience, and a network of over 40,000 alumni, we are improving outcomes for historically underrepresented groups in our school systems – as college graduates and as educational leaders.