What We Do
Mission
Prospect Advancement Fund champions efforts to transform the lives of young men of color by supporting organizations that invest in the socio-emotional, educational, and economic needs of young men of color.
Programming
Prospect Advancement Fund deploys funds to support college access and persistence activities through actions such as financial awards, mentoring, and professional development workshops. PAF’s primary programmatic focus is supporting We Will All Rise, an organization that focuses on postsecondary success for young men of color.
Free M.I.N.D. Collective member Tori Holmes (middle) poses alongside his sister (left) and mother (right) after receiving his scholarship check. Baltimore, MD
About We Will All Rise
In the Fall of 2019, the founding team of the organization convened six young men of color to envision an entity with a specific focus on advancing and unleashing the full potential of young men endeavoring to earn a college degree. The result, We Will All Rise (All Rise), an organization founded, led, and governed primarily by Black and Brown men, dedicated to creating targeted initiatives that invest in the socio-emotional, educational, and economic needs of young men of color. Our work is grounded in the community and reflects the voices of those we serve.
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With an explicit focus on young men of color, the organization’s goals are threefold, 1) increase college persistence and completion, 2) create diverse pathways to economic mobility with a particular focus on careers in education, and 3) contribute to thriving communities by empowering those we serve to become civically engaged.
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We serve young men of color between the ages of 17-24.
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Programs are developed and organized under our three organizational pillars, higher education, economic empowerment, and community engagement.
All Rise programming is facilitated in the following metropolitan areas:
Atlanta, GA
Baltimore, MD
Boston, MA
Lawrence, MA
Milwaukee, WI
Philadelphia, PA
Washington, DC
Team
Prospect Advancement Fund is governed by its board of directors who oversees all activities of the Fund and facilitates its annual grant making process.
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Ricardo is the President & Chief Executive Officer of We Will All Rise. He guides the organization's decision-making, strategy development, fundraising, and fiscal management in this role. He leads the organization's work in creating targeted initiatives that invest in the social and academic trajectories of young men of color. Over the past 25 years, Ricardo served in various leadership and governance roles within the education, philanthropy, and public advocacy sectors and has led community change work nationally and internationally. Ricardo earned a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Master's degree in Social Work from the Boston University School of Social Work.
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Anthony is a director of the Prospect Advancement Fund. Anthony worked in television production before transitioning to public education in 1997. He is an elementary educator for the Norwalk/La Mirada School District in Norwalk California. Anthony earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, his teaching credential from California State University Long Beach, and a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis on Curriculum Development and Assessment from Walden University. Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Anthony currently resides in Downey, CA.
MKE Rising Fellow Josh Pegura enjoys art time with the children. Next Door Foundation; Milwaukee, WI
Get in Touch
Please contact us to learn how you can contribute to the Fund and support our mission.
