The Metropolitan Chicago area can once again boast a Concerned Black Men chapter in the area to serve the community.

Whether it is the disenfranchisement of Black veterans, the under-recognized impact of immigration policies on Black immigrants, education or literacy, the members of CBM Chicago are excited about getting involved on the ground, combining their organizing experience with CBM programs to change the landscape in the Chicago area.

“Our daily lives are playing out on national media, in terms of the violence against youth is concerned,” says Bryan Echols, founding member of CBM Metropolitan Chicago. “We want to serve as a connective tissue … we want to connect our people to services and resources and opportunities and we want to connect efforts nationally and locally.”

CBM Metropolitan Chicago is unique in its diversity. Members span four generations, from age 22 to almost 70. The members are community organizers, judges, ex-gang members, world-renowned scientists. They have been working on issues affecting Black men and boys for a number of years and are looking forward to the opportunity to join their work together to further the CBM mission.

“We want to not only address the issues and concerns of our family and youth, but to bring brothers together under a common banner … to exercise their passions under the programmatic things of Concerned Black Men, with a unique twist.”

Echols is expecting CBM Metropolitan Chicago “to be the chapter to look out for.”

“The work we do, I feel will be the work to influence and push the national brand,” he says.

CBM National Executive Director George Garrow agrees.

“We are very excited about the Chicago chapter, because we think their chapter can be the model for future chapters,” Garrow says.