A Greater Des Moines Conference

Since 2016 YMOC has mobilized over 100 community partners, 1,000 volunteers, 760 mentors, who all helped serve over 2,500 Young Men in middle school and high school with 100 empowering workshops, 5,000 meals, $25,000 in financial stimulus, countless resources, and priceless tools.

2025 marks the “10th Annual Greater Des Moines Conference For Young Men Of Color” on Saturday, October 25, 2025, 9:00AM-3:00PM at Drake University, Olmsted Center. Like always, it's a Win, Win, Win!!!

Why YMOC…
Numerous studies have highlighted the academic challenges faced by young men of color in the United States. These challenges stem from a complex interplay of systemic, societal, and individual factors.

Systemic Issues:
* Underfunding of schools in predominantly minority neighborhoods: This leads to disparities in resources, qualified teachers, and overall educational quality.
* Implicit bias and racial profiling within the school system: This can result in harsher disciplinary actions and lower expectations for these students.
* Lack of culturally relevant curriculum and teaching methods: This can alienate students and make them feel like their experiences and backgrounds are not valued.

Societal Factors:
* Stereotypes and negative portrayals in media: These can impact self-perception and lead to self-doubt and disengagement from academics.
* Limited access to quality early childhood education: This can create a disadvantage from the earliest stages of learning.
* Community violence and exposure to trauma: This can disrupt focus, attendance, and overall well-being.

Individual Factors:
* Internalized racism and negative self-perception: This can lead to low self-esteem and a lack of belief in one’s ability to succeed.
* Financial barriers: Students from low-income families may need to work to support themselves or their families, limiting time for academic pursuits.

* Lack of strong male role models: This can lead to a lack of guidance and support, particularly for students navigating challenging environments.

YMOC24: A Resounding Success! Hip-Hope Empowers Young Men of Color to Overcome Challenges and Thrive in Iowa

Hip-Hope's 9th Annual Greater Des Moines Conference for Young Men of Color (YMOC24) proved to be an inspiring and impactful event, directly addressing the unique challenges faced by young men of color in Iowa and empowering them to succeed. Held on October 26th at Drake University's Olmsted Center, YMOC24 provided a vital platform for mentorship, leadership development, and community building.

Confronting Disproportionate Challenges in Iowa

Young men of color in Iowa face significant disparities in various aspects of their lives. Here are some sobering statistics:

Education: Black students in Iowa are suspended at a rate nearly 6 times higher than white students. (Source: Iowa Department of Education)
Juvenile Justice: Black youth are 8 times more likely to be incarcerated in Iowa than white youth. (Source: The Sentencing Project)
Economic Opportunity: The median income for Black households in Iowa is significantly lower than that of white households, and Black Iowans experience higher rates of poverty and unemployment. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau)
Mental Health: Young men of color often face barriers to accessing mental health services and are disproportionately affected by mental health challenges. (Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness)

YMOC24: A Critical Intervention

YMOC24 was designed to directly address these disparities by providing:

Mentorship: Connecting young men with positive role models who offer guidance, support, and encouragement to navigate the challenges they face.
Leadership Development: Equipping them with the skills and confidence to become leaders in their communities and advocate for change.
Social-Emotional Learning: Creating a safe space for open dialogue and fostering emotional intelligence to address mental health disparities.
Financial Literacy: Providing resources and education to promote financial responsibility, overcome economic barriers, and plan for the future.
Academic Support: Inspiring a love of learning and connecting them with educational resources and opportunities to close achievement gaps.

A Conference by the Numbers

Over 100,000 individuals were reached through the YMOC24 social media campaign, raising awareness about these critical issues.
200 young men from Iowa and Missouri participated in workshops, engaged with mentors, and connected with their peers, building a strong support network.
74 mentors dedicated their time to guide and support the young men, fostering a sense of community and belonging.
43 community partners joined forces to make YMOC24 a success, demonstrating a collective commitment to empowering young men of color.
12 dynamic breakout sessions addressed critical topics such as leadership, financial literacy, mental health, and academic success.

Inspiring Speakers and Engaging Activities

YMOC24 featured inspiring speakers like youth keynotes Avery "Beats" Brown and Lil JJ World, who shared their personal journeys and motivated attendees. Des Moines Mayor Connie Bosen, State Representative Ako Abdul-Samad, and Dr. Ian Roberts offered words of encouragement and support, highlighting the community's commitment to their success.

Beyond the Numbers

YMOC24 created an environment where young men of color felt seen, heard, and valued. They engaged in meaningful dialogue, formed lasting connections, and left the conference feeling empowered to overcome challenges and achieve their dreams.

A Look Ahead

Hip-Hope is committed to building on the success of YMOC24 and continuing to provide opportunities for young men of color to thrive. The organization plans to reconvene with conference attendees quarterly to monitor their progress and provide ongoing support.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

YMOC24 would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors, including Drake University, Wells Fargo, Athene, Microsoft, and Slay Fund. Their commitment to empowering young men of color is making a real difference in our community.

2024 Impact Report: Hip-Hope's 9th Annual Greater Des Moines Conference for Young Men of Color On October 26, 2024, Hip-Hope successfully hosted its 9th Annual Greater Des Moines Conference for Young Men of Color (YMOC24) at the Olmsted Center, Drake University. This landmark event served as a powerful platform for empowerment, growth, and opportunity, reinforcing Hip-Hope's mission to support young men of color in the Greater Des Moines area. The conference’s success was a testament to the collective effort of our community, partners, and dedicated participants. Impact By the Numbers 200 young men from Iowa and Missouri registered for the event. 74 mentors and 42 volunteers dedicated their time and expertise. 43 community partners collaborated to make the conference a success. 5 major sponsors: Drake University, Wells Fargo, Athene, Microsoft, and Slay Fund. 12 dynamic breakout sessions provided hands-on learning experiences. 752 meals were served throughout the day, ensuring attendees were nourished and engaged. 6 resource booths offered valuable information and support. 2 major TV news stations, WOI/CW Channel 5 and NBC Channel 13, covered the event. 100,000+ people were reached through our social media campaign. 15,000+ people were reached through our email marketing efforts. Highlights and Key Engagements The conference featured a distinguished lineup of speakers and community leaders who underscored the importance of the event. Des Moines Mayor Connie Bosen presented a city proclamation, while State Representative Ako Abdul-Samad offered a state acknowledgment, showcasing strong civic support for the initiative. Dr. Ian Roberts, Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, delivered a powerful message of encouragement, having attendees repeat, "my rejection is my inspiration." Youth participation was at the heart of YMOC24, with two youth keynote speakers, two youth performers, and six youth presenters inspiring their peers. A highlight of the day was the ambient music provided by a talented 17-year-old young man of color on the piano. As part of Hip-Hope's Beyond The Bell program, the youth keynotes also visited McCombs Middle School the day before the conference, motivating 50-60 students with discussions about education and performances. The conference also acknowledged the only female leader for Brother 2 Brother with a one-of-a-kind bag featuring original art by Keith Taylor. A Deeper Impact: Aligning with Our Mission YMOC24's success extends beyond the numbers, demonstrating its commitment to addressing the holistic needs of young men of color. Every participant was guided to establish financial, health, academic, and social goals. Our commitment to their success is long-term, with plans to reconvene quarterly to monitor their progress. This conference is a vital step in Hip-Hope’s ongoing mission to provide the tools and support necessary for young men of color to thrive.

- YMOC PURPOSE AND GOALS - A GREATER DES MOINES CONFERENCE FOR YOUNG MEN OF COLOR, “Win Win Win… It's about time!” Des Moines is greater when Young Men Of Color are maximizing their interests, skills, strengths and TIME. YMOC is one of Hip-Hope’s flagship initiatives mobilizing mentors, dignitaries, educators, caregivers, corporations, organizations and institutions around hundreds middle and high school Young Men Of Color. Our perpetual purpose is to improve academic disparities and social inequities by equipping society’s most challenged population with Win, Win, Win support, opportunities and guidance towards achieving a privileged quality of life. GDMC4YMC‘s goals are always to INFORM all participants of the current social and academic status concerning YMOC’s health, education and safety, ILLUSTRATE how time can be positively utilized to counter social and academic challenges helping them CREATE empowerment tools within a relatively short period of time, CULTIVATE counter-pipelines by identifying and engaging participants in relevant areas of interests and strengths, CELEBRATE YMOC’s talents and accomplishments, EMPOWER all participants during and after the conference with tools to help improve their health, education and safety through time management, COORDINATE with community stakeholders, ACKNOWLEDGE Community Champions who advocate to make Greater Des Moines Greater for Young Men Of Color.

“It’s About Time!” Many of the issues that Young Men Of Color face today are outdated, and many of the approaches that address said issues are antiquated, therefore resolution is overdue. It's about time that Hip and contemporary solutions are presented, supported and executed. Not only that, it is imperative that Young Men Of Color learn the value of time, how to manage time and how to leverage time in order to achieve success in a timely manner, since most of their circumstances demand urgent response. YMOC‘s programming will focus on time management, leveraging time and achieving short term goals that set up long term success.

-Bo James / Hip-Hope Inc. - Founder/Executive Director

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