My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio Selected for an Obama Foundation Communities Program 

My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio Selected for an Obama Foundation Communities Program

Designation recognizes San Antonio’s collaborative efforts to increase postsecondary success for Black and Latino young men.

San Antonio, TX (June 18, 2026) — My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) San Antonio has been selected as one of five communities nationwide to participate in the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance Accelerator Communities.

The My Brother’s Keeper Alliance (MBK), a program of the Obama Foundation, leads a national call to action to build safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color. The Alliance works with local leaders and cross-sector partners to address opportunity gaps and improve life outcomes through community-driven strategies.

MBK Accelerator Communities represent a select group of MBK Certified Communities best positioned to achieve population-level impact on one of MBK’s six key milestones within the next three years. These milestones represent pivotal moments in the lives of boys and young men of color, which research proves to be predictive of long-term success. They include: entering school ready to learn, reading at grade level by third grade, graduating from high school, completing postsecondary education or training, securing employment for out-of-school youth, and ensuring youth remain safe from violent crimes.

MBK San Antonio, a collective impact network convened locally by nonprofit UP Partnership, was selected for its work advancing Milestone 4: Complete Postsecondary Education or Training, which focuses on ensuring young people have access to the education and training needed for quality jobs and long-term economic opportunity for boys and young men of color in Harlandale, Southwest, and San Antonio ISD. This designation recognizes the work already underway in San Antonio in alignment with the Future Ready Bexar County Plan, a community-wide initiative advancing college and career readiness through cross-sector collaboration among education, nonprofit, civic, and community stakeholders committed to improving outcomes for young people.

“We are honored to be recognized as an MBK Accelerator Community,” said John Jacobs, UP Partnership’s Director of K12 and Justice. “This designation reflects the dedication of partners across San Antonio who are working together to expand opportunity and improve outcomes for boys and young men of color. Through this partnership with the MBK Alliance, we will continue strengthening pathways to postsecondary education and training in school districts that have put in the work for years to ensure that boys and young men of color have the support they need through restorative practices.”

“Completing postsecondary education or training is a key milestone to ensure that our young people are on a trajectory for a prosperous future,” says MacArthur Antigua, Director, Community and Network Impact, MBK Alliance. He continues, “MBK San Antonio has shown great promise in facilitating an ecosystem where students can achieve that before they cross the stage to receive their high school diploma. By selecting them for the Accelerator cohort, we are not only confident in their ability to scaling up that success, so more of Bexar County’s young men of color can achieve that milestone but also codifying their strategies and best practices to inform the rest of our network who are also pursuing that milestone.”

As an MBK Accelerator Community, MBK San Antonio will receive MBK Alliance coaching, funding, evaluation support, and peer-to-peer learning to deepen partnerships, expand effective strategies, and track progress toward population-level impact.

As the nation marks the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, a landmark dedicated to inspiring civic engagement, leadership, and community-driven change, and prepares to celebrate Juneteenth, a day that commemorates freedom and the ongoing pursuit of opportunity for all, this designation serves as a reminder that meaningful progress is built through sustained investment in young people and communities. The selection of MBK San Antonio recognizes local efforts to expand access to postsecondary education and training and reflects a broader commitment to helping boys and young men of color achieve long-term success and economic mobility.

Over the next three years, MBK San Antonio will leverage the resources and national network of the MBK Alliance to continue expanding opportunities and building brighter futures for boys and young men of color in the region.

About My Brother’s Keeper Alliance:

The My Brother’s Keeper Alliance is a program of the Obama Foundation that leads a cross-sector national call to action focused on building safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color. The initiative works to mobilize communities across the country to address opportunity gaps and improve life outcomes through collaborative action.

About My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio:

My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio is a cross-sector initiative led by UP Partnership as part of its broader effort to align systems and improve outcomes for young people across Bexar County. Through partnerships with school districts, community organizations, and civic leaders, MBK San Antonio focuses on expanding opportunity and strengthening pathways to postsecondary education and training for boys and young men of color.

More about UP Partnership:

Founded in 2009, UP Partnership’s mission is to ensure all young people in Bexar County are ready for the future. We are a San Antonio-based nonprofit social impact organization that coordinates data, aligns pathways and promotes policy change that can help to unlock the full potential of young people ages 0-24 years in our region. Learn more about UP and the Future Ready Bexar County Plan – a strategic plan to guide shared action, language, goals, metrics, and practices that drive progress – at uppartnership.org.

UP Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship Applications Now Open for 2026–2027

UP Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship Applications Now Open

for 2026–2027  

 

Are you ready to make your voice heard and create change in your community? Applications are now open for the 2026–2027 UP Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship, a paid leadership and civic engagement opportunity for young people across Bexar County.

The UP Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship is designed for young people ages 16–24 who want to better understand how decisions are made and how to influence them. You do not need prior experience in leadership, policy, or advocacy. You just need curiosity, commitment, and a desire to make things better for yourself and your community.

What is the UP Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship?

The UP Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship is a nine-month, paid fellowship running from September 2026 through May 2027. Fellows will explore how systems such as education, local government, and public policy impact young people and communities while building the skills needed to advocate for change.

Through hands-on learning, mentorship, group discussions, and real-world experiences, fellows will:

  • Build confidence as civic leaders
    Learn how to speak up about issues that matter to them
    Understand how decisions are made  and how to influence them
    Connect with other young people passionate about making a difference

This program is especially intended for young people who have experienced barriers in education, access, or opportunity and want to help create solutions for their communities.

Fellowship Commitment

Fellows should expect to commit approximately 5–8 hours per month, including:

  • One virtual Tuesday meeting each month (1 hour)
    One in-person Saturday meeting each month (4 hours)
    Optional community events, civic meetings, and youth-led activities throughout the fellowship

Why Apply?

Training, Mentorship & Experiential Learning

Gain practical skills in leadership, civic engagement, advocacy, and policy, no prior experience required.

$2,500 Fellowship Stipend

All fellows will receive a $2,500 stipend to support participation in the program. 

Amplify Your Voice

Share your experiences and perspectives while helping shape conversations and decisions that impact young people and communities across Bexar County.

Continue Your Leadership Journey

Build relationships, strengthen your leadership skills, and gain experiences that can support your future educational, professional, and civic goals.

Who Should Apply?

We encourage applications from young people ages 16–24 who live, work, or attend school in Bexar County, especially those who:

  • Feel decisions are often made without youth voices at the table
    Care about issues impacting their schools or communities
    Want to better understand how change happens
    Have not always had access to leadership or civic opportunities

You do not need to have all the answers, just a willingness to learn, participate, and grow.

Important Dates

  • Application Deadline: July 31, 2026
    Interviews & Selection: August 10–19, 2026
    Fellows Announced: August 21, 2026
    Orientation & Kickoff Celebration: August 27, 2026
    Programming Timeline: September 2026 – May 2027

Apply Today!

This is more than a fellowship, it is an opportunity to grow as a leader, connect with peers, and help shape the future of Bexar County.

Apply Here: bit.ly/UPLeadersApp2026

Applications are due Friday, July 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM CT.

Questions?

For questions about the fellowship or application process, contact Andrea Ramirez, Youth Leadership Manager, at andrea@uppartnership.org.

Powering Future Ready: Building Capacity for Impact

Powering Future Ready:
Building Capacity for Impact  

 

At UP Partnership, we know that improving outcomes for young people in San Antonio requires more than strong programs, it requires strong, sustainable organizations positioned to grow. That’s why our work focuses on strengthening both the quality of relationships young people experience and the capacity of the organizations that serve them. 

That’s why we’re proud to share the results of our co-investment in the Network Support Pilot (NSP), a national initiative led by Catalyst Exchange, a nonprofit that provides organizations across education and the social sector with the tools, expertise and hands-on support needed to drive transformational outcomes. 

Through this six-month pilot, 10 Future Ready Youth Development Organizations (YDOs) strengthened the systems behind their work by building clearer strategies, stronger infrastructure, and more sustainable revenue models. These organizations included Culturingua, Empower House, Healthy Futures of Texas, The Magik Theatre, Students of Service – San Antonio, Girls on the Run Bexar County, SA Youth, Sporti Transforming Lives, First Tee – Greater San Antonio and Youth Orchestras of San Antonio. 

Each organization received a $30,000 investment, co-invested by Catalyst Exchange and UP Partnership, to address their most pressing needs. In total, partners completed 12 capacity-building projects spanning strategic planning, finance, technology and leadership development, walking away with tangible tools and a clearer path forward. 

Through our Future Ready Bexar County strategies, we are scaling developmental relationships so more young people have access to consistent, meaningful connections with caring adults, which is an essential driver of long-term success. At the same time, we are building the capacity of YDOs to advance Future Ready Action Commitments, ensuring they have the infrastructure, strategy, and resources needed to deliver and expand high-impact work. 

The results speak for themselves—100% of organizations met their project goals, and 90% reported high satisfaction with their outcomes. 

This work reflects a core belief: when we invest in the strength and sustainability of organizations, we expand their ability to build meaningful relationships with young people and deliver lasting impact at scale. This pilot reaffirmed that when we invest in organizations serving young people, we invest in young people themselves, creating a stronger future together. 

Organizations join forces to create a national standard for a leadership program geared toward youth-serving professionals

Organizations join forces to create a national standard for a leadership program geared toward youth-serving professionals

UP Partnership’s leadership program for youth-serving professionals sets the standard using Search Institute’s Developmental Relationships Framework

UP Partnership, a San Antonio-based collective impact organization, and Search Institute, a Minnesota-based positive youth development and equity-focused research organization, are collaborating to create a national standard for a leadership development program. This program is specifically geared toward augmenting youth-serving professionals’ ability to better connect and build transformative relationships with those they serve, which in turn helps young people develop character virtues, such as generosity, self-control, civility, respect, humility, purpose, and curiosity.

Since 2019, UP Partnership has led Excel Academy, a leadership program rooted in racial equity, continuous improvement, adaptive leadership, and Search Institute’s Developmental Relationships Framework. The core of Search Institute’s Framework is based on five elements vital to transformative relationships between youth-serving professionals and young people: expressing care, challenging growth, providing support, sharing power and expanding possibilities. Excel Academy participants are invited to engage in learning around these five elements through a racial equity lens. These elements are important for professionals to utilize in helping young people succeed while also focusing on equity.

“Developmental relationships are close connections through which young people discover who they are, cultivate abilities to shape their own lives, and learn how to engage with and contribute to the world around them. Our Developmental Relationships Framework guides youth-serving professionals toward creating meaningful relationships with young people and providing the support and encouragement they need to thrive,” says Search Institute CEO, Ben Houltberg.

Search Institute and UP Partnership have worked together for several years on various projects. In the spring of 2022, both organizations saw an opportunity to scale up Excel Academy through a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. Through a $1.6 million investment, Search Institute and UP Partnership are currently creating the framework to further expand Excel Academy to a national scale through a new three-year framework that helps organizations to cultivate relationship- and character-rich climates.

“Through Excel Academy more than 75 youth serving professionals in over 26 youth-serving organizations in Bexar County have been impacted through the program, to-date. We are bringing together two professionals each from selected youth-serving organizations – one senior level, one frontline staffer. Having both perspectives at the table is vitally important to ensure diverse voices are heard,” said Emily Calderón Galdeano, UP Partnership’s Chief Strategy and Impact Officer. “The reach that both have to attain feedback from their teams and students inform how the participants create and continually improve their organizational work plans.”

Together senior-level and frontline staff members will co-create an organizational improvement plan that will help them implement changes based on the content covered in the sessions. Frontline and senior-level staff also receive individualized coaching from UP Partnership staff, and training from Search Institute, Quantum Possibilities, and UP Partnership facilitators.

Miray Seward is Search Institute’s Research Scientist and primary researcher for this pilot. The primary lead of Excel Academy at UP Partnership is Senior Manager of K12 and Youth Development Shelby Drayton.

A total of 23 organizations received a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. To learn more about this grant and read more about the other awardees you can click here.

About Search Institute
Search Institute is a nonprofit organization with a sixty-plus-year history of collaboration with youth-serving organizations to conduct and apply research that promotes positive youth development and advances equity. Our tools build connections that help all young people learn and grow.

About UP Partnership
Founded in 2009, UP Partnership is a San Antonio-based nonprofit that convenes partners in Bexar County that provide healing, access, and voice to local youth to create equitable systems and ensure that all young people in the county are ready for the future. Its work is conducted through collaborative efforts with its partners that focus on education and youth development initiatives and have signed on to a community-wide strategic plan called Future Ready Bexar County or its networks of My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio, Diplomás, and Excel Beyond the Bell. UP Partnership has 130 local partners and 500 volunteer leaders across seven sectors including: early childhood, preK12, postsecondary education, youth development, workforce, justice, funders, corporate partners and local government.

Excel Beyond the Bell San Antonio partners reconnect in person at the network’s annual summit

Excel Beyond the Bell San Antonio partners reconnect in person at the network’s annual summit

2021 Excel Summit

The weather may have been a little muggy, but the atmosphere was a breath of fresh air at the May 26 Excel Beyond the Bell (EBBSA) annual summit. Held at the Good Samaritan Center, the summit allowed EBBSA partners to gather, talk, laugh, and participate in team building activities. It was a sight not seen since early 2020.

With more than 80 partners in attendance, the event was UP Partnership’s first in-person event since the start of the pandemic.

EBBSA partners expressed a deep desire for reconnecting after experiencing more than a year of disconnection with their colleagues, partners and friends. So, the EBBSA Training and Capacity work group decided it was time to come together again.

The Big Picture: EBBSA is an UP Partnership professional network of youth development organizations working in partnership with local school districts to make San Antonio a place where all young people have access to the tools and relationships they need to succeed. Through the power of data sharing, collaboration, and advocacy the network supports the expansion of youth development programs and access.
The annual brings together its 45 youth development partners to celebrate the wins of the previous year and build relationships to further their mutual goal in strengthening youth development.

From the Field: Partners in attendance ranged from community leaders and youth-serving organizations to educational institutions and youth development programs.

  • Partners gathered together to reconnect and engage in development activities. Many attendees shared that “the opportunity to participate and collaborate together in team activities was a breath of fresh air.”
  • Using Open Space structure, attendees brainstormed ideas, helped each other by sharing best practices, strategized, and connected on a deeper level.
  • This year’s summit also marked the launch of the Excel Academy’s 2021 cohort applications. The Excel Academy focuses on professional development using the Search Institute’s Developmental Relationships framework.

“The Developmental Relationships framework is critical to the work youth development professionals provide to young people. One activity we used at the summit called concentric circles was a way to bring people closer by sharing thoughts and values with each other from philosophical questions that were asked. Many emotions were experienced as I watched people interact: Crying, laughter, joy.”

-liz moseley

Senior Manager of Community Learning

What’s next: As we collectively transition into an “in-person” world again, the EBBSA Annual Summit set a powerful precedent for in-person events in UP Partnership’s near future. The power of collaboration, relationship, and connectivity were on full display at the summit and the partnership looks forward to slowly moving towards having more of these events in the coming months.

Apply to the 2021 Excel Academy

Excel Academy Cohort 2 applications are open between June 1 – July 29 to any EBBSA network partner. In August 2021, 15 agencies will be announced for the second cohort.

Learn more about the Developmental Relationships Framework
Learn more about Excel Beyond the Bell San Antonio

excel beyond the bell logo

The Excel Academy launches 2021 cohort applications: The transformative power of relationship development and youth empowerment

Excel Academy launches 2021 cohort applications

At May’s annual summit, the Excel Beyond the Bell (EBBSA) network launched its 2021 Excel Academy Application. In the Fall of 2021, EBBSA and UP Partnership will launch its second 10-month cohort of youth development professionals committed to transforming lives of young people through relationships.

“It’s not the soccer ball, or the paint brushes, or the instrument that changes the life; it’s the coach, teacher, [or] mentor that does,” said Francisco Gónima, Excel Academy facilitator and coaching partner.

Excel Academy aims to change young San Antonians’ lives through the power of Developmental Relationships. 

Learn more about Excel Academy

MORE THAN A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSE

“[Excel Academy] goes deeper to focus on the power of developing key relationships to empower youth,” Gónima adds. 

According to members in the first cohort, Excel Academy equipped them with tools to build upon even in their own personal relationships. Excel Academy integrates coaching sessions, cross-network collaboration, and reinforces key practices with organizational leadership and staff.

Each organization that participates in the 10-month program brings an integration champion and a youth development coach.

THE BENEFITS OF EXCEL ACADEMY 

Partners become part of a network of San Antonio youth development professionals focused on acquiring the capacity, tools, and resources needed to build and foster high-quality relationships with students in their programs.  

“The real change happens through connection, and embedding developmental relationships at the core of these programs,” Gónima said. 

Built on the Search Institute’s Developmental Assets Framework, partners focus on five key elements of transformative relationships:

  • Express Care
  • Challenge Growth
  • Provide Support
  • Share Power
  • Expand Possibilities

 The Search Institute identified 40 positive supports and strengths that young people need to succeed. Excel Academy focuses on these, ensuring that more San Antonio youth have access to the relationships they need to succeed.

Additionally, Academy participants go through:

  • Ten (monthly) half-day sessions
  • Monthly coaching meet-ups
  • Ten 1-hour coaching webinars

TESTIMONIALS FROM THE FIELD: 

Previous participants agreed that the Academy created a safe space for them to grow, brainstorm, strategize, and expand DR efforts in their organizations. The Academy was both enriching and fulfilling at many levels, according to a number of Cohort 1 participants.

“More than feeling safe, it’s about feeling seen. It’s about learning how to do the work to achieve their potential. The reality is not all youth development programs are created equal – this Academy is the magic elixir to create a program that empowers young people with the confidence they need to be successful,” Gónima said.

A special congratulations to the first cohort of partners for completing the first step of transformative program. They have moved to the implementation phase of the program and have set a powerful precedent for the 2021 cohort! 

Apply to the 2021 Excel Academy

Cohort 2 applications are open between June 1 – July 29 to any EBBSA network partner. In August 2021, 15 agencies will be announced for the second cohort.

Learn more about the Developmental Relationships Framework
Learn more about Excel Beyond the Bell San Antonio

excel beyond the bell logo