The NYC Young Men’s Initiative (YMI), which invests in programming to support men of color ages 14 to 26, has a new leader: James Stratford, who grew up in the East Tremont area and proudly brings his Bronx background to the role.
“I represent and reflect the population being served, and I wouldn’t be who I am without a dedication of resources like YMI,” he told the Bronx Times in an interview about two months after taking the helm at the agency within the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice.
Stratford grew up in Phipps Houses in the East Tremont neighborhood, where he first got involved in the city’s afterschool programming. He attended schools in District 9 and 12 and went on to become the first in his family to attend college, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from Elizabeth City State University, a historically Black university in North Carolina. He later attended NYU Wagner for an executive master’s degree in public administration.
Stratford previously held leadership positions at Phipps Neighborhoods, the organization that owned his childhood home, which calls itself the largest nonprofit developer of affordable housing in the city. He also worked with FAN4Kids, a nonprofit that addresses food insecurity and childhood obesity, and A Second Chance, Inc., which handles alternatives to foster care.
Now at YMI, established in 2011, Stratford oversees $30 million of the city’s annual investments in initiatives around education, criminal justice, employment and health for young men of color. YMI does not provide direct services but supports organizations working to end the “persistent disparities” that lead many young men into low educational attainment and involvement with the criminal justice system, he said.
Stratford pointed to a few initiatives he is especially proud of, including NYC Men Teach, which partners with CUNY schools and DOE public schools to recruit more Black and brown male teachers, and Job Plus, providing employment services for public housing residents.
Specific to the Bronx, Stratford pointed to a program at the Horizons Juvenile Detention Center providing GED prep and academic tutoring, as well as a public health career internship in collaboration with Health+Hospitals where young people can work in South Bronx and learn about various medical careers.
Though the agency works citywide, Stratford maintains his pride in his home borough. “I think the Bronx is super resilient,” he said, which he defined as “being okay when you’re not supposed to be.”
Stratford said he aims to bring more opportunities to New York kids who are growing up much like he did. “My lived experience plays a major role in how I show up as a culturally competent leader,” he said. Organizations like YMI “enabled me to grow up and out of poverty.”
In his leadership role, Stratford said he is looking to enhance YMI’s visibility so New Yorkers can better understand what services are offered. He is also busy evaluating programs and identifying gaps, rightsizing the budget and trying to widen the net to include support of young boys — before they become young men.
Though the challenges facing young Black and brown New Yorkers can seem daunting, Stratford said he is more than ready to help ensure a better future. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
