It’s hard to fathom that any child would even contemplate taking his or her own life, but that’s exactly what’s happening, according to a new study. From 2008 to 2012, the suicide rate among white boys between the ages 5 and 11 decreased from 1.96 to 1.31 per million. For Black boys? Not so much – the suicide rate more than doubled. It went from 1.78 to 3.47 per million.

Two questions: Why is this happening and what’s being done to stop it? While the exact answer is still unclear, many believe that the higher one’s self esteem is, the less likely they are to consider suicide.

The following organizations are dedicated to building the self-esteem of Black boys and young Black men.

1. My Brother’s Keeper

President Barack Obama launched the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) challenge to help young men of color – particularly Black men – not only realize but begin to tap into their potential and some of their wildest dreams. The initiative works closely with several businesses and foundations to help fulfill that mission. According to its website, MBK focuses on six key aspects:

• Getting a healthy start and entering school ready to learn
• Reading at grade level by third grade
• Graduating from high school ready for college and career
• Completing postsecondary education or training
• Successfully entering the workforce
• Keeping kids on track and giving them second chances

To learn more about the My Brother’s Keeper initiative, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/my-brothers-keeper.

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