About Us

Mission Statement

To design systems of belonging for boys and young men of color by delivering direct programming, shaping public policy, and driving systemic change. 

 

Vision Statement

We envision a society where boys and young men of color belong, lead, and thrive in systems intentionally designed for their success. Through bold partnerships with schools, communities, and policymakers, we aim to reshape the policies, practices, and narratives that define opportunity, creating a future where belonging is predictable, equity is built by design, and every young person can reach their full potential.

 

The Uniqueness of Sims-Fayola

Improving life outcomes for boys and young men of color requires work across every layer of their lives, including home, school, community, and the systems that shape their opportunities. Around the world, many organizations focus deeply on one part of this effort, and their work is invaluable.

 

At the Sims-Fayola Foundation, our role is to bring these critical pieces together.

 

We combine direct youth programming, school and community partnerships, mental health supports, and a statewide policy and advocacy institute into one coordinated approach. This enables us to support young men not only as individuals, but also within the broader systems that shape their success.

 

Our approach includes:

• High-touch youth mentoring and programming

• Academic, behavioral, and school-based intervention

• Leadership development and college access pathways

• Trauma-responsive mental health and healing supports

• Community violence and systems-impact programming

• Statewide policy and advocacy through the Sims-Fayola Policy & Advocacy Institute

• A unifying design model: the Sims Framework

 

This integrated model, aligned with our Vision 2030 strategy, enables us to create conditions where boys and young men of color can thrive, and where the systems surrounding them can evolve to support their success.

 

Our Why

Despite decades of awareness, the U.S. education system continues to fall short in meeting the needs of students of color, especially boys and young men. From early learning to higher education, boys of color encounter compounding inequities, systemic bias, and chronic underinvestment. These inequities extend beyond the classroom, showing up in the social, economic, and justice systems they navigate. For many, these barriers contribute to over-discipline, underachievement, and increased involvement in the criminal justice system. We exist to dismantle those barriers. Our mission is rooted in equity, justice, and the radical belief that young men of color deserve to thrive, not just survive.

 

Our Approach

SFF is building a new paradigm of change that addresses inequity at every level: individual, school, community, and system. Rather than isolating problems or applying one-size-fits-all solutions, we work holistically, transforming narratives, policies, practices, and beliefs. Our work is grounded in the Sims Framework, a culturally grounded and research-informed model that centers identity, belonging, and agency for boys of color.

 

The framework includes seven core components:

• Cultural Identity and Belonging

• Equity-Centered Instruction

• Agency and Advocacy

• Systems Awareness

• Affirmation and High Expectations

• Best Practices in Mentoring Boys of Color

• Culturally Centered Pedagogy

 

This framework drives every aspect of our work, from our direct programs and policy advocacy to how we train educators and partners.

 

As the backbone organization for My Brother’s Keeper Denver, we convene cross-sector partners to advance the MBK Local Action Plan. We lead initiatives such as the Male Educators of Color Fellowship and the Empowered Ambition Youth Development Program, delivering real-time impact while building long-term systems change.

 

Our Pillars

The Sims-Fayola Foundation’s Vision 2030 strategy is guided by three core pillars that define how we build capacity, drive systems change, and sustain community impact.

• Building Power: We equip boys, families, and educators with the knowledge, skills, and platforms to lead change. We center youth voice and create leadership pipelines across programs and policy.

• Shaping Systems: We influence policies and institutional practices in education, workforce, mental health, and justice to create equitable and responsive structures.

• Elevating Narratives: We shift public will by affirming cultural identity and changing how boys and young men of color are seen and supported through storytelling, communications, and ambassador engagement.

 

Our Objectives

Our objectives span the full journey of boys and young men of color, from cradle to career, and are designed to:

• Reduce school-based discipline disparities such as suspensions, expulsions, and truancy

• Increase participation in leadership, civic engagement, and enrichment opportunities

• Build critical social-emotional skills such as self-awareness, decision-making, and relationship-building

• Expand access to career pathways in underrepresented fields such as technology, healthcare, law, and education

• Decrease juvenile justice involvement by offering preventative, restorative, and alternative-to-sentencing interventions

• Equip youth-serving professionals and systems to meet the holistic needs of young men of color

• Shift public narratives, institutional policies, and community investments toward sustainable equity