Ethan’s MBK Journey

By: Ethan Nicolas

My Brother’s Keeper is a program founded by Barack Obama in response to the death of Trayvon Martin, created to give young men of color guidance, protection, and access to opportunity.

I joined in 9th grade, originally seeing it as a “chill” space, but by 11th grade I was selected as a New York State MBK Fellow representing Brooklyn, one of 20 students across NYC. Through the program, I developed strong public speaking and leadership skills, including speaking at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Builders Summit (featured on CBS) and participating in Stand and Deliver in Albany, where fellows from across the state engage in debate and discussion.

I also created and led my own service project, Named OPERATION ACCESS a Community Opportunity Fair connecting students with mentors and programs across Brooklyn South for grades 9-12. During the event we held a panel discussion that discussed the importance of networking and leveraging opportunities.Then we had students apply the same knowledge during the fair where there were a bunch of programs for them. What this experience taught me was that in life climbing the rope to success is great but what's even better and what lasts is when you extend it to others so they can achieve the same level of success.

Most recently, I was invited by the Mayor’s Office to speak at Decision Day, where I shared my journey and advice to younger students.During this time I was asked to speak about my decision, my major, my career goals and a heartfelt message to leave the people with. Being in this initiative showed me the importance of mental health.My involvement in MBK has also deepened my understanding of mental health. During spring break, we held virtual meetings to check in on one another and have open conversations about our well-being. This experience reinforced that no matter how strong or busy you may appear, your mental health is essential—it is what sustains you. We also read books that helped expand our perspectives on building resilience and strengthening our mindset. As a result, I’ve grown more empathetic and better equipped to support and uplift those around me.