MISSION
BlackBoy Political is a collective movement empowering young Black men to lead, create, and shape the future of politics and public service. We exist to build a pipeline of bold, brilliant, and unapologetically Black leaders who turn advocacy into action, culture into influence, and vision into power.
Vision
We envision a world where Black men are not only at the table but building the tables, redefining leadership, policy, and progress through community, creativity, and courage. BlackBoy Political strives to make politics a space where our authentic stories, our brilliance, and our brotherhood transform systems and inspire generations.
Our Founding Circle
Kareem Willis, Ph.D.
Our Board
Javion Howard
Our Board
Shakee Jahura Merritt
Founder
Our Story
In 2025, political strategist and queer activist Shakee Jahura Merritt founded BlackBoy Political while serving in the Mayor’s Office for the City of New York under Mayor Eric Adams. After years of working across campaigns, public policy, youth engagement, and social justice organizing, Shakee saw a truth he could no longer ignore:
young Black men were shaping culture, shaping politics, shaping the streets, but rarely being centered, resourced, or uplifted inside the systems they were already influencing. Despite being on the frontlines of protest movements, community organizing, civic engagement, and local leadership, Black boys were among the least supported, least mentored, and least platformed demographic in political spaces. The gap wasn’t in talent. It was in access, investment, and belief.
It was clear the political marginalization of Black boys was a social and civic injustice.
Today, BlackBoy Political is a national movement building power, community, and opportunity for young Black men across politics, culture, and public life. We center Black boys not as problems to fix but as leaders in the making brilliant, creative, powerful, and deserving of every room where decisions are made.
We are committed to reimagining who belongs in politics by placing Black boys at the center of leadership, strategy, and narrative. Our work pushes against inequitable systems and expands access to civic life, public service, and political power.
Because when young Black men are empowered, resourced, and believed in our communities get stronger, our politics get wiser, and our future gets brighter.