A nonprofit organization, arising from the police brutality death of Burrell Ramsey, focusing on change to provide better opportunities to Boston communities.
About Better Opportunities Inc
BO's Purpose
Advocating for Change and Unity, Promoting Peace and Strength
Our purpose is to help young adults in urban communities of Boston become better and reach better opportunities while honoring Burrell "BoJack" Ramsey-White. Based on principles of support, individuality, love, and knowledge (SILK Principles), we have developed an Essential Life Quadrant. This quadrant focuses on four equally important aspects of life: Self Expression, Financial Education, Business Preparation & Guidance, and Community Enhancement. Our objectives are to foster individuality and creativity, enhance our environment, and educate our young adults on various topics. BO aims to strengthen the foundation of urban neighborhoods by focusing on social responsibility, and individual life improvement.
CHANGE
BO advocates for change in our mindset; we will challenge our current ways of thinking and encourage “at risk” young adults to take positive risks in order to produce more model citizens within inner-city areas. Provide education and experience necessary to not only obtain employment, but also share with fellow community members, is one way BO plans to help our people expand their horizons.
PEACE
Along with opening our minds and uniting our communities, BO plans to educate our neighbors on the effects of violence in order to implement non-violent practices. By promoting peace, we look forward to providing peace of mind and hope for brighter future.
UNITY
An organization also based on the African Proverb “It takes a village to raise a child”; BO focuses on strengthening urban communities in order to produce better citizens for the future. Through peaceful change and unity, we become a strong team; together everyone achieves more.
STRENGTH
BO also advocates for unity in urban communities by hosting a variety of public discussions and events.
Community participation is necessary in order to portray the leaders we want our peers, and children to personify. We believe providing information and neighborhood involvement are the first steps to a better tomorrow.
Our Mission: Uplifting and Improving
Through art and education, BO's mission is to advocate for change and unity while promoting peace and strength in our communities. We want to encourage self expression through a constructive release and share various information for the advancement of urban communities and its’ future.
Our Vision: For Our Communities
Better Opportunities Inc (BO) is a developing non-profit organization that believes uniting the community will help us all prevail. BO believes in helping our neighbors and raising our standards for a better future. A Future where there is less violence more peace and harmony, less high school drop outs and prisoners, and more successful minorities.
Our Commitment: To Our Communities
Our commitment is to our communities, specifically our youth and young adults between 13 and 30 years of age. We strive to uplift, unite, and empower urban communities through art and education. Our passion is helping people and our goal is to provide hope and peace of mind. We are committed to getting involved in the social aspect of our neighbor's lives as we teach the skills for happiness and build a strong network. We are committed to helping our neighbors and raising our standards for a better future.
Our Principles: Support, Individuality, Love, and Knowledge (SILK)
We are determined to rebuild our people in the likeness of silk fabric, which is radiant and gentle yet strong enough to withstand the maximum amount of stress without tearing apart. BO believes by introducing a positive environment that enforces several key principles, it will influence the attitudes and character of our neighbors and be reciprocated throughout the community, thus creating better opportunities for our future. These key principles include support, individuality, love, and knowledge; together they are SILK Principles. By encouraging actions that are based on the naturally contagious SILK Principles, we can improve our outlook, our potential, our future, one community at a time.
Our Goals:
Our goal, as a developing non-profit organization that believes uniting the community will help us all prevail, we aim to connect and educate our communities on our rights, the effects of violence, and the importance of community in order to prevent other tragedies. By doing so we hope to decrease murder, incarceration, prison re-entry, drop-out and unemployment rates. Simultaneously, we expect to increase career/job ready persons, the level of professionalism, improve the City of Boston's Graduation and success rates! Our ultimate goal is to Honor Burrell “BoJack” Ramsey by improving our communities, as a result of magnifying the way he helped and encouraged people on an individual basis.
OUR STATISTICS
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On average 60 people are being murdered in the City of Boston every year for the past 5 years
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On average 67.76% people are graduating in Boston Public Schools every year for the past 5 years (61.54% for Black Students & 55.2% for Hispanic Students in Boston)
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Those who spend time in prison earn 40% less annually and they are normally the primary financial providers for their children which leads to their family members and friends suffering from the same fate (black men earn 44% less)
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1/3 black men without a high school diploma are in prison
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More Black men without high school diplomas are incarcerated than employed
OUR CREED FOR BETTER OPPORTUNITIES
On a day to day basis, we all have the same amount of time
It is what you do with that time that matters most
You reap what you sow
I have made the choice today and everyday coming
To sow virtuous seeds and be fruitful
I will work hard to ensure my dreams become my reality
I will be the role model we all want embodied by our future
For we are all responsible for the next generations qualities and standards
So I will lead by example
I will be a vital part of the village
And contribute to the advancement of our communities
Love and Knowledge, both powerful and contagious
I will continuously seek and sow them both
So that my neighbors may sow virtuous seeds and be fruitful
I will strive to obtain better opportunities
And to everyone around me and after me
I will provide better opportunities
Live4BO! Live 4 Better Opportunities!
“Live4BO” was the first catchphrase developed from the incident as a way to encourage the community to come together and fight against such injustice. Currently the slogan for Better Opportunities Inc, Live4BO has a greater meaning derived from the kind of person Burrell was and the concept of “if you change yourself, you change the world”.
Please support BO in our mission to improve the future of our communities.