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Welcome to Black Men's Xchange · Since 1989

Home for Black Men.
And a Movement for Black Male Life.

Our mission is to tackle challenges for Black men & boys — from social injustice and behavioral issues to self-conceptual health concerns.

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Who We Are

Black-affirming. Centered in wellness. Built for the community.

01

Affirm

Show up fully, without shame or fear.

02

Heal

Healing happens in community.

03

Empower

Define ourselves on our own terms.

04

Connect

Brotherhood across every generation.

Programs

Programs rooted in brotherhood.

From focus areas to signature gatherings — every program is a room where Black men can arrive whole.

Mentoring Young Black Men

Mentoring Young Black Men

Creating a space for young Black men to be heard and amplified. We partner with organizations that focus on opportunities for young Black men.

YouthMentoring
Mental Health for Black Men

Mental Health for Black Men

Resources and dialogue encouraging Black men to care for their own mental health — grounded in culture, not clinical distance.

Mental Health
Harm Reduction Services

Harm Reduction Services

In partnership with the Pride Center of Maryland, we offer resources and educational seminars focused on reducing harm in our communities.

Wellness
Black Men's Soul Brunch

Black Men's Soul Brunch

A celebration of Black people of all backgrounds — part gathering, part community forum.

GatheringFellowship
Kings' Table

Kings' Table

A formal dinner celebrating Black excellence, brotherhood, and economic advancement.

Brotherhood
Breaking Bread & Breaking Cycles

Breaking Bread & Breaking Cycles

A youth-led forum unpacking racism, gender roles, and harm reduction.

YouthCTCA
Orange Album Theory

Orange Album Theory

A mental-health event blending music, art, and honest community dialogue.

Mental Health
The Vibe Check

The Vibe Check

A monthly, culturally-affirming open mic with the Storage Unit Collective band.

MonthlyOpen Mic
Brothers of the C.O.L.O.R.S.

Brothers of the C.O.L.O.R.S.

A same-gender-loving men's support circle — Culture of Love Over Radical Systems.

SGLSupport
BMX brotherhood since 1989
Our Story

Founded in 1989. Reaching every generation since.

Black Men's Xchange was founded to create a home where Black men could arrive whole — free from pathology, policing, and prescription. What began as a small circle of dialogue in Los Angeles has grown into a national movement grounded in the CTCA framework: Critical Thinking & Cultural Affirmation.

For more than three decades, BMX has convened brothers across identity, geography, and generation — building rituals of care, spaces for accountability, and platforms for Black male self-definition.

35+Years of Brotherhood
Since 1989
  1. 1989Founded

    Dr. Cleo Manago convenes the first Xchange in Los Angeles.

  2. 1995CTCA

    Critical Thinking & Cultural Affirmation formalized as method.

  3. 2010National

    Chapters and programs replicated across the country.

  4. TodayMovement

    Wellness, mentoring, and cultural work in community.

Mission · Vision · Values

What we stand on. What we stand for.

A clear north star for the work — and a shared vocabulary for the brotherhood we're building.

Mission

Put Black love into practice.

To tackle the challenges facing Black men and boys — from social injustice and behavioral health to self-conceptual well-being — through culturally-affirming community, dialogue, and care.

Bawabisi
Vision

A world that sees Black men whole.

A future in which Black men and boys define themselves on their own terms — where wellness, identity, and leadership flourish across every generation and geography.

BMX cube
Values

Ten commitments we carry.

Healing, culture, brotherhood, authenticity, critical thinking, self-determination, leadership, justice, love & respect, and unity through diversity.

  • Healing & Wellness
  • Cultural Affirmation
  • Brotherhood
  • Authenticity
  • Critical Thinking
  • Self-Determination
  • Leadership
  • Social Justice
  • Love & Respect
  • Unity Through Diversity
More Than a Community

A framework for Black male self-definition & well-being.

BMX did not emerge in a vacuum. Across the lifespan, diverse Black males continue to confront conditions we exist to disrupt.

01

Pathologized

Reduced to risk — rarely seen as whole.

02

Policed

Manhood surveilled and criminalized.

03

Boxed In

Rigid, contradictory rules of masculinity.

04

Isolated

Disconnection and psychological strain.

05

Underserved

Few culturally-grounded models of wellness.

BMX exists to disrupt these conditions.

Input 01Critical Thinking
Input 02Cultural Affirmation
MethodCTCA — Founded in Resolution, Rooted in RestorationFounded in Resolution · Rooted in Restoration
Outcomes
01Self-Concept
02Wellness
03Identity
04Leadership
05Community
The CTCA Framework

Critical Thinking & Cultural Affirmation.

BMX activities are centered on the pioneering CTCA framework — a behavior transformation and community mobilization model developed by founder and 'social architect' Dr. Cleo Manago. It is the only intervention of its kind in the nation, now replicated across the country.

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improvement in self-concept & reduction in high-risk behavior among participants.

Upcoming

Come as you are.

Between gatherings

The next season of convenings is being scheduled. Join the list to hear first, or browse the archive of past gatherings.

Full calendar →Get notified →
Healing & WellnessCultural AffirmationBrotherhoodAuthenticityCritical ThinkingSelf-DeterminationLeadershipSocial JusticeLove & RespectUnity Through DiversityHealing & WellnessCultural AffirmationBrotherhoodAuthenticityCritical ThinkingSelf-DeterminationLeadershipSocial JusticeLove & RespectUnity Through Diversity
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