What makes a man decide to participate in a focus group? Most focus group volunteers are black men motivated by a desire to see a change in their communities and help others who share their background and experiences. Others are just interested in telling their personal stories in a safe space. No matter what their initial motivations, volunteers leave the focus group knowing that they have been heard and that their experiences matter.

We know that Black men die “sicker and sooner” compared to every other racial and ethnic group. Yet, we know very little about Black Men’s personal experiences in areas such as: employment, friendships, relationships, trauma, discrimination etc. Before we can address the myriad of problems that black men face we first have to listen to their stories to understand their experiences. Black Men’s Experiences Matter!