Why This Moment Matters

 A Community Call to Support Family Engagement,
Fatherhood, and Educational Justice in Cleveland

✔ Cast your vote now or read more

Family, friends, partners, and the entire Cleveland community --

I am honored and humbled to share that I have been selected as a finalist for the 2026 Constantino Family Engagement Practitioner Award, a national recognition celebrating leaders who build powerful systems of family, school, and community partnership.

For those who may not know me, my name is Anthony Brown, and I serve as a Program Manager in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s Office of Family and Community Engagement. I am also an author, motivational speaker, fatherhood advocate, and a proud champion for the educators and families who make Cleveland extraordinary. Beyond my work in CMSD, I write and speak to empower fathers, educators, and families, using storytelling to spark healing, pride, and community connection.

My work centers on building systems of belonging, uplifting fathers and male educators, strengthening school communities, and creating pathways where our scholars — especially Black and Brown boys — can see their brilliance and step boldly into their futures.

While I am grateful for the nomination, this moment is not about me. It is about Cleveland, our families, our fathers, our educators, and our scholars — and the collective work we are doing to strengthen belonging, transform systems, and build a brighter future for our children.

This honor belongs to the village.

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🌟 What This Award Represents
The Constantino Award recognizes leaders who are creating:
     Strong and culturally responsive partnerships
     Equity-centered engagement
     Measurable impact on student success
     Sustainable, innovative systems
     Pathways to empower families, educators, and communities

​These categories reflect the heart of the work happening across CMSD — together with our families, schools, campuses, barbershops, community organizations, faith partners, male educator networks, and fatherhood champions across the city.
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A number of national judges will be reviewing the work, vision, and impact of each finalist, evaluating how our efforts build capacity, strengthen community voice, and support scholar success. I am honored that Cleveland’s story is part of this national conversation.

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SUBMIT YOUR BREAKOUT SESSION PROPOSAL FOR 2026

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🌟 Why This Nomination Speaks to Cleveland’s Story
Over the last several years, we have been intentional about shifting family engagement from events to ecosystems, from outreach to relationship-building, from information to transformation.

This includes:
✔ Fathers Matter & The Annual Fathers Walk
Celebrating and uplifting Black and Brown fathers whose presence, love, and leadership strengthen our schools and our children’s confidence.

✔ Districtwide Attendance Engagement
Helping families understand the connection between attendance, literacy, math proficiency, and belonging. When families feel engaged, scholars show up ready to learn.

✔ Building Brighter Futures (BBF)
Ensuring transparent, multilingual, and family-centered support for school communities navigating transitions. Because families deserve clarity, support, and a voice.

✔ Gradebook Activation & Family Access Initiatives
Demystifying academic information and empowering families to take an active, informed role in their scholar’s progress.

✔ MOCHA Network & Profound Gentlemen Ohio
Supporting male educators of color through community, mentoring, leadership development, and visibility. Representation matters — for our scholars and for the culture of our schools.

✔ HBCU Pipeline & Community Partnerships
Building identity, pride, and postsecondary opportunity for Cleveland’s youth through culturally rich pathways.

✔ The 2026 Male Educators & Community Summit
A regional movement designed to bring fathers, male mentors, barbers, educators, youth organizations, and community leaders together to uplift boys of color and strengthen our educational ecosystem.
This work is intentional, strategic, relational, and rooted in love for Cleveland’s children.

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🌟 How You Can Support

A portion of the award decision includes community voting.

• If you believe in the work happening in Cleveland…
• If you believe in family engagement done with dignity…
• If you believe fathers and male educators matter…
• If you believe our scholars deserve systems that uplift them…
• I invite you to join me in bringing this home for our city.​

Community voting is open now and closes on January 30, 2026

I'm well pleased to cast my vote for Anthony ​✨

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🌟 TOP REASONS PEOPLE CAN USE ON THE BALLOT
In the section that asks “Why did you select this finalist?”, you may write from the heart, or use language like:

• I selected Anthony because he builds systems of equity and belonging that uplift families, fathers, educators, and scholars across Cleveland.
• Anthony strengthens family engagement in ways that directly support attendance, literacy, student success, and overall school connectedness.
• He creates sustainable, community-rooted partnerships that honor the voices and experiences of families while building trust and transparency.
• Anthony’s fatherhood engagement work celebrates Black and Brown fathers, strengthens the village, and transforms how families feel seen and supported.
• He empowers male educators of color through mentorship and leadership development, creating a culture of representation and support for our scholars.
• Anthony brings the heart of a storyteller and the skill of a systems leader. His writing and speaking inspire families, educators, and the entire Cleveland community.

Your voice matters.
Your story matters.
And your vote amplifies the work of an entire community.