Face Forward: Young African American Men in a Critical Age

Face Forward presents luminous portraits and intimate interviews with young African American men leading exemplary lives, defying the statistics, destroying the stereotypes. This collection celebrates the achievements of thirty-nine black men between the ages of 18 and 32 and offers inspiration for the generation to come. Photographer Julian Okwu has traveled across the country, interviewing teachers and entrepreneurs, lobbyists and poets, ministers and a congressman, and a host of other young men. They speak with a diverse range of voices, experiences, and attitudes, but all share a concern for the African American male and a hope that future generations will benefit from their work. In a world of negative images, skewed statistics, and racial division, these young men embody an alternative reality and an eloquent argument for optimism. A powerful, timely social document and an elegant collection of photographic portraits, Face Forward is an inspirational statement for and by black men.