Finalist
Barry Cooper
Making therapy accessible to the young men of Bed-Stuy through space, connection, and care
- Year
- 2025
- Organization
- The BRO Experience Foundation
- Sector
- Education
- Borough
- Brooklyn
What if all young men in New York had access to the support needed to truly heal? That’s Barry Cooper’s mission. Known as a first responder and go-to for support in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, he helps young men of color navigate trauma with care, connection, and vulnerability. The B.R.O. Experience Foundation creates affirming spaces where healing feels natural rather than clinical.
The B.R.O. Experience isn’t traditional therapy; rather, it’s about joy, safety, and identity. Through rites of passage, mentorship, creative expression, and fatherhood circles, B.R.O. reaches boys before society defines them. Most programs focus on what young men should avoid – B.R.O. focuses on who they can become.
With over 1,000 youth served and partnerships with schools, health systems, and community leaders, B.R.O. offers a blueprint for emotional well-being built on kindness, brotherhood, and the conviction that young men of color deserve space to heal and grow together.