In the U.S., Black men who start college are up against a huge deficit of resources when it comes to finishing, and getting their degree.

You can see that play out in the majority-Black Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side, where just one in four who make it to campus graduate within six years.

That rate is much lower than it is for white college students from across the city.

WBEZ’s Lisa Kurian Philip brings us the story of three generations of Black men with ties to Austin who have helped each other overcome this disparity.

Their shared struggles have brought them close.

HOST: LARA