Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges was at the White House Thursday morning, attending a summit of community leaders participating in the president's "My Brother's Keeper" initiative.

The mayor was invited to share information about the work Minneapolis is doing on the project, which is aimed at improving the lives of boys and young men of color. The city is one of more than 145 cities and tribal groups that have agreed to collect data and come up with plans for improvements like boosting graduation rates and decreasing incarceration rates.

The other Minnesota communities involved in the challenge are St. Paul, Brooklyn Park and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

Hodges attended a morning session with presentations by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Valerie Jarrett, a senior advisor to the president.

In a statement, the mayor said she's been working with St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman to review local programs and intends to have a formal launch in April.

"We simply can't afford the stark disparities our young men and boys of color face," she said. "They have so much to contribute to our city and our region; It is imperative to fully include boys and young men of color in our success."