---
title: Through Black Men Teach, Keon Finds a Home
description: Keon shares how Twin Cities Habitat's groundbreaking partnership with Black Men Teach helped him become a homeowner.
---

[Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity Blog ](https://www.tchabitat.org/blog)

# [Through Black Men Teach, Keon Finds a Home](https://www.tchabitat.org/blog/through-black-men-teach-keon-finds-a-home)

 Written by [Blake MacKenzie](https://www.tchabitat.org/blog/author/blake-mackenzie) | 2:00 PM on July 2, 2025

As a young teacher, Keon didn’t think homeownership would be attainable anytime soon. He was sharing a small apartment with his partner, Sharianna. They were looking at a future of trying to keep up with rising rents, moving regularly, and wondering how they’d start a family and build generational wealth.

That all changed one evening when [Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity announced a partnership with Black Men Teach](https://www.tchabitat.org/blog/habitat-announces-ground-breaking-partnership-with-black-men-teach) to provide pathways to homeownership for Black male teachers in our community.

*Keon, second from left, on the night the partnership between Black Men Teach and Twin Cities Habitat was announced. [Click here to watch a video of the memorable moment](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBSLDatXkvg).*

“It was an emotional day for a lot of us,” Keon remembers. “I got in the car and called Sharianna immediately. I was just like *Hey, we got something to look forward to.*”

The mission of [Black Men Teach](https://www.blackmenteach.org/) is to recruit, prepare, place, and retain Black male teachers in elementary school classrooms. Minnesota ranks last nationally in disparities between Black and white student graduation rates. But having just one Black teacher in grades 3-5 decreases the likelihood of a low-income Black student dropping out of high school by 39%. 

“As an educator, we talk about all the racial gaps that we have in Minnesota,” Keon says. “And that also translates into homeownership.”

Thanks to the new partnership, Keon and Sharianna participated in our [Advancing Black Homeownership program](https://home.tchabitat.org/advancing-black-homeownership). With Habitat’s homeownership education and additional down payment assistance through the partnership, they were able to buy a home with Habitat in the same community where Keon teaches. It’s bigger and better than they could have ever imagined.

“This will be the home where we’re able to start a family,” Keon says, Sharianna beaming beside him. “We’re in a position where as young as we are, we’re setting ourselves up for future success. We’ll be able to build equity in this home, and this is our future. I hope this really sets the tone for what can be in Minnesota, and I hope people learn from it.”

*Watch Keon's inspiring journey to homeownership below!*

[View full post](https://www.tchabitat.org/blog/through-black-men-teach-keon-finds-a-home)

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