4th annual
Black Male Initiative Summit
invites 8-9th graders from Denver Metro Area Schools
to cultivate leadership skills
In partnership with Denver metro area schools, the Center hosted the 4th annual Black Male Initiative Summit (BMIS) on Friday, April 19th. This year’s theme was I am the Master of My Fate: Leadership, Education and Black Male Identity, serving to cultivate the leadership potential of young Black male students. Our goal is to ensure that every participant leaves with a better understanding of their identity as a Black male and what it takes to become a leader in his personal life, school, and community. The Summit will provide participants with the tools to empower and enable their leadership skills by modeling the attributes of successful students and leaders.
Participants engaged in a process to prepare and plan for their future through a mentor-facilitated process. Each student identified an aspect of his life (school, social, college and career readiness, community, etc.) that he would like to actively improve, in order to create positive personal change and enhancement to his academic and/or social achievement. Our goal is to ensure that every participant left with a better understanding of what it takes to become a leader in his personal life, school and community.
DU Morgridge College of Education faculty members Dr William Cross and Dr Franklin Tuitt, also Associate Provost for Inclusive Excellence, guided the development of foundational tenets for the Summit.
School leaders from across the Denver metro area were asked to nominate students that have demonstrated strong leadership qualities and personal characteristics of excellence. Each school was invited to send students enrolled in the 8th and 9th grade, with a preference for Black males in order to emphasize college access. The criteria for selecting applicants included: leadership and academic potential, personal strength, and a desire to participate in a post-secondary education or career readiness program. Students had the opportunity to participate in workshops pertaining to Black Male Identity, Education and Leadership. Send nominations to bmis@du.edu.
Additionally, the Summit provided an adult learner track open to educators, counselors, parents or guardians. DU male faculty and staff who have a passion for education, college access and advancement of young Black males as leaders are welcome to attend.
We are always currently seeking sponsorship for the Summit from University departments or external corporations. Please contact Anthea Johnson Rooen, Director for Inclusive Excellence College Access and Pipeline Programs, at anthea.johnson@du.edu for information.
For more information please contact BMIS co-chairs H. Ray Keith and Rocky Miller at bmis@du.edu.
For young African American women, consider the Especially Me conference on April 27th, 9am-3pm.
Media coverage of previous events:
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