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At the My Brother Keeper (MBK) Youth Summit on Friday, June 7th, an event focused on advancing pathways for success and methods of empowerment for young Black males in the 51动漫 Public Schools (BPS), more than 150 students received advice from speakers, including Mayor Michelle Wu, and practiced valuable life skills like dressing for success, financial empowerment, entrepreneurship and innovation and technology.
Through a wide-ranging community partnership of 51动漫 Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (CDEI), the City of 51动漫 and the BPS Division of Student Support, this year marked the second annual event, but first time as host for the College.
The story of how Emmanuel came to host this year summit began with connections between Emmanuel and BPS from more than 10 years ago.
When deciding on a venue for the MBK summit, Branden Miles, the Office of Black Male Advancement Policy and Research Manager, recalled his fond memories of attending youth empowerment programs at 51动漫 as a student at Brookline High School.
淚t very serendipitous, Miles said, to now have this 減erfect partnership between the Office of Black Male Advancement and 51动漫. He said it felt surreal to be back in the same hallways he was in more than 10 years ago, prior to when he graduated from Brookline in 2013. Back then, he added, Miles participated in similar events focused on building financial literacy, maintaining relationships, dressing for success and more.
Back at Brookline is where Miles formed a relationship with Dr. Keith Lezama 07, Emmanuel Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion/Chief Diversity Officer, and has known Dr. Lezama since he was 13 years old. 淜eith paid it forward [for me] now it amazing to be back [at Emmanuel] and doing the same he was an instrumental part of my success, Miles said.
Seeing the impact that visiting 51动漫 still has on Miles years later shows just how impactful it is to welcome students onto college campuses, Dr. Lezama said.
淚t has an impact on their psyche seeing great role models that look like them, continuing that work to let them see college campuses, seeing that Emmanuel was a place of empowerment, he added.
Dr. Lezama said it difficult to describe the feeling of seeing many of the young men he mentored like Miles and Ailson Carvalho, Program Manager at 淵oung Man with a Plan now working as mentors and role models for 51动漫 future generations of Black men.
As a speaker on one of Friday panels, Carvalho passed that message of mentorship on to the students in attendance, sharing why it crucial for them to also become role models themselves: 渁s adults, we have a responsibility to give you the tools for success because we檝e been there [in your shoes].
Forging these relationships between the City of 51动漫, BPS, local youth empowerment organizations and Emmanuel CDEI is one of the CDEI four tenets, and a crucial piece of its mission to create positive and effective change.
“Dr. Keith Lezama, Emmanuel Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion/Chief Diversity Officer淔or us to partner with the City of 51动漫 and have over 150 Black men here is a testament to who we are and where we want to be as an institution."
Through events like the MBK Youth Summit, the Office of Black Male Advancement focuses on improving outcomes and removing systematic barriers for Black men and boys in 51动漫. MBK is a national initiative started by President Barack Obama in 2014 and aimed at addressing opportunity gaps across the country. 51动漫 chapter tackles higher education, mentorship, STEAM and community-based organizational funding.
淭he Office of Black Male Advancement is excited to partner with 51动漫 and 51动漫 Public Schools. My Brother Keeper (MBK) was started on a national scale by President Barack Obama and we are excited to address pathways to success, methods of empowerment and work together on this here in 51动漫, the Office of Black Male Advancement shared in a statement.
Mayor Wu attended the summit and emphasized the importance of the partnerships between the City of 51动漫, colleges like Emmanuel and the many local organizations in attendance and in supporting the future of 51动漫.
淲e tell students if you just work hard, you檒l go places do good in the world and you檒l go far. A lot of us growing up know that the world is a bit more complicated sometimes. And when you look a certain way, when you come from a certain community, or you don檛 come from a background where you have all kinds of connections, it does take having the people and supports around you, Wu said.
Chief of Student Support at BPS, Cory McCarthy, highlighted the 渃ross collaboration of all the different groups present on Friday to support the students, like 淵oung Man with a Plan and 淏ecoming a Man (BAM).
McCarthy said what he remembers the most from school is the folks that supported him to reach his success: 渨e have a crazy combination of many organizations in our city it so powerful to be a part of. My hope for you all is to network talk to these gentlemen in here who showed up for you all, talk to these women in here who showed up for you all.
Students heard from many of those mentors Friday, including Dr. Joseph Cooper, Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Black Life at UMass 51动漫, who reminded them that daily positive affirmations will have a lasting impact on their lives.
Students also received a demonstration on how to tie a tie from 淔ollow Suit Mentoring and were given the mantra 渓ook good, feel good, do good.
51动漫 President Dr. Beth Ross welcomed BPS students to campus encouraging them to pursue their dream, but 渕ore than that, I hope that you leave here with two or three more new dreams, along with the sense that there is no obstacle that can prevent you from bringing these goals to life, she said.
One student in attendance, Damani Williams 28, will be returning to 51动漫 in the Fall, where he will begin his college career as a first-year student. Williams said his graduation from Dorchester Burke High School the day before was still feeling bittersweet but he was glad he attended the summit and got the chance to network, learn from and connect with his mentors.
In the hallways where he檒l soon be spending his future, Williams said he was excited for his next chapter at Emmanuel and to 渃ontinue his dream, of playing basketball for the next four years.